Trouble with moulds

Hearing Aids
#7

I’ll assume you have some BTE type, their mic is in their body, behind your ear, top part. So in order to use a phone in a classical way, you have to put phone speaker higher up, so that aid mic can actually hear it. So, not aim at the opening of the ear canal but aim at the top of the ear. Or just start a few cm away from ear, then bring phone closer and search for the best position (up, down, left, right).

Same with headphones over aids, you want them to be hit with the sound from the headphones, not avoided.

That is, if you want to use aids to get that sound.

#8

I also heave trouble with molds, my ears are sweating a lot, I have soft material micro molds and my ear canal is narrow, so I cant have any vent on my soft molds.

What you guys recommend what should I get based on my Hearing Loss?

Get Encased acrylic mold (with vent)? Should I try with domes (are they suitable for me?)? Maybe something other?

Sorry for hijacking and thanks in advance

#9

I can’t wear soft ear moulds either my ears just sweat like mad. I use hard ear moulds instead.

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#10

With or without ventilation

#11

I’ve got no vents. :slight_smile:

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#12

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Which one do you have?

#13

Correct. Correct. My ears are not identical, but not that different.

The second is my right ear only. I didn’t get a good audiogram with the left as I don’t think I had the mould inserted correctly.

The aids are Oticon Spitit Synergy, NHS issue. The acrylic moulds are the “skeleton” style according to the list posted ny dmrljes

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#14

FWIW, I have c-shell acrylic molds with vent for my Paradise P90 aids and they are great (comfortable, do not try to slip out, etc). I have used custom molds with vents for several years with different hearing aids. Some were good and some were bad. The secret is getting a good ear impression and then having the molds manufactured correctly. What I like about Phonex (I know others do the same) is they digitize the impression to make the custom molds. Also, if need be, the digitized version can be modified to correct impression errors. So much for my three cents (allowing for inflation) worth.

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#15

Thanks for the clarification about audiogram pictures.
If the audiograms are even close I would think you need some form of molds. Too much of your loss is 40 dB or more in most of the speech frequencies. So, getting comfortable molds is important.

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#16

As I said, these audiograms are relative to 1kHz. I have no way of calibrating them to absolute values. At mid frequencies a professional audiogram put it at 20-30dB.

#17

Ok, so the audiograms you showed us are not even close to accurate. Knowing this it is difficult to help you concerning your question about molds.
Good luck

#18

Your situation sounds quite a bit like what I experienced with my first set of silicone moulds. It was so uncomfortable! My audie had me sit completely still while she made the moulds. I changed audies because I’d tried every dome and receiver wire length and then moulds and still couldn’t get comfortable and she said there was nothing more to be done. I learned on this forum about a closed fit and an open fit. My new audie had me talk and move my jaw while the gel hardened. The resultant moulds really increased my comfort and I lost that stuffed up feeling. I’ve had them for about 18 months now and I’m satisfied.

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#19

As I said, they are relative, not absolute, but they don’t need to be absolute to demonstrate a 12dB/octave roll-off below 375Hz, which can’t be right.

#20

Molds work great when fitted/made correctly. My last set were 2 years old fit great. The lanyard to remove from ear broke off. I then used the wire to remove and it started pulling the speaker out of the mold. Had new set made and they are horrible. Now out for 3rd remake. Mine have vents in to reduce occluded stuffed up feeling. Love my molds when they fit correctly.

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#21

If this is correct molds could actually be detrimental to fitting your loss. The audiogram is a very important part of the hearing aid process.

#22

How did you and your Audi decide on the type of custom mold for you? I will hopefully be getting a Phonak P90s this month and would like to get custom molds. For the last 3 years I have dealt with domes (size, type, shapes, open /closed etc) and they still cause me issues. The present ones do not stay on my ear. TIA

#23

I think ideally you’d have a discussion with your audi and state your priorities. Which is more important discreteness or the mold staying put? Which is more important eliminating feedback and getting maximum gain or avoiding occlusion? I think those are the two key questions. If you’re ok with a skeleton lock, pretty sure mold will stay put. Venting and how deep the mold sits in the ear canal affect occlusion.

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#24

I searched the forums for custom fit and c-shell seem to be popular. Also, I think it was Neville recommended them to me. I has the small tip for retention so they would not just be like CIC. Also, my fitter agreed, he had a lot of success with c-shell. Just be sure you get a good ear impression. Phonak mfg methods for custom molds is very good.

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#25

OK, so I’ve got an appointment tomorrow with the technician to switch me back to domes, and I’ll maybe ask for an appointment with the technical audiologist to consider my options. But that won’t be for several weeks, and I can’t stand these moulds that long.

But perhaps someone can explain a couple of points:

  • The moulds cause that blocked-up feeling - my voice and chewing sounds are very loud. I couldn’t follow a conversation while eating. Is that an inevitable consequence of a good fit? What causes it anatomically - bone conduction?
  • Part of the motivation for trying moulds was that with domes the HAs give poor mid to low frequency response (dropping 12db/octave below 375Hz) making direct input shoes or a neck loop useless for music. The moulds are no improvement. Is that blocked-up feeling something you have to live with in order to get a sufficiently good seal for adequate low frequency response?
#26

It truly sounds like the fit is poor. If they were tight in the bony part of your canal the problems you’re describing wouldn’t be present. I think the squishy part of the mold is too squishy. Needs to be higher durometer material, or just acrylic.