Can I use a CROS hearing aid without a dome?

Hearing Aids
#1

I am totally deaf in left ear, some hearing loss in right. I have been using an Oticon Opn S 1 in my right ear since 2019, and last week decided to get a CROS for the left side. The audiologist fitted it with a dome and retention lock (same as the right). However, my ear canals are narrow, the left more than the right, and the dome on the CROS is uncomfortable in my ear canal, despite having the smallest size (5).

Is it possible to not have a dome for the CROS at all, so nothing in my ear canal, and just use a retention lock? I also wear glasses, and the arm of the glasses does a good job of keep the HAs in place.

#2

@SnapFish I also have a Cros aid and as far as i know only the old fashioned cros aid which was wired didn’t have to have a dome that went in the ear as the cros was a mic that sat over the ear connected to an ordniary hearing aid via a wire. It looked like this

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I don’t know if there is a way you can get the Wireless Cros model’s to work without a dome . I have a similar issue with small ear canals that the dome would irriatate when I first got my wireless Cros and had to move to moulds. Someone else may know more about if the Cros will work without a dome.

#3

Many thanks for the reply. The instructions for my Oticon CROS has a diagram with a dummy speaker in two sizes, 60 and 85, and suggested dome sizes, smallest being 5mm; I already have the smallest of both (size 60 dummy speaker and 5mm dome). It does seem from the instructions that the dummy speaker and dome are not optional.

I did try a Phonak CROS many, many years ago, and my recollection is that it did not have a speaker/dome, but I could be wrong, it was so long ago. I did not persevere with it then because it ate batteries - 3 times the rate of just one HA. My current Oticon and CROS of course have rechargeable batteries, which is much more convenient, so I want to continue with the CROS, but it is taking a lot of getting use to having the dome in my left ear.

#4

I have no practical experience with CROS. My understanding is that the CROS aid’s purpose is just to relay sounds from it’s microphones to your other ear so what happens in the CROS ear seems irrelevant.
Why not just try it out and see what you think? As long as the aid will stay on it seems like it should work.

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#5

@snapfish from my understanding looking at the instructions for my new Oticon cros the dummy speaker is necessary and the dome for the conduction of sound. Maybe try continuing with the dome and if it is to uncomfortable maybe you could ask to try a custom mould for the cros side

#6

I think the sound is “conducted” wirelessly from the CROS aid to the “good ear” hearing aid. I looked at Oticon instructions and it seemed like the whole purpose of the dummy speaker and dome was to hold the device in place, but again I have no experience. It seems like a quick experiment would settle the question.

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#7

Yes, the CROS still works fine if I pull the dome out of my ear, it is just bit silly having the dome “dangling” outside of my ear canal. I will contact my audiologist tomorrow to see if he can offer a better solution, without the dummy speaker and dome, i.e., just an extra long retention lock/ear grip.

#8

I have no experience with any cros. It does sound reasonable that the dummy receiver and dome are just for retention. If there was no dummy speaker there would be nothing to hold the dome.

#9

I think you’re going to need the dummy speaker to hold the retention lock. A dome might help keep the retention lock in place. Some manufacturers make a “cap” dome that might be smaller than a 5mm.

#10

Yes, you can remove the dome. You may not even need the wire–you could just paste the device to your scalp with wig tape.

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#11

Get an open dome, small size. It isn’t very big at all. That’s what I use. It’s a minimal intrusion in your ear.

#12

Thanks; the dome I have already is the smallest size they do - 5mm, and I think it is an open dome, as it has small holes in it.

I have removed the dome and am just trying it with the dummy speaker in my ear canal. Without the dome though, the retention lock/clip may slip off in wear - it is the dome that normally keeps it on the dummy speaker. Edit: that did not work - the retention lock came off in use, it definitely needs the dome to keep it in place.

#13

Maybe you can trim the dome to just enough to retain the lock?

WH

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#14

You can glue the lock on. But maybe talk to your provider about custom options.