I’m unsure about what decibel level is too high for wearing my hearing aids. Living in New York City, I’m concerned that my hearing aids might amplify loud sounds, which could potentially harm my ears. I’m not sure whether I should continue wearing my hearing aids in noisy environments or if it’s safer to stick with the earplugs I’ve been using everywhere. This uncertainty has made me hesitant about how best to protect my hearing in the city.
If your hearing aids are properly adjusted by your audiologist then you are safe from over amplification
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Thank you! I wear earplugs around the city right now. Am I better off wearing hearing aids or ear plugs. Are hearing aids okay to wear to loud bars?
It is good to depend on your hearing aids. I wear receiver in the ear aids with custom ear molds. But if you are going to have domes it is going to depend on if your domes are open, or closed. Most domes allow you to hear sounds that you can hear naturally and the aids only amplife the sounds that you need amplified to allow you to hear better. You need to take your concerns to your audiologist. Hopefully your audiologist will explain your best option.
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Depends on the openness of the aids and the way your MPO’s are configured.
I’ve fitted a bus driver today who has a mild loss, but hyperacusis and tinnitus. The MPO’s are wound right down and there’s a fairly gentle prescription in there. She’s gone away with a conversation in noise and a comfort in noise program too.
The critical part is that she’s wearing more occlusive domes than usual for her loss, but is putting up with the trade-off to get a ‘managed’ acoustic response.
For you, if there’s considerable venting, they won’t be effective as noise plugs, but you (your audiologist) can modify that to suit.
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