Profound hearing loss + hearing aid questions

Phi4Sius said:
deafdude1 - Yes, I have. I've been discussing new HAs with my audie. I use a GNResound Canta 7 - the 770D in my right ear. I'm not too thrilled with the digital signal as of late. It's become very quiet, but I still hear okay but only on the third program mode. The other two programs are far too quiet (even though I've had them adjusted repeatedly). I trialed the 780D while my hearing aid was in the shop and had sigNIFICANTLY better hearing with it which I missed. I wish I had gotten that one instead of this one. But, no matter.

My audie is a big fan of Resound, Phonaks, and Unitron (he recommended a Unitron model for me). I've been seriously taking a look at the Unitron 360+. I've heard of the Phonak Naida's transpositional processing which (if I remember correctly) take the high frequencies and "pull" them down into the low frequency range. I'm not 100% comfortable with that and not sure how it would affect how I hear music (I wouldn't want my new HA to adversely affect that).
Click to expand...


I Googled the specs of your GNResound Canta 7 and the specs make it good for mild to moderate hearing loss. Has your hearing gotten worse since you first purchased the GNResound Canta 7 and how long ago?

Fullsize Page 2 of GN Resound Canta 7 Behind the Ear 770D Technical Guide

specs of your GNResound Canta 7. I would have an aided score of 35db at 250Hz, 50db at 500Hz and NR at 1000Hz and above! :eek3:

I have compared the Unitron 360+ vs. my Naida V UP:

Unitron 360+ gain/SPL:

125Hz 65db/122db
250Hz 67db/124db
500Hz 71db/128db
750Hz 76db/137db
1000Hz 82db/141db
1500Hz 70db/130db
2000Hz 70db/132db
3000Hz 64db/129db
4000Hz 56db/114db

Naida V UP gain/SPL:

125Hz 65db/123db
250Hz 68db/126db
500Hz 72db/130db
750Hz 76db/136db
1000Hz 82db/142db
1500Hz 73db/130db
2000Hz 70db/130db
3000Hz 65db/128db
4000Hz 60db/119db

Both are great, the Naida is about 2db better but you probably don't need the extra 2db :) As for the transpositional, I doubt my Naida has it activated since I hear nothing much above 2000Hz and all frequencies do sound different. I will ask my audiologist about this though, maybe I should try transpositional activated and see if this helps. Even if I hear the same sounds at high frequencies, I guess it's better than hearing nothing.

Your aided scores should be down to 20db or better with new hearing aids for all but the highest frequencies. Youd hear almost as good as someone with normal hearing! :D Id try it on the worse ear too, you might be surprised how much youll hear after 25 years! :D
 
deafdude- Well, the problem is convincing my audie that it's worth a try on my left ear. He's 100% convinced that there is a 0.0% chance that, with my level of hearing loss, it would help me. Plus, it will detract from the hearing in my right ear, and will cause a ton of pain in my left because by the time it's amplified enough to where I can understand speech, it's 3 dB below the pain threshold, and with the 16 dB dynamic range of voices, there is a range above that that will cause pain. It's the same thing that's been said to me ever since I lost my hearing - that NO hearing aid will help my left ear at all.

WTF...why can't *I* decide and TRY for MYSELF...I'd like to try hearing out of my left ear for once and see if it will even help. Don't I have a say in this and a RIGHT to try it out and see for myself at least?
 
deafdude,

Hearing at 20 dB does not necessarily equal clarity. Even if Phi is able to hear low and middle frequencies in that range with hearing aids, it does not guarantee that he will be able to understand speech.
 
Phi,

If you'd like to try a hearing aid in your left ear, is there a way you could change audis? Even though I had unaided thresholds from 95-110 dB between 250 and 750 Hz with my left ear and thresholds between 90 dB and 110 dB in the same range with my right, my hearing aid audi never told me that I couldn't benefit from hearing aids since they would allow me to hear environmental sounds.

...or were you referring to a CI? (Sorry -- I couldn't tell from your post.) If this audi said that the pain threshold would be too high with a CI, that isn't true since maps are programmed in such a ways so as not to exceed one's overall comfort level. People who haven't heard alot of sound in their implanted ear with hearing aids are started off with a very quiet map that is gradually increased over time.
 
Hear Again said:
If I remember correctly (and doc please correct me if I'm wrong), doc cannot understand speech with hearing aids. He/she (sorry, I don't know your gender) is able to hear environmental sounds, but uses interpreters for communication.
Click to expand...

You are correct, Hear Again. I only perceive environmental sounds and some directionality with Naidas. I find them less and less helpful though, and have been using them less recently. I use interpretersfor all patient care activities and terps or CART for lectures. And I'm female *smile*

deafdude1 said:
Deafdoc who posts here has hearing as bad, if not worse than your left ear, yet he still benefits from hearing aids. He said hes looking into a CI in the near future.
Click to expand...

Just to clarify, my hearing loss is (L/R) NR/100 @ 250, 115/115 @ 500, 120/120 @ 1000, NR above. I am not considering CI at this time due to other health issues, although I'd consider CI if only to reduce the severity of my tinnitus...

Sorry for the delayed response, just returned from vacation.
 
