Can’t hear certain frequencies & struggling to hear without hearing aids now that I’m used to them

Hearing Aids
#1

Hi

29F. Diagnosed with bilateral mild-moderate SNHL at age of 20 after a bout of OM - diagnosis came as a surprise because before the OM, I never really struggled with hearing. Most likely genetic. Attached my 2013 audiogram in light blue vs most recent.

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Tried NHS BTEs before moving onto phonak IIC titaniums for the last five years and have recently had them remodelled to fit better as I’ve experienced a loss in sound quality compared to before - difficulty comprehending speech but also times when the aids don’t seem to amplify at all. Lots of hearing tests and it’s all stable, no deterioration whatsoever.

Unfortunately, I’ve noticed it hasn’t helped resolve the issue particularly on one side. I can’t hear this particular telephone we have at work ringing at all. And sometimes, when people (usually women) are talking, it’s almost as if there is no sound coming out of their mouth. It’s so quiet/ absent.
Also on the left side, I can’t hear the clock ticking but on the right side I can.

Just wondering if anyone has experienced anything similar/ any solutions?

Also despite my audiogram being stable, I now can’t hear properly if I don’t have my hearing aids in. Everything sounds soo muffled and quiet even if someone’s in the same room as me - whereas before I used to be able to hear what my family talking from different rooms.

This has all started after wearing the titanium’s around two years in after getting adjustments to the sound due to struggling with face mask use during the pandemic. I’ve been told it could just be auditory perception because I’ve gotten used to wearing hearing aids now but is that really the case? anyone in the same boat from long term hearing aid use?
Before the titanium’s I only used to wear BTE on the left and only when outside.

Thanks

#2

To be honest, I’m surprised you could hear ok before with your Audiogram. A lot of difinitive speech is above your loss. Your loss is similar to mine, and sounds like either your HAs are faulty, or need reprogramming. The NHS never programmed mine to optimise the high frequency loss. My current Audiologist says Phonak make it very difficult. He did a good job. I use the ‘Music’ programme 95% of the time, unless streaming

Peter

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#3

There’s stable and then there’s stable. Technically a 5 dB change in an audiological thresholds is within the realm of test-retest variability, but when you see all thresholds shift in one direction, as we do in at least your right ear, that’s more likely to be real change. Additionally, given that you presumably developed language normally you definitely didn’t have this hearing loss from age 0-6, which does mean that it already has progressed over time and further progression is not unexpected.

That said, your current hearing loss shouldn’t limit you with hearing aids the way you describe. Although a change might limit you with CIC style specifically. Comparing real-ear measures from fitting to now might help to figure out your issue, but short of that. . . the most likely issue for you with the titanium is that there is an easy sound pathway from the speaker to the microphone, which aren’t all that far apart, and the hearing aid is limiting gain to stop feedback. Your clinician SHOULD be able to see in the software if there is a lot of feedback limiting. If they can’t tell, one way to check might be to reload the original settings with the original feedback measure but update the audiogram in the software (without rerunning the feedback measure), and then see if that 1) improves your hearing but also 2) increases feedback. If this is the issue, it can be improved by 1) a deeper, snugger fit in the ear with less venting, which it sounds like maybe they already tried, 2) resolving any wax issues, or 3) moving to a RIC style. Alternatively, the hearing aid may just be malfunctioning, but if it has been in for repair lately then probably not, although manufacturer QC errors are not unheard of. Your clinicians should be checking for that too, but it often falls through the cracks in busy clinics. Re-repair should resolve that if that is the problem.

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#4

Yep you can imagine my surprise when they told me. I guess that’s why I’ve always wondered whether it was the OM as that’s the first time I noticed a big change but it would be so unlikely to cause such a symmetrical loss. I’ll ask about getting them reprogrammed! Thanks so much

Have you noticed your (unaided) hearing has changed now that you wear aids?

#5

Yep I’ve always wondered when I started losing my hearing but difficult for me to tell because up till the age of 19/20 I had no issues! I’m unsure about whether there’s been a deterioration - all of my hearing tests for the last 4-5 years bounce up and down within 5-10db so it seems more like test variability but totally appreciate there’s a possibility it’ll get worse.

Yep so they’ve done (1) of a snugger fit. Pretty much have no feedback issues whatsoever now which is brilliant. (2) isn’t an issue for me. I’ve done so well with IICs so I’m hesitant to go for RICs. I’ve tried the phonak lumity while waiting for my IICs to come back but just couldn’t get on with them - surprisingly could hear better with my NHS oticons from 3 years back!

In terms of reprogramming, when they gave me the remake they loaded on the old settings to them and then did a repeat audiogram with the hearing aids in which were pretty identical. But compared to my previous models, the sound seems different. Is that the right way to go about reprogramming?
Also can you do REMs on an IIC?

Thanks so much

#6

Just to add, they said they replaced the internal electronics completely so they’re technically brand new aids

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#7

My hearing loss is mostly self induced due to playing loud guitar in bands since about 1980. I got glue ear, in both ears, in 2009. This required grommets (tubes) fitted and the hearing tests showed my hearing loss. Before this bombshell, I’d always thought Tinnitus was to blame, and people just mumbled more. I can’t put a year on when I became hard of hearing. It was rarely an issue, as in the pub environment, intoxicated people speak louder lol.

Now I’m retired, this has become a major interest for me, so often talk about it while in the pub. This is generally in the afternoon, with 3 or 4 groups at different tables chatting. I can now hear all the conversations without turning my head towards them. I couldn’t do this with my NHS HAs, but this was due to poor programming, not the aids themselves. One friend asked me what I could hear if I took them out, so I did. It took a minute or so, to acclimatise but I was susrprised how much speech I could hear. All very muffled, but I could hear much more than I expected.

The suppression is working well, but ‘may’ be reducing the gain on the frequencies you actually need. Mine are programmed right on the edge of feedback. My audiologist kept putting his hands near my ears to provoke feedback, then removed them. He was happy if the feedback then stopped. I have Phonak Paradise with custom slimtip vented moulds.

Peter

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