My husband has Phonak and loves them. The sound is very clear with no background buzz. They are small and un-noticeable and fit comfortably. He forgets he has them in. He says it is just like his natural hearing.

My DH wears his all the time...he got them at Costco. They are open ear and are nearly invisible. They weren't cheap, but the good thing is they provide all the filters and things for free, the batteries are very inexpensive there and they've fixed them a couple of times for DH at no charge.

I think people have more trouble with the kind that fill the ear canal...my mother started out with those and couldn't stand them as all she could hear was herself talking and chewing, like when your ears are plugged up with a cold.

I suspect that if you are aware that you are losing your hearing, it's already worse than you think it is.

I don't know your age, but Medicare will cover the cost of the testing. Sit in a booth and have all kinds of sounds into earphones.

I wear mine in the house only with the missus is up and around. Nothing to hear otherwise. Since I rarely go anywhere with this Covid thing going on, I don't have an issue there. HOWEVER, I needed new shoes and and went to the store yesterday. The clerk was wearing a mask, of course. I could not read her lips and the sounds through the mask were not clear. I big frustration for me!

I do. I don't wear it all the time at home because I also have recruitment hearing and hyperacusis. I get hearing fatigue and overload so I prefer the "quiet" at home which is still too noisy at times. But I am very happy with the way my aid works, especially in one on one situations where I can lip read. I have a Phonak behind the ear with a custom ear mold. My left ear is really too far gone for being aid assisted but my audiologist/Otolaryngologist and I are considering trying one in that ear to see if it helps with directional processing. I may upgrade to an aid that is bluetooth enabled in my right ear. Whether you will be helped best by BTE (behind the ear) RIC (receiver in the canal) or ITE (in the ear) depends on your hearing loss, not just the level of loss but the type of loss.

When I see people discuss hearing aids I see a lot of the dissatisfaction comes from not understanding what hearing loss really is and that hearing aids are not like eyeglasses. You don't just get a prescription and be done. They are aids, not fixes. There is no I can hear clearly now like there is with eyeglasses and 20/20 vision. Hearing loss can fluctuate, the ranges you hear in can change, and it is NOT an issue of volume but of processing what you hear. Thus it is important to work with a good doctor and a good audiologist. They can determine what type of aid is best for you and make adjustments to give the hearing that is optimal for you and your lifestyle. I could fight to get approval for a cochlear implant but my lifestyle is not suited to take that step. The aid that works for one person is not necessarily the one the next person should use so asking what brand is pretty moot.

Well said, Wildchild2x2!

My husband has typical age related hearing loss of the higher frequencies. Over-the-counter hearing amplifiers would have been no use to him as it makes everything very loud and no clearer. The same for turning the TV up louder. No improvement. Many hearing aides come with blue tooth for your TV and phone. We thought that was a little too high tech and would be a nuisance to use.

My GF just got a new pair at Costco, very expensive but she loves them. It's interesting but she can also answer her i-Phone through her hearing aids by tapping on her ear and then just speaking normally. She did mention that every now and then Siri will overhear a conversation she is having with her DH and will chime in. Yesterday they were discussing the weather and Siri gave the forecast.

I have profound hearing loss in both ears as well as substantial tinnitus in one ear and used to have expensive hearing aids. I now have inexpensive hearing amplifiers and use them only occasionally. I do try to have people face me so I can see their lips when they are talking.

marie_cate: Siri overheard a conversation? And joined in by giving a weather report ?

OH ...Bell No!

I’ve had a Unitron BTE for several years. It’s bluetooth and since I’m primarily home bound, I just wear it in the evenings when watching TV. I would suggest a hearing test and discussion with an audiologist. I was impressed with the improvement to my hearing once it was programmed for my needs.

I got my Kirkland 9.0 aids (made by Sonova, Switzerland) in October 2019, following a free evaluation and customization by a Costco tech (not an 'audiologist'). These are 'open ear', with a tiny speaker in the ear connected by a slim wire to the microphone/booster behind the ear. This is not the molded plug that shuts out all ambient sound.

My hearing loss is not significant, but I'm glad I got these. The all-in cost was $1500 for the pair, exam, fitting and any future service calls. I'm well satisfied with them. If I've failed to insert them when dressing in the morning, I'll go get them to be able to understand the TV without cranking up the sound. I 'hear around' them for telephone calls, but could pair them with the phone. When it's safer, I'll go back to have these adjusted as I know my hearing has worsened.

Being able to hear is important for my ability to be involved in life around me. Science says the brain starts shutting off some pathways when we can't hear and react.

Hearing aid success depends on the type of loss. My loss is in the lower frequencies, a reverse slope. This is harder to correct. I have been to several audiologists and not had much success. I have Phonak RIC and I got them from a company that calls itself hearing aid specialists. Now don't scoff, as I said this has been the most successful for me and still I do not hear well. Wild Child explained to beautifully. Aids, not fixes! Mine are bluetooth and that is the best part. Works great with TV and phone. YMMV

I have had hearing loss in both ears all my life. At this point, I have two Resound highest levels of hearing and I still have to read lips. I love my aids, without them, I'd be lost. I do have products that let me hear the tv and I have a program that lets me answer the phone but I hear the voice in my temple, that was a godsend.

This hasn't struck me yet. I'm happy about that. Though other things have, nothing yet too serious. In any group, aging changes are mix and match.

I have a friend whose hearing started to decline around age 60. I'm not sure what type he has but the guy is well off and I'm sure they're an upmarket product. He often calls me when he's taking a walk. He's said he leaves his phone at home and can talk using his hearing aids paired to his Apple Watch (which can act as his cell phone). I think the microphone is in the hearing aids. Pretty cool, Dick Tracy stuff.

Elizabeth - yep - through Bluetooth integration you have to pair them. She can turn off the phone feature on her hearing aids but then she might not hear her phone ringing if it's in her purse. A group of us walk nearly every day and of course we talk the entire time. I've only heard join in the conversation twice. She just taps her ear to turn her off.

A question to go with the hearing aid but has anyone had the type that is implanted. I am aware that it is the only type that Medicare will cover. I have combined hearing loss in one ear, nerve and calcification, so regular ones are a toss up. The only people I have heard about having them or something similar were profoundly deaf grandchildren so my actual information is third hand. Some are totally in the body while others sound like there is an external portion that plugs into an internal device.

This thread couldn't be more timelier!

I have had a decline in hearing starting in my mid 40's. Unfortunately, it's genetic. At 50, I went to an audiologist for an exam and discovered it was worse that I realized. (My family realized it for sure.) The health insurance I had then covered hearing aids - surprisingly! They over the ear aids I have are by Oticon. Unless I tell people I wear hearing aids they cannot tell! They're practically invisible! They've have served me well. 11 years ago, they were over $3000. I'm sure the cost has probably risen considerably!

Oticon is one of the leading hearing aid makers and the priciest as well. But alas, my aids are now over 11 years old and even though well maintained, (I've had some parts replaced on both) they're probably at the end of their road, so I am looking to replace.

what?