My bone conduction head phone(s), my Kindle Fire, my Samsung 7, and Bluetooth, have proven to me, to be the cheapest, and easiest way to "experiment" at home, and set myself on a new path, to be able to "communicate" with all people, whether in my home, or out and about.
I have NOT found others who have my "condition", (one completely deaf ear, zero) so I do not have a benchmark to go off of. For me, this "set up" that I have developed for myself, allows me to cypher, much better, three different sounds, where as before, I could not understand words, or music, hardly at all. The three things that make me feel confident in myself, are being "hands free" connected to my phone all day, also being "hands free" connected to my music all day, which helps me take my "vertigo" steps better, and with a little "kick" in my wobbly step, and since I do not have anything in my ear canal, when my wife, or anybody speaks to me, I can much better, instantly cypher words. I am much better in a conversation now, because I can put my vertigo, and my tinnitus, and back ground loud noise, on the "back burner" where I don't loose concentration any more. I've actually found certain tones to be in "harmony" with my tinnitus, crazy huh. I have a 3 channel mixer and an equalizer on my Kindle, so I can "adjust my music " to the levels that I want.
I had a tooth removed last week, and while I was in the chair, with doctors permission, I had my "set up" on, so while he was working on me, I was listening to music, able to talk to my wife while she waited in the car. (I called her before I went in and left it on) and also, because my ear canal was open, did some bantering with my doctor, and my wife could be part of the conversation if she wanted, all at the same time. My confidence level has skyrocketed, and at night, when I "undo" myself, I seem to sleep better. Something I've learned is no matter what time I go to bed, I try to get up at the same time every day (7 AM) and eat a small high protein breakfast, and a big glass of lemon water, first thing.
Something I want to warn everyone about is the Volume on the different channels, pull the headphones away from your ear when you change channels. Protect your Tympanic Membrane. I put an earplug in and block 95% of all sound in my ear, and then rest my bone phone on the plug, and instant fidelity in my ear, but I can not hear anything else. Another thing that's neat, is moving the bone phone closer to my ear with my fingers, actually "adjusts" the fidelity of the music without any electronics.
The best thing though, is people are interested in my "set up", and stand face to face with me, which is also a confidence booster.
Listening to music with "hearing aids" turned up or down, is limiting, so when I first put on my bone phone and listened to music outside of my ear canal, it opened up new pathways for my brain to make, and also helps with "dementia" due to hearing loss.
Experiment with a Bone Conduction Wireless Headphone, my first one is an IDONN F1 for $47.00. and my other one is an AFTERSCHOZ AIR. $100.00 or so. My Kindle Fire was $78.00, and Bluetooth was free. Try taking out your hearing aids, put an expanding earplug in your right ear, and a bone phone just in front of your left ear, with your favorite music on, and play with the volume to where it is comfortable. Have people come in and interact with you and also experiment. It takes some practice to be "listening" to my phone, and my music, and someone speaking to me, all at the same time without to much confusion, and then to also speak at the same time.
It has been good for me to have an alternative to Doctors and specialists, and be "On My Own."
"I can live forever because of my wonderful memories, even around bombs" Cliff Crozier 1917
I've always found that if I stand up straight, look em' in the eye and say, "How are YOU going to act?"
it sets the stage for a better conversation, and now I can understand their answer, much better.
