DH got his at costco and he's very happy with them...wears them all the time. They are the open canal type so the little thing doesn't fill the ear canal like the old ones did. This makes hearing more natural. And they are not noticeable at all. Costco has been wonderful about them too, giving us all the filters and other parts for free, they've repaired one where he got the wire screwed up for free and their batteries are very inexpensive.

I have worn aids since I was 25 and got my first hearing aid. I was thrilled. Now I'm 81 and wear two and, without them, hear nothing. Hearing loss can cause memory loss so you should get what you need to bring your ears close to normal just like you would do if you needed glasses. There are so many that are not even detectable for others to see. My husband just got his first one as he has memory loss and it's too late to recover it back. I can't say he loves it but he wears it and I don't have to yell.

what kind do you wear?

My pair from Costco work fine. DH and I both were tested about 18 months ago. His problem was merely ear wax! He's had that removed twice since then and is OK.

I have mild loss, almost equal in each ear. I have the same 'open canal' type that Annie describes, with the mic in the ear, connected to the receiver by a transparent wire over the top of the ear. Same great service and cheap batteries. I believe it was $1500 for the pair. Well worth it, even if I don't wear them all the time. (My ears start to itch after many hours of wear, and there's some conflict with the earpieces of my eyeglasses.)

I grew up shouting so my grandmother could hear me. Hearing loss is a problem for the individual *and* the family.

My mother got hearing aids from Costco near the beginning of her Alzheimers, so she needed help putting them on, but could and did randomly take them out by herself. It wasn't long before they were lost, and it was too expensive to try again with another pair. About a year later, my brother was cleaning out the hose from their dryer and lo and behold, there were the hearing aids. He brought them back to Costco where it turned out that it was just one day before the warranty expired. They were not fixable, but were replaced at no charge. Gotta love Costco!

First things first. Go to a doctor and get a hearing test. He will be able to advise you as to whether or not you need hearing aids, whether or not they will be an advantage to you. His Audiologist will be able to help you chose what type and style will be best for you. And there are many to chose from! Another consideration is, how much of their cost does your insurance cover, if it covers any of it. Prices range from hundreds to thousands, so it helps to decide ahead of time what amount of copay you are comfortable with.

That being said, I have the over the ear type, which is what I believe is referred to above as 'open canal'. And I love them! I can't think of the brand name right now, but they were in the mid-price range, with three channels. (One of those channels was supposed to help with the Tinnitus, but it doesn't). I've had mine for about five years now, and my hearing has changed quite a lot, so I'm 'saving up' for a new pair, which will be approx. $2000.00 copay. The pair I want has seven channels, which should be a big help with background noise, which can be a big problem.

Another consideration is batteries. I seem to be getting more and more 'fumble-fingered', as I call it, as I age. Changing the batteries has become a challenge, to say the least. So the pair I am looking at is rechargeable, no battery changing needed!

Chisue, when I complained of my ears itching, my audiologist recommended using a Q-tip to rub just a very small drop of oil, such as baby oil, around just inside the ear canal, at bedtime. She stressed OIL, not lotion of any kind. I use Vitamin E oil, because that's what I had on hand at the time. And it works! No more itchy ears. I only use it on the nights I know I'm going to be wearing my aids all day the next day.

I think how much someone likes their hearing aids depends a lot on choosing the right style for you. The right kind can make a big difference in how much they improve your quality of life!

Rusty

Most if not all hearing exams in my area are conducted by audiologists, not physicians. Some audiologists are affiliated with medical groups or practices, some simply have their own offices and practices.

Many, not all, can be scoundrels, assessing what your needs are and then selling you often overpriced hardware as the solution. Like many optometrists do.

That's why Costco has developed a good business selling hearing aids, there's a lot of excess profit that can be wrung out and still offer decent products at a good profit to them. And like their eyeglass offerings, I've heard their hearing aids are of reasonable mid-range quality but not better than that. Some may find that more upmarket products from other sources are more satisfactory.

I would strongly suggest, as Rusty did, going to a doctor of audiology for a diagnoses first.

I've had hearing aids for almost 8 years, and got them when I was in my early 50's. Probably needed them way before that, but couldn't afford them. These are Oticon brand, work well, and cost around $4000. At the time I got them, my insurance covered them, not anymore. I know my hearing has deteriorated. I need to get rechecked.

My hearing loss is genetic, my poor Mother has 97% hearing loss, and her 4 sisters are about the same. It's hard for me to think that in a few years, I will probably be in the same situation.

Good to know about Costco, I will check in to those, they sound much more affordable!

Be aware that not all hearing loss can be corrected. I have been tested and it showed hearing loss in one ear but it was only in a short range. My father had some type of genetic loss that at that time. I have all of the multipage report.

Medicare does not pay for hearing aids but will cover cochlear implants if someone is profoundly hard of hearing.

Many people's supplemental plans - whether of the Medicare Advantage type or other types - may have a so-much every so-many years benefit for hearing aids. The supplemental plans are like other types of insurance, they can cover or not cover different things from one plan to another. It's what coverage is selected to be included by the customer or sponsor (as with a former employer).

For those having or needing hearing aids, it's worth checking to see what you have.

First, have an exam and test done by a clinical audiologist. He/she will be able to determine the specifics of your hearing loss in order to recommend a solution.

Typically, if one is of a certain age, the testing is no charge. Ask first.

I have worn hearing aids for about twenty years and are the kind that are inserted into the ear. About three years ago I went to a new ear "specialist", got the new aids (over the ear kind) but wasn't happy with them. I was very happy to read the information sheet that stated I could return them within 45 days, which I did. Of course, he tried to change my mind, but I insisted that I didn't want to keep them, so he returned my cost of $6750. Yes, that's how much they were! SIL's father and brother both had purchased theirs from Costco at about $2000, and were happy with them so I think I should try that out.

Here testing by an audiologist or hearing aid specialist is free regardless of age. And most offer free 30/45 day trials. I have had better luck with the hearing aid specialist company than my local audiologist. The specialist has a direct line to an audiologist at Phonak, the brand that I have. I have the top of the line and also purchased the TV and Music set. Mine are 4 or 5 years old so technology has changed.

My hearing loss is in the lower frequencies as opposed to higher frequencies. Mine is much harder to correct and I have struggled for years. I had a free checkup last week and learned that my right ear loss has increased. And of course, they wanted to sell me the latest and greatest new model. Haven't decided yet. I wish we had a Costco. The closest is an hour and a half away.

Anyway, good luck!

Thanks for the oil tip, Rusty! I'll try it tomorrow.

My hearing aids from Costco had a one year return policy and no charges ever for adjustments. Kirkland batteries are inexpensive. Mine are #312, and I know they sell at least one other size.

Had my DH gone to an audiologist, he would have paid to discover he had ear wax. The Costco person was very competent, IMO, but my hearing loss is quite mild. If I had more complicated problems, I can see the use of an audiologist...maybe *after* consulting at Costco. (They sell rechargeable aids, too, but so far I'm not too shaky to change the batteries.)

Sal, I wear Resound in both ears.