Hear Again said:
deafdude,

Hearing at 20 dB does not necessarily equal clarity. Even if Phi is able to hear low and middle frequencies in that range with hearing aids, it does not guarantee that he will be able to understand speech.
Click to expand...

Youve been right as usual. I read an interesting article that talks about inner and outer ear hair cells. They say that the loss of inner hair cells affects clarity more than outer hair cells. So therefore and indeed two people with the same db HL have different speech percent comphrension levels. However improving db will make it easier to hear people talking, especially if a person whispers or talks from a distance. One of my complaints is some people don't talk loud enough.

deafdude- Well, the problem is convincing my audie that it's worth a try on my left ear. He's 100% convinced that there is a 0.0% chance that, with my level of hearing loss, it would help me. Plus, it will detract from the hearing in my right ear, and will cause a ton of pain in my left because by the time it's amplified enough to where I can understand speech, it's 3 dB below the pain threshold, and with the 16 dB dynamic range of voices, there is a range above that that will cause pain. It's the same thing that's been said to me ever since I lost my hearing - that NO hearing aid will help my left ear at all.

WTF...why can't *I* decide and TRY for MYSELF...I'd like to try hearing out of my left ear for once and see if it will even help. Don't I have a say in this and a RIGHT to try it out and see for myself at least?
Click to expand...

Then see a different audie. If SPL can be programmed, have the SPL be set 2-3db below the comfort/pain treshold. If deafdoc can hear environmental sounds, so will you from your left ear. It'll restore some biaural balance.
 
deafdude,

I always found that when people would shout at me, it caused more distortion and lack of clarity.
 
Hear Again said:
deafdude,

I always found that when people would shout at me, it caused more distortion and lack of clarity.
Click to expand...


I had same problem thats why i keep telling them to talk normally but they say but you are deaf so we talk louder... sigh... i explain that there is no point in talking loudly because it causes distortion. This was pre ci days. Now days people seems to automatically tuned down since they know I jump out of my skin when they shout!!!
 
Charlotte,

I know how you feel. It took awhile for my family and friends to get used to the fact that I could hear with my CI and that there wasn't a need to shout. I still run into problems with the general public though since they always want to come to my rescue to help me across the street and end up shouting at me because they think I'm deaf *and* blind. :giggle: (Note: I know I'm deafblind, but I'm referring to people shouting at me because they don't know I have CIs and think I can't hear.)
 
people can be too kind....

Do you have long hair? (i can't remember if you have) i am wondering because you said that people can't see your CI's..
 
Charlotte,

Yes, I do. My hair is waist-length. The only time people can see my CIs are when I have my hair tied back in a ponytail or braid.
 
Hear Again said:
Charlotte,

Yes, I do. My hair is waist-length. The only time people can see my CIs are when I have my hair tied back in a ponytail or braid.
Click to expand...

People can't see my CI even though my hair is not quite chin length so you don't have to worry about people seeing the CI. I've never been one to hide mine though.
 
deafskeptic said:
People can't see my CI even though my hair is not quite chin length so you don't have to worry about people seeing the CI. I've never been one to hide mine though.
Click to expand...

I don't hide my CIs either. In fact, I wear my hair in a ponytail or braid 95% of the time because I don't like it when my hair gets tangled or ends up in my face. Even if I wear my hair tied back, most people don't know what a CI is and will ask me, "What's that on your head?"
 
Well, new updates: I have my new appointment with the insurance company audie on April 29th. Man that's a long time. That was the first appt. they had but apparently I can call everyday to see if they have a cancellation. *sigh* :(
 
Keep us up to date! Did you ever get your new HAs and how well do you hear with them aided? Also check my threads, maybe you can help me :)
 
hi. i have profound hearing loss on my left ear and normal hearing on my right. i've had it since i was a kid but it wasn't until my teens (16-18yrs. old) that i realized that hearing with one ear is is not normal. i went to an ENT and found out i had severe-profound hearing loss on my left ear. i was prescribed a hearing aid but i only wore it for 2-3 years then i stopped. i felt that it wasn't helping me much because i couldn't understand speech.

so anyway fast forward to the present. i am now 25 years old and i noticed that my hearing's gone worse so i went to an otolaryngologist. got some tests done. i have profound hearing loss on my left ear. she told me that i'm a candidate for BAHA but wants me to try hearing aids first.

i'm looking at HAs now and i was wondering if i should get binaurals or just one HA first?? what do you suggest?
 
Hello, I was born deaf through out my life and I wear two powerfull HA .I had upgraded digtail HA at 2006 it is amazing sound like to listen people converstation,listen to music and some stranged sound I never heard off .Just before christmas I noticed my hearing was not sound right so I booked audiology appointment.when I went To audiology for my hearing test .The guy said to me bad new u have seniurnerual hearing loss on both ears so I was devasted for bit .Thye said last option more powerfull Ever HA see what happen .I didn't like it to listen with HA because I listen to tv,music n people converstatiion as is not very clear sound n cannot understand what they said.
I had a long thinking about considering CI ,I have no chioce because I don't want to be in silent world .I went to CI assentment and is candidated for one on my right ears .Now I am waiting for the operation :) I wish u good luck all the best what u dediced to do .
 
good luck to you! my doctor said i'm not a candidate for CI because i only have unilateral hearing loss so it's HAs or BAHAs.
 
Back
Top