# Hearing Aids



## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Well I fell for a slick ad for a free hearing test and the nice old guy who does it says due to years and loud noises I have the hearing of a 12 year old kid with his fingers stuck in his ears. The slippery old salesman also managed to find some kinda loop hole in my blue cross card which he says will pay a thousand bucks an ear with zero deductible..which sounds like free to me. Unless he turns out to be lying I am supposed to go get fitted next Weds with some cherry models for exactly that price but not quite up to the technology of the 6 k models. They are pretty small and such things. Figgered in a prepper end of the world scenario it might be good to be able to hear the bad guys creeping up from the backside..lol. Anybody else wear em? Anything I needs to know about it? Thanks.


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## Robie (Jun 2, 2016)

What?


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Yes these are likely not real hearing aid they are more hearing devices there is a difference. Good hearing aids will cost a lot more than that. Mine a just under $5,000 for the set. Also You get real hearing aids the hearing test is very involved. Some guy does not do a quick test and you get them. You do test to find out how you hear word . The word spoken is not what you hear that help in figuring out proper hearing aid. Some of these device can help with lesser hearing defects but . Be very careful before spending you cash.
Name bard model and company peddling them would help Answer your question.
Also are the in the ear of behind the ear. Advantages and disadvantages to both. I had in the ear for ears hated them . Plugged up feeling sweet. ect Now I have the behind the ear.
How easy are they to control volume? can the be easily reprogrammed for changes to your hearing, Do they adjust them self for phone use?


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Also Rechargeable ones can wear out and not hold charge. Rechargeable go dead when you need them your xxxxed .Many of the battery power ones offer life time batteries . I get a box every six months. Batteries last 5-7 days.


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## Gunn (Jan 1, 2016)

Smitty's right. After watching my wife go through exactly what he said, the only difference is my wife went behind the ears to in the ears.


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## Annie (Dec 5, 2015)

@bigwheel do you have a regular family doctor you can count on? See what he says about all that.


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## SOCOM42 (Nov 9, 2012)

@bigwheel, You can probably get his models right off fleabay for $15.00.

I got two, use them for watching TV and when out in yard at night.

I have one the size of a zippo lighter that takes a AAA battery that sits in shirt pocket,

made a reflector holder to make a big ear out of it.

Can hear people having a conversation 50 yards away with it.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

Smitty901 said:


> Yes these are likely not real hearing aid they are more hearing devices there is a difference. Good hearing aids will cost a lot more than that. Mine a just under $5,000 for the set. Also You get real hearing aids the hearing test is very involved. Some guy does not do a quick test and you get them. You do test to find out how you hear word . The word spoken is not what you hear that help in figuring out proper hearing aid. Some of these device can help with lesser hearing defects but . Be very careful before spending you cash.
> Name bard model and company peddling them would help Answer your question.
> Also are the in the ear of behind the ear. Advantages and disadvantages to both. I had in the ear for ears hated them . Plugged up feeling sweet. ect Now I have the behind the ear.
> How easy are they to control volume? can the be easily reprogrammed for changes to your hearing, Do they adjust them self for phone use?


Exactly. For my VA hearing aids I was sent to a local audiologist since the VA testing place was too far away.
If I remember right, there were three different tests - one was the traditional "buzz" response which has always been worthless due to my tinnitus, then there were words spoken into the head phones that I had to repeat back (I did pretty poor on that one), and there was another.
The final result was "severe hearing loss", most pronounced in the higher frequencies. 
I was fitted with Phonak Solana behind the ear devices, which were computer programmed specifically to my hearing loss. I understand the hearing aids alone cost $5,000 not including the testing and office visits. This cost me only the price of admission (a tour of duty in Vietnam). The government also supplies replacement batteries and the tubes and domes which actually go in the ear. The VA Denver center sends them to my mail box.

Any one who does not provide that level of testing and customization to your specific needs is simply ripping you off.


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## 8301 (Nov 29, 2014)

My ex-wife who loved to nag and sat to my left on the sofa kept complaining that I ignored her. I really was trying to be attentive but.... I just didn't hear her. Anyway I ended up getting a hearing test. Seems that my left ear had a loss of hearing in the frequency range of a woman's voice. 

Better believe I shoved that paper under her nose the next time she complained that I was ignoring her.

Now days I always wear hearing protection when shooting ect...


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## Real Old Man (Aug 17, 2015)

Big: I'd be very leary of a $1000 hearing aid. Ask him how they work. The good ones will break your hearing down into several frequency sets. Mine it's four. Since I have high frequency hearing loss they set the other three freq ranges to the same level as my HF loss. That way when I turn up the volume all Freq ranges hear at the same overall level.

Did he tell you the brand? Seimens, Bell tone and Miracle Ear are several of the more common


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## Real Old Man (Aug 17, 2015)

Big: I'd be very leary of a $1000 hearing aid. Ask him how they work. The good ones will break your hearing down into several frequency sets. Mine it's four. Since I have high frequency hearing loss they set the other three freq ranges to the same level as my HF loss. That way when I turn up the volume all Freq ranges hear at the same overall level.

