Hi, new poster here. I have been wearing aids since I was 43 so 15 years. Stumbled across the forum and realised I know very little about hearing aids or my own hearing loss. I have NHS Oticon Engage aids which aren’t much good to be honest. I’ve been thinking about maybe going private but I don’t know how much difference it would make. My understanding is my loss is severe/profound?
Thanks
@Steve_G Welcome to the forum and I hope you will find here what you are looking for.
Have you spoken to your local GP about your hearing aids no longer useful?
They should be able to refer you to an ENT at your local NHS hospital for hearing test and maybe new hearing aids.
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Are your Aids the Oticon Engage P Aids or just Oticon Engage?
I got the Oticon Xceed 1 UP on the NHS. There’s also the Xceed 1 SP which your loss would fit.
Your pushing the limits in the high frequency range even with the Engage P and if they are just Engage, then they are way under powered.
Oticon Engage is also older technology compared to the Oticon Xceed.
Engage is mid level tech as well, Xceed is top level tech. This is based on what the NHS hand out.
There’s 1 being top of the range and 3 being the lowest. The Engage is based on 2 so mid level.
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Thanks, the aids are engage p, had them close to 3 years now. I have a appointment next week for new moulds that the audiologist says i need, lots of feedback on the left aid. I take it that my loss means only bte aids are for me?
Nope! It’s worth you trying receiver in the canal devices (RICs/RITEs same thing just different manufacturers use different names).
You’d need a high power receiver and a custom moulded tip on the end but that should give you a significant improvement on your BTEs.
Shop around a bit in the private market - pretty much everywhere offer free assessment appointments. Also if you go ahead you should get a 2month money back guarantee to make sure you feel the benefits are worth the cost. Find an audiologist you have confidence in as a big chunk of what you’re paying for is the service and ongoing aftercare which is potentially more important than the devices themselves.
From the NHS, yes BTE Aids only.
Privately you can try RIC Aids which are much smaller. Some people like them, some people don’t.
Example of a RIC Aid.
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Hi Steve - whilst I realise that your post in 2023 is quite old - herewith my view/experience - for what it’s worth.
I have a severe loss requiring Engage PP but have tried several private aids (starkey, phonak, widex, oticon RIC (receiver in canal - in the ear) and had substantial support and assistance from private providers BUT none are better overall than my HNS Engage PP.