Using own voice isn’t a reliable test. Because output varies, that’s why calibrated recordings are used.
Just checking, you did around 20 words or more? Eg not just 2-5?
Also, guessing words instead of hearing all sounds also skew the results. At first glance, guessing is what we do anyway in normal conversation. However, in those lists are words that depending on your loss, you can guess A and A whilst they’re A and B words actually. That’s why it’s important to do whole lists once they figure out you’re at the best loudness.
And third thing, some people don’t do their job properly, and they will mark anything you say as ‘said’. Or if your guess is cat and it was hat, they say, yeah but 2 out of 3 are here, and they’ll mark it as good.
I had an experience where lady did just a few words, high frequency ones (I have low frequency loss), and concluded that I have 100% wrs. In highly respected clinic. She even did test with HAs, both ears, and speakers in front of me, I asked her but that makes no sense, I have one normal ear, she insisted that I listen with both, I of course scored 100% again, and then told to another doc and he concluded that test is invalid but I don’t need to repeat because of the first one where I have 100% and wouldn’t listen to me that that was also not done properly. But I was there for other reasons so I didn’t care much.
In reality I’m around 70-80%, when I do it with my fitter who does whole lists and doesn’t assume I’ve heard it if I don’t repeat all letters. Which corresponds with my experience in real life.
So ask yourself which number is the closest with your real life experience.
If first fitter really had bad recording (and it wasn’t your brain that heard it distorted bc of your cochlear damage, which mine does for example), then I’d probably be most inclined to believe the third test, if it was done with recorded words and big list.
So that’s probably around 60-70%?
That unfortunately means there are no HAs in the world that could bring you to 90-100%. They don’t do that at all.
They don’t remove distortion created by the cochlea, they only amplify sounds, per frequency (as opposed to headphones which amplify everything, and by that, create distortion bc how sound waves work).
Took me a while to accept that. I was at 70% few months ago.
Then I ‘trained’ my brain with sending streaming (I never did that with HA before, didn’t know it was possible ), and focusing on understanding. Also, sounds I receive are highly distorted, my fitter and I managed to find some ok workaround, eg using open dome instead of closed or custom mold that everyone would suggest, opting for NAL-NL1 algorithm, reducing bass even more. Basically in my case, not trying to chase the area that I don’t have, but working on the middle area.
Now I definitely feel and we tested few weeks ago, that I can comprehend a bit better (got 80%), even though sound itself is similarly bad. But my brain learned more how to use it.
Higher tech won’t give you back WRS, because aids only send thing through the middle ear bones to the cochlea, and cochlear damage is still here. And that’s the part that messes up with our understanding.
I think I’ve read that anything higher than 60db means those cells are probably dead or almost dead.
So, for less than 60, amplification works, because they’re just tired and need more energy, but higher, they’re basically on life support and don’t expect much from them
Eg signals they send to the nerve is distorted as a consequence of their life-support condition.
Also, I tested some cheapest unitron without any tech, got the same WRS in quiet, mine 70% at that moment. So, high prices definitely don’t mean anything for WRS itself.
Tech helps to clean up sound from all other noises and make job of our brain a bit easier. Same with external mics, they basically stream directly into your ear skipping the air, and reducing the distortion or sound pressure loss that would happen over distance.
I definitely use mics and they definitely help me.
So, earlens simulate the eardrum with light as opposed to sound wave from regular HAs.
WRS still depends on what will cochlea interpret.
She is still damaged.
It took me a few months to figure that out, and accept. Only chance I can have to ever again hear normally is by skipping the cochlea - with cochlear implant. But for that I still hear too good to qualify. Eg my WRS has to be 50% or lower to qualify.
Listening life with 70% wrs is shitty and hard. And there’s no tech that can resolve it.
I found streaming and mics useful because I get the closest to that 70-80%, because HAs in real life don’t reach it, no matter the tech. Only in booth.
Like my WRS in booth with white noise was I think 40%. And I didn’t even hear the white noise, bc of noise cancelling from HAs. But everything was quieter as a result of noise cancelling.
My quickSIN with HAs on one app was like 15db. Horrible
Streaming doesn’t suffer from external noise in same way, bc it skips the surrounding anyway.
I’d recommend you to sleep it over. Cry it over if needed.
Then see what tech features could help you skip the noise from surrounding best. Noise is everything you don’t want to hear.
I’d probably look into available mics as well.
Streaming if that’s what you want (that includes phone calls!).
Also, check costco.
And, about your loss, that part I did ‘work with hearing you have left, don’t chase dead parts’, for your loss there’s thing called frequency lowering. That basically transfers the high frequency into lower area. Sounds aren’t natural (I argue there’s no natural sound anyway after a loss) but comprehension could be better.
I’d try that. Manufacturers call that variously, speech rescue, and whatnot.
And abandon all those fitters you went to. For your loss, frequency lowering should occur to all of them. And not pushing for the aids that won’t bring anything different since they also depend on the same, damaged, cochlea.
Definitely check best practices summarised by dr cliff if you haven’t already, to see what they did or didn’t do.
And also I highly recommend this blog
They really explain a lot there.
Once more. It is tough.