Hearing aid brands and the VA

Lau2046

Lau2046

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My father's hearing is getting worse...alarmingly so. It seems like the past couple of days, his hearing is just going. He mentioned today that he no longer hears the elevators going up between floors (not a huge loss) but we speak to him almost yelling. He also uses the subtitles on the TV now, which he usually asked me to take off. I can tell he's struggling. I'm mentioned that he should see an ENT doctor just to make sure there's no wax or possible other cause related to allergies or pollen. I worry though because the VA stinks. Does anyone know what the VA offers clients in Massachusetts for brands? I don't want them unloading another pair of Starkeys on him and I'll be going with him when he meets with them in the Jamaica Plain office. When I google the webpage, it says nothing about the brands options they carry.

Laura
 
I'm not in Massachusetts, but I'm a Vet.

They're using Unitrons for me: digital aids.

Hearing loss causes differ from one person to another. And an abrupt loss of hearing like this needs to be checked out by a doctor.

He could have an infection, fluid in his ears, wax buildup, or some foreign object stuck in there. There could be degeneration related to arthritis or to conditions such as diabetes or fatty liver disease. There's even a risk of a growth or tumor.

The infection, prospect of a growth, and fluid are potentially dangerous. He could lose hearing totally, lose his ability to maintain balance, or suffer other issues. He NEEDS to see a doctor.

It may also be that the hearing aid is gummed-up with ear wax, or moisture, or whatever. A simple cleaning and fresh batteries may resolve the issues. I was having issues with my aids: the audiologist techie did some very basic cleaning, swapped out the tubing, and made a great difference for me.

Take all these things into consideration and get your Dad to an appropriate medical professional.
 
I have given him the name of a good doctor that I used who accepts Blue Cross. Hopefully he'll get an appointment soon...it's not as easy as it used to be to get an appointment in short order. I worry if it might be related to the meds he's on or pollen. I hope he can find something better than Starkey when we reach that point.
 
My hearing aides get like that sometimes too. When I get new one I put them in a Dry and store at night time. It's a box.
 
Lau2046 said:
My father's hearing is getting worse...alarmingly so. It seems like the past couple of days, his hearing is just going. He mentioned today that he no longer hears the elevators going up between floors (not a huge loss) but we speak to him almost yelling. He also uses the subtitles on the TV now, which he usually asked me to take off. I can tell he's struggling. I'm mentioned that he should see an ENT doctor just to make sure there's no wax or possible other cause related to allergies or pollen. I worry though because the VA stinks. Does anyone know what the VA offers clients in Massachusetts for brands? I don't want them unloading another pair of Starkeys on him and I'll be going with him when he meets with them in the Jamaica Plain office. When I google the webpage, it says nothing about the brands options they carry.

Laura
Click to expand...

Why not take him in and have his HA's checked out, they might be clogged with wax or have a bad receiver, who's knows? The VA will can get pretty much anything you want.
 
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