Saxophone in a Concert Band - Can I wear my hearing aids?

Hearing Aids
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#1

I got a pair of Phonak L70-R’s three days ago and am starting to think I made a big mistake. I explained my lifestyle quite accurately to the hearing specialist, I believe, and now believe that when I thought they’d be the most effective for me might be when I need to remove them for earplugs. Ever since I got these the hissing is driving me batty and reducing the volume means they’re no better than my own ears…

I play saxophone in a concert band. The horn is loud - about 85db in my practice room. Who knows how loud the band is - 60 member wind concert band.

I asked my doctor about problems with speech in noisy/loud environments like restaurants, arenas, and rehearsal/concerts. I already wear earplugs at heavily amplified venues like rock concerts or when mowing the lawn or in my woodworking shop. He referred me to a hearing specialist.

I explained my lifestyle is about mostly sitting home with my wife and dog, quietly listening to music or watching TV. No hearing issues there. I don’t go out to restaurants much, or clubs. About monthly, I may go listen to a friend’s 60’s revival band or local big band concerts. Again, earplugs.

I attend weekly rehearsals with my concert band and hoped the hearing aids would help with speech as well as any day to day issues like shopping or takeout.

Now, I’m thinking that I should have gotten L90’s but they’re a bit out of reach. But my real concern is that when I really need help with speech I need to take the hearing aids out and put in earplugs. So maybe I’m better off with no hearing aids.

Can I wear the hearing aids when playing at rehearsals or concerts or am I going to blow out what remaining hearing I have? I’d really appreciate some insight. I think they hearing clinic just wanted to sell me anything, they didn’t answer my questions about that.

Thanks

#2

You didn’t post your audiogram. However, I suspect the hissing you are experiencing is the amplification of the mid-frequencies.

You can get the mid-frequencies adjusted to reduce the hissing by lowering the gain. However, it’s probably a bit of a trade off between of getting the full amount of amplification you need versus the hissing you hate.

Since you are a musician, I suggest you return the hearing aids you have and get your money back if possible. After doing that, do a lot of research and talk to other musicians to see what they like and are using before buying a set of hearing aids.

You may have to go DIY to get a set of hearing aids dialed in to your liking There is a DIY section here on this web site when you have the hearing aids you think will work the best for you.

Links - Association of Adult Musicians with Hearing Loss
https://musicandhearingaids.org/

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4111358/

https://musicandhearingaids.org/2017/01/03/musician-hearing-loss/

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#3

Whoa, way too soon to be thinking: “This was a mistake.” Chances are high: you need these aids, they’re likely the right aids for you, and you’ll likely feel better about having them in time and with some adjustments by your audiologist. But do mark the end of your return period on your calendar and don’t let that deadline pass without getting this fixed to your satisfaction.

A human brain needs some time to remap sounds for a patient who has just started wearing aids (or has gotten a significant adjustment in settings). It’s very common for sounds to seem harsh at first. How long? Do you have a follow-up appointment with your audiologist? That long. Typically it takes at least a few days for sounds to begin to seem more natural and it can take a few weeks before the brain has adjusted its perceptions.

The default program for hearing aids is designed to make speech clearer. It can make music sound too bright and out-of-balance, and this is particularly true when you’re playing an instrument. I am a trumpet player. I sound terrible on the horn, to me, when I have my aids in speech mode. My aids do have a Music program that I can set with a click or two using my iPhone app for the aids. Then my trumpet playing sounds much more natural to me. (Note: if I were new to hearing aids, it would still sound brighter, at first, using the Music program than it does with no aids, and that would settle down in a period of days or a few weeks, as my brain got used to processing mid-high frequencies it hadn’t heard in years.) I also may need to reduce the volume on the aids, too, and would do that when playing with other musicians.

I’m sure there’s a Music program that your audiologist can enable in your aids, and then you would switch to it in an app or by pushing a button on the aids.

1 Like
#4

Thanks for the reply.
Confirming that I can wear them while playing was my primary concern. I have a follow-up in 10 days and a list of concerns/questions that, hopefully, will be addressed and corrected.

#5

Seconding @hamjor1 on all counts! I was about to write a big long thing, but he’s right on it.

#6

Maybe you need hearing aids with two programs:
1] Normal speech
2] The mics turned off and the level at minimum.