Phonak nathos up w (also known as Niada)

Hearing Aids
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#1

Hi my first post, I knew there is something like this for hearing aid users, Just got some new hearing aids after my hearing threshold has dropped and got tinnitus, which I think is linked, my old hearing aid is not suitable.

So I got issued these HAs, however after matching my audiogram, my hearing not as natural as it used to be or as loud, I was told to give it 5 weeks for my brain to get used to it, it has improved a little but I do think the lower volume setting needs to be upped and the sounds to be made more natural, I can’t hear background noise as I used to, i can’t hear people unless they are close to me, any suggestions.

From what I can remember from my audiogram, I am mostly in the 90db range except for high frequency where 8k is above 100 I suspect its 120db for my left ear, my right has is between 80db-95db across the range for most parts, I should have asked for a print out, didn’t think to ask.

I like to be able to increase the speech banana as well.

Any ideas chaps. hopefully you will be able to help assist and also the best terminology to use to get across what I need from the technician.

#2

Working with the Naida S’s and profound losses I find if they are long-time HA wearers I have to change the compression from the “prescribed amount” to “semi-linear” or even “linear” so that the SQ is similar to what they are used to.

Hope that helps!

#3

Thanks for replying, as I understand it, prescribed amount is tracking my hearing loss along the audiogram ? and linear is customised ?

When they programmed my hearing aid, they followed the line on the audiogram, its not giving me the hearing I wanted, I can only hear some people not all due to differing tones, only when close to me, far away its just mumbles, I never used to have that before with my old HA, however my hearing has since dropped, if I adjust my HA, I should get the same level of hearing as previous or is it gone completely ?

SQ is Sound Quality ?

#4

Yeah, SQ is sound quality…lol…sorry about that.

Changing the hearing aid prescribed compression to semi-linear or linear will still use your hearing loss to judge where it should be, it just amplifies sound using less or no compression. It’s very possible that it’s a combination of a drop in your hearing and a change in how the hearing aid amplifies that is contributing to your problems. If it’s due in part to a drop in hearing it’s very possible that your level of hearing may not get back to where it once was.

Another thing to try is to reduce or strengthen the sound recover. Some people really get a lot of benefit from it but others just think it makes speech sound weird.

#5

Cheers will look into this, these are NHS hearing aids, so there may be some slight differences from commercial models which I believe is Naida, Nathos is the NHS name for it, they are the same model.

Would a copy of the audiogram help you to make a good judgement ? my next appointment is Friday to tweak it, the one after is in November although I can bring it forward if need be for a further follow up.

#6

Fitting profound losses is almost a random process.

You need a fitter/dispenser who is prepared to spend a lot of time with you adjusting values until you detect the ‘best’ combination.

Linear processing and bass-boost seem to work well (but NOT in each case!) with my profound loss clients.

Also, some profound loss clients seem to benefit from aids whilst others experience no benefit.

#7

It might…but unfortunately it’s really sometimes a “trial and error” in the office to simply see what sounds better for profound losses…

Agree…profound losses for people who have worn hearing aids for a long time and no doubt came from a linear power aid are tricky…probably some of the most difficult people to fit.

#8

I have severe/profound loss and I think my naida V Sp aids are set to compression. I do get benefit. But getting used to soundrecover is hard. It’s been six weeks and I feel the benefit but I guess I need more weeks.

#9

It is hard…I agree. I’ve yet to see a long-time analog (or programmable) profound SNHL hearing aid wearer put a digital hearing aid on (especially one with sound recover) and love it immediately. Not to say they aren’t out there…I just haven’t had any myself.

My suggestion remains to see if the professional can back off some of the compression by changing it to semi-linear and maybe decrease sound recover a bit (or increase it depending on your audio) until you are used to that and then switch to the prescribed compression and get sound recover back to target.

The thing is…it needs to work for you and the prof needs to find settings that are workable from your perspective. It’s all well and good to say that the settings you have are what is recommended by the fitting software but if you don’t like it…that really doesn’t matter. The software is a guide not the law. Everyone is a little different.

#10

Right Guys having been to the NHS clinic to try and adjust my hearing aid, we have tried various configurations and tweakings, we don’t seem to have as much of a gain as I would like, I did un pair the hearing aids so they can work independently of each other, as the loss are different on both sides, I asked for a print out of my audiogram and would liek some advice on the way forward with this if possible, have a folow up appointment next month.

Here goes

            ....250.....        500 ....        1k .....       2k....        4k ......             8k 

.....80 ......      95. ....       105.....90.....85......             100......   RIGHT EAR 

  .....80.......100......115.....115...120......120+.....  LEFT EAR

The last one Left ear 8k is off the scale.

Thoughts please …

#11

First word out of my mouth was “wow”…lol - that’s a doozie of a hearing loss.

The hardest transition, sound recover aside, is that people with hearing losses like this that have worn hearing aids for a long time tend to be power-hungry. What I mean by that is they are used to A LOT of volume and used to it sounding like a lot of volume. When you transition over to the newer digital tech, sometimes the clarity is there but they just don’t seem as loud and the wearer perceives that as not hearing as well when they may actually hear speech just fine, simply not as loudly. Now that’s not always the case…but often times it is.

My suggestion would be if the recent adjustments don’t help as much as you’d like, to decrease to a linear or semi-lienar setting and then gradually increase it back to the prescribed compression.

#12

Thanks for your quick response, yes quite a big loss, it has changed a lot from when I was younger, the left is the most dramatic, the right had changed a little, can I ask what is a linear means ? I looked at raising the volume, but there is a limitation in technology of the hearing aids at the moment and from what I understand this is the most powerful Hearing Aids there is.

I also have Tinnitus to contend with which is stronger on my right ear, could this be relevant ?

I am quite used to being able to hear birds tweeting, music, using the phone, I can talk quite well or at least I used to I now talk without an accent according to some. etc all that is now lost, at least I have access to sign language so its not a major obstacle, I would still prefer to be able to hear like I used to.