Recent Test Deciding What To Do

Hearing Loss
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I decided to get a hearing test a few weeks ago after my wife was bugging me about the TV volume, hearing her and the kids, etc. I mainly got it so I could show her nothing was wrong considering I am 42 I doubted it… Apparently I was wrong. I don’t think it’s significant a lot of loss but it’s there.

I had the test at a local Costco and the audiologist said the choice was mine as to whether I wanted to consider HA’s but that they could help with my loss and if I decided to, she recommends both ears even though it’s the left that seems worse. Having had the test and seeing the areas of concern it seems like I noticed more of the things I’m missing or having issues with.

I have another appointment in a couple of weeks to try some out, wondering peoples thoughts with the audiogram from those with similar results of you think it will be noticable. Any suggestions of one brand over another to try? Obviously I’ll take the audiologists recommendations as well.

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Well a lot of speech is in the range where your left ear is showing you need some help.

Your right ear is showing some loss, but it’s the left ear that is going to have issues, especially if the the person is you are listening to is soft spoken or speaking to you on your left side.

Yes, hearing aids will help your left ear hearing.

If you work out and perspire a lot, the Jabra may be more likely to have issues. However, the parent company is farther along with make their hearing aids useful with Auracast broadcasts.

Things I would look for in a hearing aid are: an Auracast assistant in the hearing aid app, how adjustable the hearing aid app makes the hearing aid and if you frequent noisy establishments, then a hearing aid app with some kind of beam focusing may be helpful too.

List what is important to you and Costco can help you choose the hearing aid that fits closest to your list.

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I started wearing HAs in my late 40’s. It was clear I needed them sooner, but the cost was prohibitive. No Costco option at the time. If I could go back in time, I would have gotten them sooner than later. Hearing does not get better with time…but it can get worse. Our brains have to work a little harder to communicate - you likely don’t event notice it – but at your age - spend your energy on other more important things than struggling to hear when HAs could help. If those around you are mentioning it, then is also a favor to your loved ones to help make their lives easier. Having to repeat is annoying. At least when you wear HAs you can counter that you are doing everything you can to hear, and you just need a little assistance from them to make it work best. Seems fair! Try to let go of the embarrassment of wearing them - it’s just a non issue for most people - but we create the stigma in our minds. You do not need to apologize for addressing a problem well!

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Thanks for the replies. I’m definitely open to trying them, it’s just as frustrating for me asking people to repeat things. I’m also really starting to wonder which sounds I’ve just stopped hearing without realizing it.

I’m in Ontario so the government pays some and work benefits almost cover the rest with the prices at Costco.

In doing my research it looks like the Jabra or Philips 9050 would likely be the most beneficial but of course I’ll see with the audiologist suggests as well.

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Get two. There’s a fairly long trial period, so wear both for maybe 4 weeks to give yourself time to adapt and then start taking the right one out and see if you notice a difference. You can then return the right one if you decide that it’s not contributing much.

42 is a bit young. Do you have a history of noise exposure that might explain your hearing loss? A history that is a bit more left-sided (hunting, violin)? If not, you would probably be eligible for genetic investigation if you were interested. If you’re in southern ontario this would actually be done through SickKids, but your GP could order the blood draw at a local lab. Also, if you don’t have a history of noise exposure, do you have family members who you should perhaps suggest also get a hearing test?

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OK, I’d KILL for your audiogram, seriously! I may have been born with that one? But I don’t know, cuz I was 35 when I got my first PAIR of aids, and by then the audiogram was in the mild-moderate range. Flash forward to now (almost 70) and um, well, er, NOT a lot of margin in those cinderblocks now, :laughing:

Only you can decide what works best for you, but with my DECADES of walkin’ the walk, I’d recommend you get a pair of aids and adjust to wearing them. For starters, you’ll find that the quality of sound will be different than what you’re used to: perhaps a bit too harsh, loud, or things that hopefully you can have adjusted. It would be more challenging to have an “aided” ear programmed to sound exactly like the one you don’t wear an aid in, believe me!

Also, the aids talk to each other, so phone calls are stereophonically fed to both ears; ditto any streaming device (phone, TV streamer, etc.,) which is a much better listening experience than sound waves reaching your unaided ear across a room.

