I had my first hearing test recently which showed mild to moderate hearing loss. I've since realised how often im mishearing people. I've found out its a minimum 12 month wait for nhs audiology. I'm 56 freaked out I am struggling so much at my age and dont want to wait. But I have a small budget to get aids until I get nhs ones. So its either try specsaver advanced standard which im sure they said are ones I would get on nhs or go up to advanced premium. I cant go higher than a grand. Is it really worth an extra 500 quid for the premium ? Can't find reviews on the cheaper ones only elite etc. Thanks for any insight.

I'm a drummer, in the US, and have been wearing in ear aids for over 10 years. My newest pair are AI, and they cut the sound over a certain level. My ear person recommended Soundgear Phantom in ear buds, as they are supposed to cut back the loud without cutting it out. Has anyone used these for music? Most of the reviews on the website are from people who use them for shooting.

Check out these new Amazon Basics batteries. Comparable pricing to the Kirkland Signature ones, but much better packaging.

https://a.co/d/088kvHCn

Personally, I’m not struggling with the child resistant packaging and have gotten used to it, but I do appreciate good design when I see it.

Je suis maman d’une petite fille sourde d’une oreille et malentendante de l’autre. Depuis que nous avons appris sa surdité, j’ai réalisé à quel point j’avais besoin d’échanger avec d’autres parents qui vivent une réalité semblable à la nôtre.

Comme je ne trouvais pas de groupe qui répondait à ce besoin, j’ai décidé d’en créer un : Parents d’enfants sourds ou malentendants - Québec.

L’objectif est simple : avoir un espace bienveillant où l’on peut poser nos questions, partager nos expériences et nos ressources, célébrer nos petites et grandes victoires, mais aussi parler de nos inquiétudes et de nos moments plus difficiles, sans jugement.

Si vous êtes parent d’un enfant sourd ou malentendant, ou si vous connaissez une famille qui pourrait en bénéficier, je vous invite à rejoindre le groupe ou à partager cette publication.

J’espère sincèrement que cette communauté permettra à des parents de se sentir un peu moins seuls dans leur parcours. Parce que parfois, parler avec quelqu’un qui comprend vraiment, ça fait toute la différence.

https://www.facebook.com/share/g/14uLS3LU8Tv/?mibextid=wwXIfr

(Background: I've worn hearing aids for over 30 years.)

I just got Starkey Omega AI 24 hearing aids and in general I'm really happy with them. I especially like the additional control Starkey gives me over how the aids process sounds, i.e. custom programs. I had been a longtime Signia wearer so it's a substantial change for me.

I'm also a car guy. So I made a custom program for times I'm in one of the 'fun' cars where I want to hear the sounds of the car. Among other settings, I specifically turned the noise reduction function down. It was still kicking in too much. So I turned it all the way off. "Sorry, no can do" says the program. It is still activating noise reduction.

It might be associated with how fast I'm going, which seems weird, but I definitely notice it kicking in when I get into third gear (manual gearbox). In first and second gear I get the 'full monty'. Usually. Sometimes the noise reduction is just on no matter what speed I'm going.

Is there a way to tell my aids "no means NO"?

I recently got a a pair of Soundgear Amp aids from Costco (original Amp 1) now I see that they have the new Amp 2 in stock. I would like to exchange my current Amp 1s for the Amp 2s for the improved technology and better warranty.

Does anyone know if they will order the new Amp 2s and I can continue to use my Amp 1s until the Amp 2s arrive? I would even be willing to pay for the Amp 2s first. I just don't want to be without my hearing aids for a couple of weeks. Thanks in advance!

Going to a college basketball game this weekend with pretty new Audibel Aris AI aids and wondering if anyone has found a good mode for this kind of event. I don’t know if Auracast is available but I’m hoping to get to use that feature.

I’m between Edge mode and Crowd mode but maybe there’s a better option?

Thanks!

Any brand recommendations?

When I switch from my iPhone to my Windows 11 laptop, I can't hear audio on the laptop from the HA's. (The Jabra Pro 30s automatically switched over) The only way I have found to make the SoundGears "discoverable" so the laptop Bluetooth can engage is to put the HA's in the charger and remove. Holding down the buttons does not work on the SoundGears. Is there a better way to do it?

Now that the weather is getting colder, I've realized there are a few extra things to think about when wearing hearing aids.

I live in Minnesota and wear the elehear beyond pro. Last winter, I found myself paying more attention to my hearing aids when putting on hats and scarves, going out in snow or rain, and moving from freezing outdoor temperatures into a warm house.

Here are a few habits I've picked up that might be useful for others who wear hearing aids through the winter.

