I should say my ears are similar in terms of when I use facial expressions, my ear canals block my sound.
I have to have my ear moulds go past my second bend to stop this issue.
My main issue is when I smile.
1 Like
oh right that is annoying, at least they didn’t remove it completely on venture. I’m self programming on Audio venture atm, have to be careful which software I update to, must be some way to run multiple versions of target to ‘future’ proof ourselves
Did she do a hearing test? it sound like you are on the last line of hearing aid before CI… I am sorry to say this but i think your hearing is on the last leg and CI is probably the only option for you…
2 Likes
I have had several failures due to a tone hook developing moisture inside its filter in my BTEs. For me, it is the most common failure mode. Not the HA. Not the mold. I always keep extra tone hooks around now. This obviously doesn’t apply to RICs. I can describe how I troubleshoot if it would be helpful.
2 Likes
Hi Barb, I hope your well? I have only had that happen once in all my years of BTE’s… Sometimes (Moisture) in the ear hook swells the white damper, and completely seals any sound emitting from the hearing aid… @Zebras told me what the problem was at the time, and like you I now have plenty new ear hook spares, thank you for that reminder of that phenomenon… It’s a rare occurrence, but it does happen, could well be what’s happened @JohnD2…? Cheers Kev 
My friend had this issue but it didn’t stop sound completely, it lowered the level by quite a lot.
1 Like
Hi Zebras.
That is interesting, but how long does the mould need to be please?
Have you changed your ear hook to confirm your ear hook isn’t partly blocked?
As I said before, the ear mould need to be further than the second bend. Basically very close to the ear drum.
If you aren’t getting good sound when you’re not moving or talking then I don’t think a longer ear mould canal will work.
Very likely will be the ear hook that is the issue.
The end part, pass the purple line is pass the second bend.
1 Like
In my case, the white damper had dropped down the ear hook, and jammed, perhaps because it was in the narrow section of the ear hook, the moisture swelled the damper, effectively closing it completely, I was getting no sound whatsoever from that aid, I thought it had packed in, after chatting with @Zebras on here, I removed the damper with a needle, and we where up and running again! To test it, just swap your other ear hook over @JohnD2, they are easy to remove John, you just unscrew the ear hook from your aid, remove the tubing & mould from the ear hook, and swap them about, this will tell you if the damper is blocking or partially blocking your offending aid, please note, the tubing gets brittle, I change my tubing every 4 to 6 months, if it has been on there for years, it will be difficult to remove/separate from the ear hook… If you can’t do it, or don’t feel confident enough, take it to Audiology, and they will replace both… Good Luck, cheers Kev
Edit; The videos below should give you some idea, of how to remove the ear hook…
Thank you very much, Zebras and kevels55.
I have changed the ear hook , and am totally amazed that I now have full sound from the left HA.
I had sound before, but now it’s louder.
I am a bit confused about that,but I will have to cancel my audiology appointment.
Thank you both so much.
4 Likes
I would recommend getting new ear hooks for both.
If you don’t want to wait for the ear hooks from the hospital, this place sells them and posts super quick.
You’ll need HE11 hooks in clear or whatever colour you want.
Don’t be confused. It’s moisture stopping the full sound from entering your ear.
The white ball of fluff in the ear hook can hold moisture if you have issues with wet ears.
I’m shocked that the hospital didn’t discuss this with you.
1 Like
Hi Zebras.
Thanks again, I have some spare hooks from the hospital. they were changed about a year ago, and I got some spares.
As I had no problem then, they would not need to discuss anything…
1 Like
But didn’t you go to the hospital complaining of low sound?
Ear hooks are always my first go too as they seem to always partly block or fully block.
Nothing against you but the NHS are wasting money (the little money they have) by re doing your ear mould despite it not being the issue.
If I worked for the NHS, I would go with the cheapest and quickest way of trying to solve the issue first.
Just my thinking.
I’ve had my audiology do exactly the same. Think it’s madness really.
I know the NHS audiologist and private audiologist don’t have the same qualification but I’m not sure in what respect in how it works.
I just know that my friend who works as a private audiologist says there’s a difference.
2 Likes
I guess it all depends on how much experience the NHS A.uD has @Zebras… Usually, if I have had problems with an aid, the NHS A.uD with listen for themselves, placing the aid in a stethoscope type instrument, and then they are able to hear the aid for themselves… I am astonished Ruth, a known issue wasn’t checked first, having said that, it is perhaps a fairly rare thing, but you would imagine, with the amount of patients that the NHS have, and the amount of BTE’s they issue, they would have come across the blocked damper problem before? I am delighted you have solved the problem @JohnD2, I would be inclined to go to your appointment John, that way you can inform this A.uD, so some other poor hearing aid user, isn’t a hearing aid down for months on end! And while you are there, ask them for an upgrade to a better set of aids, you might embarrass them into giving you, the Phonak Naida Paradise 70 UP’s, which have Bluetooth… If you don’t ask, you don’t get! Good Luck, cheers Kev
1 Like
See it isn’t. 
It’s been happening for years, since the first Naida came out in 2008.
There’s so many people on here and Facebook who are confused like John was.
I found out from asking the Boots audiologist many years ago, if it was quite an issue and she said, it’s always happening.
I had the same issue as John where sound was reduced. I don’t think mine was my ears tho as it happened when I put them in after swimming. Think it was the hot changing rooms.
2 Likes
Aye Ruth, I have a set of older Nadia’s UP’s, NHS gave me them, around 2010 I believe, they are still kicking about somewhere, I believe they are still working… Although, I haven’t tried them for many moons! What we call in the UK an ear hook, I believe they call it a “Tone Hook” in the states, same thing… Yeah, it all comes down to experience, I recall my Boots A.uD saying she never had a “Custom RIC Mould” 105db receiver failure, I had 4 failures in 2 years, perhaps they where slightly overworked with my loss… Who knows? Cheers Kev
1 Like
Sure, just use a virtual machine (i.e. virtualbox).
There is also a script to download any Target version you want here Hearing Aid Fitting DIY School and Fitting Software
3 Likes
I had two days hearing in my left ear, and now the mystery has returned. I don’t think it’s wax, but not sure yet. If I press the ear mould against my ear, then I can hear fine. But it won’t stay there.
I have removed the little white filter from the left aid, bur there is no difference.
Now I am really struggling for an answer. Has anyone any ideas please??
Hi Kev,
We are doing slowly better here. Boston has a lot of than darned XBB variant going around and it is probably the one my husband brought back from work. We are looking forward to a brighter new year, that is certain!
I hope you and your familyvand the Scottish Highlands and the entire world have a better time of it in 2023.
It is really good to hear from you and I am wishing you all the best in the new year and always.
Barb
2 Likes
Thank you Barb… I also hope this is a better year, for you and your family… I am glad to hear you have both recovered, hopefully? It would seem, Covid is continuing to mutate, and the lord only knows what we will end with? One thing that is for sure, it’s not going away, anytime soon! I had Covid last March, I was ill for about 9 or 10 days, it was a nasty illness, it was kind of incremental, as every day I felt worse, until about the ninth day, and then within 2 days it was gone… A weird illness TBH, I am not looking forward to my next encounter with Covid… Take care, cheers Kev
1 Like