With my hearing loss, I’ve opted to invest time and relationship in an audiologist, but I think you could get a working solution from Costco. I wear Phonak Lumity Life aids, 312-battery (not rechargeable!). You also have to think of the lifestyle that a rechargeable will entail: you’ll need to travel with the charging base and make sure you charge up your aids daily. Battery aids give me a lot less clutter and DAYS of use, but not a lot of manufacturers still make them.

These Phonak Lumity Life 312s were released a year ago, and the sound quality is exceptional! I have two pairs now: one in “Precious Pink”, the other coming in this Friday in “Caribbean Pirate”, cuz let’s face it, that’s ME! HAVE FUN with your aids! Flaunt them!

Keep us posted as you embark on this journey. Does not matter how old a person is when they get aids! If you need them, GET THEM. Over time, you’ll be better able to discriminate between various settings, features and even makers of aids.

Just look at my audiogram and be SHOCKED that I hear SUPER well with my aids, never have a prob streaming phone calls no matter what accent or who’s talking, do tolerably well in NOISY places. I hope you have a SMASHING success with your trial and take the plunge (well, not literally into water, cuz NO aid is waterproof yet).

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@Neville I don’t mean to hijack this thread, but I’m curious as to what a genetic investigation would do for him, and what specifically made you suggest it for this audiogram. Like him I had my first hearing test around 40 (roughly 10 years ago) and have worn HA’s ever since. My audiogram hasn’t changed since my first test and I was told that my loss is likely genetic (as I understand based on the shape of the audiogram and the fact that it seems to be stable for now). I’m in Eastern Ontario, and just curious if I would be eligible for genetic testing and if so if there is any benefit to looking onto it. Thanks!

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@MJ2025 my story is pretty similar to you. I got a hearing test to prove to my husband and kid that my hearing was fine, and it wasn’t. I was also told that I was pretty borderline as to whether I NEED HAs but was told that they would help. I got my first set close to 10 years ago and do find they help a lot.

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The Audiologist is pretty sure it’s from noise exposure. My dad had hearing loss but his too was noise induced.

If HAs help I’m all for it, if for no other reason so I don’t have to keep telling my kids to repeat stuff.

I think it will just be a matter of figuring out which ones work best when I go back.

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If MJ2025 has a significant noise history (left side emphasis) then I wouldn’t bother with genetic testing, but if you don’t then technically you probably could have it done if you could convince your doctor. It probably wouldn’t do much for you other than be maybe interesting if they find something. It might give you information about possible progression in the future and the possibility of loss in your children or in theirs and support earlier intervention for them (although they could just get their hearing tested regularly). We send all children with hearing loss diagnoses for genetic testing now (parents consenting) and once in a while it will also indicate other areas that should be checked on (certain hearing losses are related to certain syndromes or kidney issues, say) but probably not for you at this point in your life.

On the other hand, our healthcare system is pretty broken these days and avoiding using those healthcare dollars may be valuable to you. On the other, other hand, you might actually be providing them with more data that would be useful in the future–I’m not sure how data collection works for them, but I bet that they are able to anonymize things and use data in the aggregate to answer questions.

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@Neville thank you for the reply - I appreciate it! Yeah, in my situation at this point it is probably not worth the health care dollars to look into it further. After I was tested my siblings also were tested but I seem to be the only one with problems. My moms hearing was never perfect, but seemed to be stable until she got to her 70’s so I’m guessing mine will likely start to deteriorate at some point. My (now young adult) child has not been tested, but it is definitely something to keep in mind as she gets older.

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If your siblings have children they should be aware to look after checking their hearing too, as your siblings could be carriers even though they themselves are not impacted.

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Did you drive with your window down all the time?
That’s a lot of noise and could be a contributor to your hearing loss.
That mid range is tuff on speech.
Good luck.

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Not very often. I suspect it’s related to firearms… Even with hearing protection I am learning it can still cause damage and would account for one ear being worse than the other too.

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Good Point! That’s something I don’t think any of us had thought of - I will be sure to mention it to them. Thank you!

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Last I was shooting with my sons, I wore a pair of the foamys, and muffs specific for shooting over them. Pistols did’t seem too loud, but a couple of the higher power rifles were still painful. “I’ll watch from the obs. window…”

WH

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Well I ordered the Philips 9050 today. The Audiologist recommended it out of the three available based on everything and from everything I researched I think it will be the best option.

Another appointment in 3 weeks to get them fitted.

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Great - let us know how it works out for you.

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