Tag Archives: hearing

Personal

You won’t believe what this 80’s teen heard this month! (My six weeks with bionic ears)

A couple of months ago I discovered that I needed hearing aids – all well documented here, in previous posts…

Anyway I was recently asked about digital hearing aids and my experiences after six weeks of sporting them. I can’t say that I’m an expert, but here’s what I know.

I realised that my hearing was poor a long time ago, well over 10 years ago, but I never really did anything about it. Last year I went to Specsavers to get my hearing checked. What made me go? Friends encouraged me to go, something that in retrospect was a lovely thing to do, and I very much appreciate it. Without that encouragement, I’d probably still be pottering around at 60 complaining about everyone muttering.

When I first had my hearing tested, the audiologist identified a hearing loss in the middle range and at the high frequencies. You can see the results in the graphs below.

My hearing test results from specsavers
My hearing test results from specsavers

I was advised that some hearing aids could cost between £500 and £2000 depending on the technology. The advice was that the hearing aids are basically the same size and shape, you don’t pay extra for smaller aids; instead you’re paying for the technology.

If you look at the above graphs against the graph below that I nicked from this webpage, you’ll see that the hearing loss is mild to moderate, with high frequencies hurtling towards the severe.

HEARING-LOSSES-800

I would have paid for the hearing aids, probably making a judgement that around £1500 is a reasonable price to pay, but I went with my picture to my GP and asked if I could see someone in the NHS. Partly I was still expecting someone to say that there was a lot of ear wax and that they just needed washing out.

I saw the GP who took one look at the graph and referred me to the consultant at Ormskirk hospital. There wasn’t much discussion, only his observation that Specsavers were getting the contract for the NHS hearing tests.

At the end of November I went to see the hearing consultant. I had another set of tests that came out with the same results and then had a good talk to the consultant. The most fun being a tuning fork placed on my forehead (Weber’s test)- I could sense the note over on one side of the head which confirmed some nerve damage. Fascinating… and the biggest tuning fork I’ve ever seen.

He said that NHS hearing aids are decided on a case by case basis and that I should have some, in both ears. Eek! This echoed the advice from Specsavers, so I’m guessing that it was probably the right diagnosis.

About six weeks later, I had an audiology appointment and was issued with some Siemens hearing aids. The NHS covered the cost. In fact I expected to at least have to sign a receipt or something, but no – I had them fitted and was told to be on my way. It felt like quite a surreal experience.

The aids work as small graphic equalisers, programmed to amplify those frequencies that can’t be heard well. The audiologist uses software that takes the results of the hearing test and programs the aids via a short cable. The model that I was issued with was the Siemens Impact Pro L (the link is to the user manual, I couldn’t find a decent single page for them). They’re fine, small and light.

The other thing with these aids is that they can be paired up with something called a “minitek” controller. These can be then be paired up with multiple bluetooth devices and can also be used for volume control. This is something I will get soon. The aids need to be programmed to work with the device, but the hospital will be able to do it.

1796595_10153908946165164_122306862_nMy experience to start with was common with other users – every small sound felt amplifed beyond comfort. When Jude and the children would get home from work and school, I would feel like the whole world was a cacophony of noise. This passed after a couple of weeks. Things are still loud, but that’s fine – that’s what they’re supposed to be, I think.

Mine are programmed with three modes which can be changed by pressing the button on the back of them. The first is a general “all-round” amplification and will just balance out all the surrounding noise. It turns out that there is a lot of surrounding noise, but you get used to it. The second mode is to amplify people directly in front of you, which seems to work brilliantly in restaurants, meetings, etc. The third is for induction loop systems. It’s weird. I’ve only used it once, when I went to church last week at Scouts parade. It sounds like the person with the microphone is stood right next to you (the priest in this case) and the sensation is unreal. My only disappointment was that he didn’t mutter, swear or pass comment on the congregation under his breath. That would have been awesome fun.

It’s taken a while to get used to them in the ears. They sit very deep in the ear channel. Early on they would irritate the skin. It felt like they were scratching and sore. I tried rubbing a little vaseline in the ear which seemed to relieve things. The other thing that I notice occasionally is the pressure of the plug in the ear canal. Most of the time, however, I don’t notice them any more.

I find that if they are irritating, I’ll move them around a little which scratches the itch. However, I might also get some ear wax in the tiny hole. When that happens the sound will suddenly drop out. Blowing or sucking the end of the hearing aid will usually clear the wax, but it turns out that most people find this gross. So it’s best to use the tiny cleaning wire that came with them. Best, but not convenient.

Now when they’re out or turned off it feels like I’ve just come out of the swimming pool. The pressure in the ears feels all wrong and the whole world sounds dulled. If the plugs aren’t in properly, then there is feedback and whistling, but only very quiet and (I think) only I can hear it. Daft things like giving someone a hug make them whistle.

One of them stopped working, just stopped one day. I went to the hospital the following day and they just programmed a new one and I was sent on my way. There’s something quite amazing about how the NHS works, even with something as straightforward as hearing aids; and I confess that I’m touched that my little hearing problem wasn’t too small or too insignificant for the vast resources of the NHS to help with.

PS. No running update today – long story, but basically things didn’t really work out for a run.

Janathon, Personal

Janathon day 14. Weights and new ears.

Today started relatively early, a 0515ish start to try and get some work done before Jude and the children get up at 7. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays I pick the children up at 1530 and so to all practical purposes, my day finishes at 1500.

The other reason for getting up early and getting some work done was that I was due at the hospital at 1100 to have some hearing aids fitted. For me this feels like a Big Thing. I know that it isn’t and that it’s a really common thing, but having a hearing test was something that I put off for years.

eartrumpetSo actually getting to the day when they were fitted, and then pottering around trying to get used to them has had me get more and more fed up through the day.

Part of the problem has been that everything is now really very loud. Well, obviously not everything. They’re programmed like a super complex graphic equaliser. Janet, the audiologist, was lovely and showed how she was fitting the amplification to the hearing test graph. However, my hearing loss is right in the mid-range frequencies and it turns out that there is a *lot* of noise in that range. The cat is really very loud – her miaow now sounds ferocious.

Internal sounds are louder and feel odd as well. My voice is loud and different, my breathing is louder (especially when exercising) and there is a curious resonance when I whistle a single note that makes it sound like a 60’s science fiction special effect. If you see someone walking down the street, whistling a single note and chuckling to himself – it’s probably me.

The price for hearing everything loud and crisp is that my ears are a bit sore. I’m told that I’ll get used to having the ear pieces in, but it might be down to some waxiness and I probably need to make sure everything is completely clear to avoid any uncomfortable chaffing.

As the day wore on, every ear-piercing pin drop was starting to grind me down. The children sounded like they were playing at volume 11, and the soreness in the ears all added up to make me feel a bit old, a bit not-working and a bit low. At the heart of it, I’m only feeling sorry for myself and I’m sure it’ll pass after a couple of days.

They didn’t stop me getting my janathoning in. I was down for a New Rules Of Lifting workout. Last week it had felt a bit easier, so I upped the resistance and weights a little. All felt fine, but difficult at the end of the reps. Which I suppose is how it’s supposed to be.

We’re going to catch up with the Sherlock episode tonight. For the first time in a long long time I’ve asked for the TV to be turned down. It’s a whole new world.