#21

@Um_bongo I am currently using phonak cros 2 with a nathos auto m so no rechargeable option there. They did give me a nathos nova pr which i use in not very busy or noisy situations and when i am streaming or watching tv but the rest of the time i wear my cros aids as with just a single aid in noisy environments and with traffic sound i don’t hear people on my left if i wear just the nathos nova pr and I’ve tried the partnermic and if they move more than 20 meters away it cuts off.

Ideally i would love to have the option of being able to stream and answer the phone etc to both ears in a bicros option as the sound quality on the nova is so much better in every way and have tried pushing for the oticon as it as the twinlink technology and would be able to do that but they will not budge on that. So i think at my annual ent appointment i will ask about getting the bone conduction test redone for the left ear and take things from there and see what happens

#22

Not sure there’s a hard and fast rule, but the risk is that you’d hear all the latent interference from the BAHA unit, the limits of the driver, the phase/processing delay and the ‘mush’ of it passing through the skull.
VS. a phase matched signal from both devices operating across the audible spectrum with all tuning and balancing done by one system.

I can’t form a perfect analogy but I think it would be like listening to a music signal through the floor from downstairs with bare feet: while having one ear wearing a Bang and Olufsen headphone playing the same music.

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#23

Fair enough: the BiCROS is still probably your best option in my book.

Like I said there’s better systems out there, but doing what you’re doing is going to give you about the best interim. Definitely get the test done though, the one above is simply misleading.

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#24

@Um_bongo thanks for that will def get the test done again for bone conduction and depending on what that shows I may see if I can try again for the oticon

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#25

We use the little carrots. Do you think they put the triangles there to indicate that the bone vibrator was on the left? There’s a lot of argument on this side of the pond about using side-specific unmasked symbols at all and some are converting to little hats in honour of ‘assume no interaural attenuation’. That doesn’t feel quite right to me either, but the carrots confuse non-audiologists into thinking there is hearing in situations where there isn’t but masking could not be done for whatever reason.

I was assuming that LRav wanted the BAHA for single-sided deafness cros-routing rather than trying to aid the left. Is it not used that way in the UK?

#26

Even if the transducer was on the Left ear it refers to the function of the Right cochlear; therefore it should be marked as a right ear. Showing it on the LH chart just confuses the situation as there’s absolutely no hearing on that side.

As to BAHA, there’s been a move to minimal surgical intervention in most areas of ENT here to keep waiting lists down. I’ve seen transcranial options, but I’m not familiar with the criteria or success rate. The old BC function aids were pretty rubbish in delivering clarity though.

I thought the BAHA option might have been considered as it looks like there’s a functioning cochlear on that ear from that left audiogram.

I’m happy to be educated on it but it just seems like a really ‘messy’ solution unless you’ve got an ipsi-lateral cochlear which is doing ok, but sitting inside of an infected/wet EAM.

#27

Hi @Neville and @Um_bongo thanks for this i was considering the Baha because i was alway told it was just the nerve endings that where dead and have always assumed bone conduction was ok because I have had some level of feeling like vibrating in that side. I was also considering the Baha because I have a genetic condition which means I have short Eustachian tubes which means any irritation causes a high chance of infection. My left ear because it has the shortest Eustachian tube is far more likely to get irritation and is becoming far less tolerant to having anything in it. the last test for bone conduction on the audiogram is confusing so will get a new one done and see what it shows from there

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#28

I wouldn’t know to educate. I have no patients using it this way. It’s just in my head as “option” and it’s always been my impression that in the US this is done fairly regularly, except more commonly when the other ear is normal. The manufacturers always bring it up as well. My first instinct would be CROS, too.

#29

That’s common for everyone and BC even if you can hear it, you get vibration at higher volume!

#30

I use an Osia baha. However, my diagnosis is nothing close to the OP’s. I have hearing in both ears. However, I have heard of SSD folks using a baha. Cochlear baha Attract & OSIA System Support Group | Facebook
I’ll add that one of the reasons I was approved for a baha to begin with was because I have eustachian tube dysfunction. Again, the OP’s situation is worse than mine. But given a functioning auditory nerve, a baha does circumvent a lot of eustachian tube blockage hearing issues.
I’d suggest that lrav look into this at least with a knowledgeable ENT who’s up to date on baha technology. Many aren’t. Maybe this won’t work. I don’t see up front why it might not be a good option.

#31

Does nothing if the cochlear doesn’t work to a degree tho. Can’t just have a nerve functioning.

#32

That’s the thing: There’s nothing in the Audiogram to suggest this is the case. By every measure there, the left Ear is dead, but that’s why the audiogram is misleading to the inexperienced eye (some ENT’s too).

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#33

Potentially yes; I can see how it could work.

Perhaps it’s just the way that the NHS/ENT mentality works here. We don’t really encounter them in most situations, but the fittings I’ve seen have usually been in place are usually to combat the local ‘wet’ ear.

CROS (even wired, historically) is usually the alternative. Surgical intervention is normally seen as a last resort option.

#34

@Neville @Um_bongo @Zebras thanks for all your info I’m going to get them to redo the bone conduction test and if that show’s the Baha is a definite no then I was thinking I would give it another try for the oticon cros but had one question does the twinlink technology mean it can stream to both ears? I feel that is one thing I can’t do with my current cros aids. I know I could get a tv connector but tv is wall mounted and it will be too hard for me to take it down and then put it back up and I can’t really afford to invest in anything else for my hearing aids. I know that there is such a thing as amp cros and I mentioned that at my recent audiology appointment but the person really didn’t seem to know anything about ampcros and was under the impression they would not do it. I have a nathos nova pr and that’s ok as I don’t need subtitles when I have that in but on days like today where I feel a bit congested and my allergies are playing up I feel I need the benefit of my cros aids more but can’t watch tv or stream without the subtitles on because it is just not as clear as when wearing the Nathos nova pr.

#35

I might of misunderstood but if you can’t hear out of one ear, why would you want it work in both ears?

#36

@zebras sorry I didn’t explain myself correctly what I mean is like what the current cros aids do which is send the sound from the dead ear to the right side so it gives the effect of hearing from both ears will the oticon cros have that kind of effect when streaming so it appears like it is coming from both sides with the twinlink technology and still be able to hear if anyone says something on the dead side

#37

Ah so you want the CROS to still work when streaming etc.

Hopefully someone will help.

If I’m right, Phonak CROS doesn’t work when using Bluetooth or Roger etc. It switches off. Oticon would be good if it does still work.

#38

@zebras yes that is exactly what I mean I hope that someone knows the answer to this

#39

Yes, the microphones on the oticon CROS continue to function when streaming so that you can still hear external sound from that side ported over to your hearing ear.

#40

@Neville thank you for that if i get the new bone conduction done and it show that Baha is definitely not an option then i will try again for the oticon cros