Did he tell you the brand? Seimens, Bell tone and Miracle Ear are several of the more common


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Thanks to all for the good input on this issue. The audio guy was pretty thorough..gave me all kinds of tests and put the inside of my ears on a TV screen etc. He said my loss was mostly in the high freqencies too. I had a home health care nursie tell me a year or so back..I had ear wax but this guy said I had just the right amount. The models he had on sale hooks behind the ear with a little tube thing that stretches into the hole. He put one in my ear and after we blabbed around a bit I forgot it was in there which I think was part of the pitch. I will double check on the brand Monday. Reference having a good GP..nope. I have an affirmative action graduate of LSU. Fixing to trade him off for a Hindu who practices in the same strip center as the pool hall where I go on boys day out. Several other old retired cops who hang in the pool hall use him and claim he follows instructions well. I just aint had no ailments since deciding to switch.


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## paraquack (Mar 1, 2013)

I went to ENT because I knew I had a problem. He tested me and showed me the result on a 
graph and it was basically what I thought it would be. He said to go to Costco. Costco was 
good. $1300 for both ears and batteries are super cheap. After I got my hearing aids I learned
that since I was on the flight line in USAF, I probably could have gotten them for free.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Gotcha thanks for the scoop on that..and thanks for your Service. Funny I was discussing a similar topic with an ex Air Force neighbor who worked around Jet Engines. He is deaf as a door nail and fighting with the VA over getting him some extra money. They are alleging since he worked in a foundry prior to joining the military thats prob what messed up his hearing. Anybody who wants something from the Guv..needs a lawyer who specializes in it. He dont seem to want hearing aids cause he says it helps him tune out his wifes blabbing all the time. If these boosters Im supposed to get turn out to be paid for by insurance that would work better them for half price at Costco..lol. Hey the little audio guy said Costco was the best place for batteries and Sams next. Looks like a battery would last a long time GI but guess not. Must not have any way to turn them on and off. I would just turn my on with the Warden quit barking orders at me. If they have and on and off switch anyway.


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

rice paddy daddy said:


> Exactly. For my VA hearing aids I was sent to a local audiologist since the VA testing place was too far away.
> If I remember right, there were three different tests - one was the traditional "buzz" response which has always been worthless due to my tinnitus, then there were words spoken into the head phones that I had to repeat back (I did pretty poor on that one), and there was another.
> The final result was "severe hearing loss", most pronounced in the higher frequencies.
> I was fitted with Phonak Solana behind the ear devices, which were computer programmed specifically to my hearing loss. I understand the hearing aids alone cost $5,000 not including the testing and office visits. This cost me only the price of admission (a tour of duty in Vietnam). The government also supplies replacement batteries and the tubes and domes which actually go in the ear. The VA Denver center sends them to my mail box.
> ...


 I nailed the word test 200 words. Until they showed me the results I missed 50% and was slow to respond on much of the the other.


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## budman70 (Feb 1, 2016)

Your next move should be going to the country VA office and apply for disability. I did and I now have a 70% disability and monthly check. Chu Lai 67-68!!!!
Needed to reply with quote!!!


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## budman70 (Feb 1, 2016)

rice paddy daddy said:


> Exactly. For my VA hearing aids I was sent to a local audiologist since the VA testing place was too far away.
> If I remember right, there were three different tests - one was the traditional "buzz" response which has always been worthless due to my tinnitus, then there were words spoken into the head phones that I had to repeat back (I did pretty poor on that one), and there was another.
> The final result was "severe hearing loss", most pronounced in the higher frequencies.
> I was fitted with Phonak Solana behind the ear devices, which were computer programmed specifically to my hearing loss. I understand the hearing aids alone cost $5,000 not including the testing and office visits. This cost me only the price of admission (a tour of duty in Vietnam). The government also supplies replacement batteries and the tubes and domes which actually go in the ear. The VA Denver center sends them to my mail box.
> ...


You need to apply for hearing loss disability.


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## rice paddy daddy (Jul 17, 2012)

budman70 said:


> You need to apply for hearing loss disability.


I never got an exit physical. There is nothing in my records to show service connection for hearing loss.
They gave me the hearing aids, and I'm good with that.

I never applied for PTSD disability either, even though the VA treated me for it for nine years.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Ok..called over to the hearing aid place today. The little cutie who answers the phone said the boosters I am supposed to get on Weds are:
Starkey XINO-70 RIC which takes Battery type 10. They seem to be available on Amazon for around 900 each? They only show one in the Amazon Ad so guessing that is for each. Since the kindly old salesmen going to sell them for a thousand each and let Blue Cross pick up the tab..guess I will give them a try..unless they try to wheedle more money out of me..then I will get in a huff and stomp out of there. I did a little research and did not hear anybody bad mouthing them too bad. 
https://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B015R0HORE/ref=olp_sort_tax?ie=UTF8&f_new=true&sort=taxsip


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

How about those Cowgirls?


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## Smitty901 (Nov 16, 2012)

Lower cost hearing devices may work for some. But not with out a full hearing evaluation not just a test. And it must be done under the review of a real hearing Doctor.


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## bigwheel (Sep 22, 2014)

Hear you on that. Thanks for the info. My Little bride has them kinda issues due to untreated ear infections as a child they say. Her mean old step daddy did not like to waster money on Doctors. She is deaf as a door nail in one ear and cant hear out of the other very good. She is going in for a 2nd sugery within a month or so. New eardrum blah blah blah. I aint near that bad. I just get tired of asking folks what did you say? All the time. I think on top of being deaf she mumbles when she talks. lol. Maybe these new ear boosters can figger it out.


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