I have been wearing analogue Phonak hearing aids for nearly all my life (30 years). When it was time for me to get new aids I was frustrated when told they no longer make analogue aids any more and that I am going to have to switch to digital aids. As I am covered under the Australian Government Office of Hearing Services scheme for Pensioners I have been issued with 2 BTE Siemens’ Motion aids.
Personally, I hate the digital aids. I find that loud sounds become louder, such as traffic sounds and clanking of cooking pots and soft sounds like birds have become softer. Furthermore, there is less clarity to the sounds, so speech is not so clear and I have to really concentrate when someone is talking to me to understand what they are saying (this was never much of an issue with analogue). The several audiologists I’ve been in contact with have fiddled with the settings to try and match them to my audio-gram and to address the issues I’ve had and all, but I’m still greatly dissatisfied. I am aware that there is an adjustment period to allow my brain to get used to hearing sounds differently, but with the new digital aids, I have felt more profoundly deaf, while all my life with analogue, I had only felt partially deaf.
Has anyone else had similar issues of having to switch to digital hearing aids after having used analogue for so long and if anyone has any suggestions as to which digital aids resemble analogue the best? Also, does anyone know of any companies who may still make analogue?
My Audio-gram:
Freq..250..500..750..1k..1.5k..2k..3k..4k..6k..8k.
L........40...45....50...70...75....75...75..55..55..60
R........50...60...NA...70...80...80...75..60..55..60
Thanks
S.
Personally, I hate the digital aids. I find that loud sounds become louder, such as traffic sounds and clanking of cooking pots and soft sounds like birds have become softer. Furthermore, there is less clarity to the sounds, so speech is not so clear and I have to really concentrate when someone is talking to me to understand what they are saying (this was never much of an issue with analogue). The several audiologists I’ve been in contact with have fiddled with the settings to try and match them to my audio-gram and to address the issues I’ve had and all, but I’m still greatly dissatisfied. I am aware that there is an adjustment period to allow my brain to get used to hearing sounds differently, but with the new digital aids, I have felt more profoundly deaf, while all my life with analogue, I had only felt partially deaf.
Has anyone else had similar issues of having to switch to digital hearing aids after having used analogue for so long and if anyone has any suggestions as to which digital aids resemble analogue the best? Also, does anyone know of any companies who may still make analogue?
My Audio-gram:
Freq..250..500..750..1k..1.5k..2k..3k..4k..6k..8k.
L........40...45....50...70...75....75...75..55..55..60
R........50...60...NA...70...80...80...75..60..55..60
Thanks
S.