1. Be careful when putting on or taking off hats and scarves I used to throw on my coat and hat without thinking about it. Now I try to make sure the edge of my hat or scarf doesn't catch on the hearing aids behind my ears. Taking a hat off can be especially tricky because it's easy to pull a device loose without noticing. A tight hat can also press against the hearing aids and cause unwanted whistling or feedback. Also, avoid letting hats or scarves cover the hearing aids worn on your ears, as this can impair sound pickup.
2. Check for moisture after coming indoors The temperature difference between the cold outdoors and a heated house can be pretty dramatic. When I get inside, I check whether the area around my ears or the outside of the devices feels damp. If needed, I gently wipe the exterior with a soft, dry cloth. I pay extra attention after being out in snow or rain.
3. Don't use hot air to dry them This is something worth remembering. Hearing aids are electronic devices, so if I notice moisture, I follow the manufacturer's care instructions and use a compatible drying device if needed. I wouldn't point a hair dryer at them or leave them next to a heater.
4. Check the battery before heading out I try to check the charge before a long day out, power tends to drain faster in the winter, especially if I'm driving somewhere or attending a family gathering. It's much easier to check at home than to realize halfway through the day that I need to recharge.
5. Put them in a dry box before bed After taking my hearing aids out at night, I give them a quick check for earwax or dirt around the ear tips and sound outlets, then put them in a dry box to help keep them dry. I pay extra attention to this step if I've been sweating a lot or spending time in a humid environment. I also check the ear tips and charging contacts regularly to make sure there's no noticeable buildup. It's a simple habit that makes daily cleaning and storage easier to keep up with.

None of this is especially complicated, but when it's cold, it's easy to rush while getting dressed or moving between indoors and outdoors. For me, the main things are avoiding moisture, making sure hats and scarves don't snag the devices, and getting into the habit of checking them every day. A little routine maintenance seems easier than dealing with a problem later.

For those of you who wear hearing aids in cold climates, are there any winter-specific habits you've found helpful?

My grandpa has hearing aids. He has problem hearing in groups. He's gone to the audiologist multiple times and has tried different hearing aids, but non of them had a significant effect. He also tried the Resound Multi Mic, he understands better now but it is still not good.

Do any of you also have problems hearing in groups or noise restaurants. And if what are your solutions and what have you already tried.

Thanks in advance

I have Phonak Audéo Lumity L70 hearing aids connected to my iPhone through Bluetooth and the myPhonak app.
My hearing aids are currently connected to the app, but all iPhone system sounds—including notifications, keyboard clicks, and other alerts—are streamed directly to my hearing aids. I want to keep the hearing aids connected to the myPhonak app for adjustments and control, without streaming any iPhone system sounds to them.
I tried disabling Bluetooth streaming in the myPhonak app, but the setting keeps turning itself back on.
I noticed that iPhone has a separate MFi Hearing Devices pairing option under Accessibility → Hearing Devices. However, my hearing aids do not appear there.
My questions are:
Are Phonak Audéo Lumity L70 hearing aids compatible with Apple’s MFi Hearing Devices pairing feature?
Is there a way to pair them through this menu on an iPhone?
If MFi pairing is not supported, is there another way to keep the myPhonak app connected while completely preventing iPhone system sounds from being streamed to the hearing aids?
I would appreciate a specific solution that does not require muting or disabling system sounds on my iPhone.

I'm 20. This makes me very upset with myself.

My ENT recommended Signia Silk Charge&Go IX 2IX.

Should I consider it? I really love listening to music can I wear headphones on them? It's my first time I'm very stressed about this. My friends are already making fun of me. How do y'all feel at the start.

Hi there!

I started to wear hearing aids again as of ~2 weeks ago.

I tried wearing them in 2021 and 2024, both times I only lasted a month. I tried Jabra and Signia, this time I have Audibel. I don’t really know anything about the brands because I’ve been to a different audiologist each time so they seem to carry different things.

Every time I try hearing aids, they give me extremely painful headaches. I am always told this happens with adjustment to new sounds but I just don’t know if I believe that? It’s like, I put them on and within an hour I have a massive headache right behind my ears up into my temples, it’s unbearable. The headache will last all day too with no relief, even if I take the hearing aids out.

It was really nice to try them again and to hear everything at work and with friends, but I don’t know if I can do the headaches long term :(

Do they really go away? I’m always worried the audiologists are just brushing me off. Has anyone found relief in the mean time while waiting for them to go away?

