How to trial as new user

Hearing Aids
#1

I’ll get getting my first HA soon (super excited!) and was wondering how I should trial it. The normal process of just wearing them as one goes about their normal day wouldn’t be sufficient for my current situation - I am disabled/bed-housebound/isolated due to long covid and of course, I have wishful thinking that I’d return back to normal life again sooner rather than later. Also, since my issue is likely congenital, I have no reference.

My current life is super quiet, with the occasional music practice; should I not use earplugs when I practice during my trial? Being one sided, my good ear has probably picked up a lot of slack; should I plug up my good ear? Should I only be testing low frequencies (where my issue is) or across the entire spectrum? Should I be listening to audiobooks with music playing the background or…?

BTW, thank you so much to whoever replied to my previous post. Armed with the info, I was able to have a much better conversation regarding my needs with my audiologist which was night and day compared to my first conversation. As an engineer, I could still use more transparency in the process, but at least it left me more confident rather than feeling like it’s a scam.

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#2

Your audiogram shows minimal loss. Most hearing aid wearers have greater losses than you, especially above 2000 Hz.

I’m not sure how my suggestions would play into minimal loss adjusted by hearing aids, but many who have more severe losses complain that music sounds worse when wearing hearing aids. That’s because hearing aids are primarily designed to improve speech comprehension, not music. Now better aids do come with or can be set by the audiologist to have a “Music program” that makes music sound more natural, more than improving speech comprehension. (You switch between programs, depending what you’re listening to, using a smartphone app or pressing a button on the aid.) As a trumpet player, I either want my aids using a Music program, or I want to take the aids out, because hearing aids set for General (speech, adjusted for my borderline-severe losses in the highs) makes my trumpet sound shrill to me, and I start making mistakes trying to compensate for the shrill tone.

Of course there is some overlap in the frequencies musical instruments and human voices use, but you still need a Music program for music to sound the best it can with aids. And even then, some tinkering by the audiologist may be needed for you to be happy.

What are your goals? To hear music more naturally? To better comprehend speech? Or TV? etc. Is the only musical instrument you play acoustic piano? Nothing amplified? Ask your audiologist for guidance, but I would not wear earplugs while playing music alone that wasn’t amplified. And hearing aid wearers generally remove aids when wearing earplugs, which we should do in any loud setting. You probably know about musician’s earplugs, which let some music in, but dial back the decibels, if you’re playing with trumpet or electric guitar players! You wouldn’t wear aids with musician’s earplugs, though, I don’t think. Ask your audiologist for guidance for your performance.

#3

Don’t judge based on audiogram… the person could be having problem in noisy environment…

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#4

As I’ve never had HA and likely a congenital defect in my middle ear, I do not know what I do not know :blush: and can only assume… Oh, I should mention, my intent is not as much whether I see a positive difference (I assume it will be very slight and it’ll take a long time), but there isn’t anything negative and that I don’t come back after the trial needing something else for silly reasons.

My assumptions that I could pinpoit on how my loss has impacted me:

  • I am horrible with many accents, to the point one might think I’m racist. Large portion where I live, including myself, are no native speakers.
  • I believe all those I have difficulty with are adult male voices, accent or not, crowds or not (almost everyone I’ve worked with are males having accents… I literally give up on interviews sometimes).
  • I’ve noticed a huge difference in the volume I need to listen to things between the two ears (going to sleep on one side vs the other). Volume of right only and both is actually the same.
  • I’m told I speak very softly and heard those with my type of loss speak very softly as we sound normal to ourselves.

Acoustic onl,y piano, violin, and cello. I always wear earplugs practicing strings, even alone at normal volume. I am extremely sensitive, musically and volume; the only person who seemed to understand my desire to try HA was someone who commented that, it’s likely as a musician, I probably notice the sounds I’ve been missing more than others, even if I can’t understand what exactly is off, and that HA may help me in surround sound aspect both in music and outside. Music wise, the only thing I can pinpoint is that bone conduction is deathly loud.

#5

Some people are still classed as having normal hearing range but less then optimal but decide to get Aids due to struggling. Audiogram doesn’t give the whole answer.

I don’t know the reason as to why you decided to try an Aid but I wonder if the time is right to trial it due to your situation?

Are you struggling to hear things at home?

#6

It was a well thought out intentional decision. I was diagnosed 10 years (so definitely not a rash decision) ago and my decision/path to pulling the trigger has been 4-5 months as each appointment availability is a month apart. It’s actually because ofmy current situation* that I am allowed to explore this path despite no change to my audiogram and that it’ll be fully covered (basic model).

*Any QOL improvement when QOL is very low has more impact than when QOL is high.

#7

Is it 100% funded?

I would definitely stick with it if it’s 100% funded.

Could you go for further adjustments if you find the settings not quite right in the future, or is that limited?

#8

Yes, it’s 100% funded. I do not know the details regarding adjustments. There may be fine print as my HA is in lieu of exploratory surgery.

The question is what situations I should try to mimic so that I trial it enough in my 45day window to know if the one I get is the right one -ish for me.

For example, I just ordered over the ear headphones. I normally wear earbuds listening to music commuting/on the go; this isn’t relevant right now but I figured I need to force this situation. I’ve also made a note I should force myself to make call and video conference, both headphones on and off, during my trial. Would think there’s some sort of checklist…