BTE aids keep falling out from behind my ear

My new Rexton Cobalts are so small that they don’t seem to stay behind my ear. The audiologist suggesting changing the domes, but that wouldn’t help with the part behind my ear. Any suggestions?

What exactly are you doing that makes them fall out?

During the course of a day, I’ll put my reading glasses on and take them off at least a dozen times. I also have problems leaning over to take clothes out of my front-loading washer, using a dustpan, picking up things from the floor, etc.

Maybe what they mean is to change the length of the tubing rather than the domes? Too long or too short and the aids will not be positioned correctly.

Or they have misunderstood what you mean they think it’s coming out of your ear canal, so call them again and tell them you mean it’s falling out from behind your ear. Some people are so ready for you to say what they expected you to say that they don’t listen to what you actually did say.

Haha, and they don’t make an aid to fix THAT hearing problem! :slight_smile:

I have a tendency to agree with Rose. Your aids may be sitting too far forward which can be corrected by longer tubes. As for your reading glasses you may need thinner ear pieces or different material if they are plastic. Maybe removing your glasses a little more slowly would help also.

This is part of the problem with the craze with mini BTE aids. MAny people are and have been fitting them when they should be using ITE aids. The biggest problem I have seen it the reciever will not go past the bend in the ear causing it to come out . How is your dexterity are you having troubles manipulating the aids as well?

I’m :confused:

You’re wearing a set of BTE’s… but yet they’re falling “out of” your ears. Explain that to me again, would you please.

Shi-Ku (Who’s BTE’s don’t fall “out of” his ears.) Chishiki

I have a loss that is fittable with thin tube /rite, which means basically balancing the aid on your ear. The tube or wire is not going to hold it in place. I am a building contractor , I will climb in attics, get on hands and knees or back to get the necessary view. I have stuck with earmolds and reg tubes for that reason. I am sure many know what you are talking about.

Is the tube too long?

I’ve only had one aid fall out during the past week, so maybe I’m being a bit more careful. If you think of an ear as a clock, the aid is sitting at about 2:00. Maybe the tubes are too short and it should be at 3:00.

The audiologist also suggested some type of a “lock”, which looks like a curved plastic toothpick. It’s attached to the aid and fits into the curve of your ear, outside the canal. It didn’t look too comfortable. Has anyone tried these?

Thanks.

If the aids are sitting at 2 o’clock then they are defying gravity. If they are at 3 o’clock… Am I missing something here?:confused:

It all depends on which ear…

2 o’clock on the right ear and they are already fallen out, but 2 o’clock on the left ear seems about OK.

Gilbert

This is hard to describe. 12 o’clock is the top of your ear and 6 o’clock is the bottom. If the tube goes in between 8 and 10 o’clock, then the back of the ear is 12 o’clock to 6 o’clock. My BTE aid is between 2 and 3 o’clock or the top quarter of my ear. Is that where it should be?

Looking at my left ear my aid sits between 11 and 1(essentially on top of the ear). The little lock or "kickstand " is quite comfortable - don’t notice them. The only time I’ve had problems with an aid falling loose has been when I removed my glasses too abruptly and not straight forward.

Thank you JD. that’s where mine sit around 11 or 12. How can they possibly sit at 2 or 3 and NOT fall off?

I guess we’re looking at our ears differently. You could say my aid is between 10 and 11 o’clock, but it definitely isn’t sitting on top of my ear.

Occasionally, when I bend over to pick things up, the aid falls forward, pulling the tube out of the canal and the whole thing falls on the floor.

I think I am finally getting it and I apologize for being so dense. Your aids seem to be sitting in the right spot. Some things to consider, longer tubing, the aids may be too thick to sit properly behind your ears, although that would usually lead to soreness. Are your ear molds custom made, assuming you are wearing ear molds. The reason I ask is because should your aids fall off your ears the earmolds should at least prevent the aids from falling to the floor. The aids would hang from your ears like earrings. Bottom line here is the aids should not be falling off your ears. Sure if you are a very active person, play contact sports etc then BTE aids will come loose, but in normal everyday activity like bending over, no they should not. And if they are falling off your ears and then falling to the floor then they will sooner or later become damaged. Take them back to your audiologist and find out the problem.

Ahhhh. I now understand. So the HA’s weren’t falling “OUT OF” the ears then!

Shi-Ku Chishiki

What is an ear mold?

The weight of the the part that sits behind the ear (heaviest part) is enough to pull the whole thing out of the canal, so the whole unit will fall on the floor.