Starky Wi Series and Stethoscopes

Hearing Aids
#1

Hi there. I’m curious if anyone might have an alternative solution I could try when it comes to using a stethoscope (I’m a nursing student) with my Bluetooth BTE hearing aids. Currently I’m using an e-scope with over the ear headphones and the combination works well enough, but it’s really not practical as the headphones are quite large and cumbersome to keep carrying around all day.

Has anyone come across any Bluetooth enabled devices that could be paired together with an e-scope, or even a different amplified stethoscope altogether that I could use with the Surflink Mobile perhaps. I’m open to all suggestions. I know I’m not the only one out there that’s hearing impaired and needs to use a stethoscope !! :slight_smile: Thanks in advance !!!

#2

A doctor discussed what he uses sometime back. Search on stethoscope above.

#3

I use the ThinkLabs One scope with my Starkeys. The ear buds (I think they’re Beats) are flexible enough that they are comfortable with the RIC tubing. When the exam room is fairly quiet you can actually separate out upper airway sounds that the hearing aids are picking up from the lung sounds through the stethescope. When I’m with a screaming toddler I can partially “mute” the child by muting the aids.
The service I’ve had from the company has been excellent.
Last year I researched stethescopes because like you I found the e-scope very clunky. Starkey used to have a scope with wired connections to the aids but it doesn’t seem to be available any more. Also, if you have an open fit aid you don’t have very much low frequency amplification. If you would stream directly to the aids you might be losing a lot of the lung and heart sounds.

#4

That’s an interesting idea (muting the aids) but I wonder how I would do that unless there is a way for my audi to program my aids to give me the ability to control them manually for certain functions. They are the Wi 90 and as far as I know they are completely Bluetooth programming. Right now I have no manual volume control whatsoever. There is a program my audi put in them for the phone and when I put my headphones on to block out the interference on the microphone so I don’t get feedback, but that’s it other than the original settings that are programmed to my hearing loss.

Something I’ll have to look into I suppose. (But thanks for mentioning it so I can…that’s why I like this forum, you guys bring up things I wouldn’t have thought of on my own) :slight_smile:

#5

Don’t you have a control button on the aids? Mine will cycle thru the 4 programs we have set up with a light touch. My Audi programmed the aids to mute if I hold down the button. The remote (not the Mobile) also has a mute button.

#6

It has a button, but it doesn’t actually do anything.

#7

I have used amplified stethescope last 33 years in my practice. The best method is using compilot and hook up the stethescope to it and listen to with phonak hearing aids, or Dex FM with widex aids, or direct audio boot to older widex P38. The stethescope I used is starkey ST3 because it gives the best sound quality. This stethescope is no longer in production. Used europlug to the compilot or FM Dex. Have try e scope and think labs scope but not as powerful as my Starkey ST3 and the diaphragm is to big for my patient population. Hope this will help you.