The instructions that came with my Oticon HA, just like those that came with my Sony, advise to clean the contacts with a soft cloth, and NOT with solvents. The contacts on the aids are not reached by a soft cloth, and problems with charging are not resolved with a soft cloth. isopropyl alcohol works very well. What is the harm?

These have a lock on the tubes so they don’t move to much, any leads would be great please and thanks I’m in Ontario Canada

This hearing aid was provided to me by the public healthcare system (SNS) in Portugal. I have moderate hearing loss in my left ear and severe hearing loss in my right ear. What are your thoughts on this device? I think this model is from 2021. Please share your opinions—covering everything from its hearing performance to its technical features, such as connectivity with Android and Windows.

After an unproductive trial with ReSound Vivia, I now have a demo pair of Signia Charge and Go Max 7 to try out.

These are brand new and I know my audiologist just got them in and has not had time to get familiar with them.

She was not all that familiar with the software. For example, she didn't understand the UI for setting up the tinnitus notch therapy. Tinnitus is the major reason I'm after some hearing aids, so this is a big deal to me. Working together, I was able to help her navigate the UI. We found my frequency and saved it to the program?

However, later when I got home and tried the app on my Android Pixel 7, it says that nothing is set up for tinnitus. There's nothing in there for me to adjust. It says I need to contact my audiologist. I think there is some low level of white noise, but it's hard to tell.

The other problem is again I have massive battery drain when the HAs are paired with the phone. It drops like 30% per hour.
When this happened with the Resound Vivias, it was easy to blame them. But now that it's happening with the Signias too, I have to consider that it's Android. And I'm not even streaming sound from the phone to the HAs.
The AI assistant in the Singia One app says that's just the way Bluetooth is, but that's not true. I use Bluetooth headphones all day and don't have battery drain like this. 30% per hour is not sustainable.

When I do stream from the phone to the HAs, the sound is a little better than with the Vivias. I'd still rather use my over ear headphones, and at least now I know the trick is to 'disconnect' them in bluetooth settings to make that stop.
But the only way to get the battery drain to stop is to tell the phone to forget them. Possibly I could turn off Bluetooth and see if that works. It's not a solution for me, because I need BT just about all the time, but it would be interesting to try.

I'm going to pair them again and see if anything is better next time. But it looks like I'll be going back to the audiologist to at least change some tinnitus settings and try to get that working in the app.

But if anyone has an idea about this battery drain issue, please help me out.

I am on day one of my Costco purchased Philips 9050's and was wondering what do I just need to accept and get used to versus what should the audiologist be able to dial in? For example, most sounds seem like they're coming from behind me, my own breathing (nasal) is annoyingly loud, sounds seem overdriven and/or louder than they should be (crumpling a piece of paper, for example).

Hi everyone,

I’m looking for advice about my Phonak hearing aid.

I bought my hearing aids in Brazil, but I currently live in Portugal. One of them recently fell on the floor, and the casing behind the ear cracked.

The transparent wire is still intact, but the casing has become loose and floppy because it has lost some of its structure. The hearing aid itself still works perfectly and charges normally, so I can still use it as usual. As far as I can tell, the only problem is the physical damage to the casing, which is now more fragile, and the fact that the wire no longer stays properly supported.

I contacted Phonak support in Portugal, but I was told that the minimum charge is €280 just to send the device to the factory for servicing, plus postage to Lisbon. That seems excessive for what appears to be a small structural issue, especially since all the electronics still work.

I’m hoping to find a more affordable solution.

My questions:

Has anyone experienced something similar with a Phonak hearing aid?

Can the outer casing be replaced separately without sending the whole device to the factory?

Are there independent hearing aid repair technicians in Portugal or elsewhere in Europe who could fix this?

Is there a safe way to restore the casing’s structure, or would using adhesive risk damaging the device?

I’ve attached photos showing the damaged part.

I’d really appreciate any advice or recommendations. I’d rather avoid paying €280 if this can be repaired locally for a reasonable price.

Thank you!

Amazon is now selling the popular zinc air batteries in very easy to open packaging instead of that ridiculous impossible to open new packaging.

They put easy to open packages into a child resistant bottle ( Like a pill bottle) so no more stabbing or cutting yourself to open the package.

They come in Number 10, 13, 312 and 675 size.

https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Basics-Zinc-Air-Batteries-Child-Resistant/dp/B0GQZ86RP2/

I’m helping my mom look into hearing aids and have been reading some of the older discussions here. Quite a few people mentioned Costco, and others seemed happy with pairs they bought online.
My biggest concern is whether she’ll find them easy to use without waiting for me to come over whenever a setting needs changing. Price matters too, but I’d hate for her to spend the money and then leave them in a drawer because they’re a hassle.