Replacing the earmold tube

ecp

ecp

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I decided to actually wash my earmolds as recommended but...the tube for my left hearing aid came out and I can't for the life of me get it back in.
Does anybody have any tips or tricks to get the tube back into the mold?

My earmold is pretty old and much more stuff than it should be and my tubes are 5 months old and getting stiff...I don't like not having my left ear even though it is nearly completely deaf (110 dB+ with no speech recognition. But I do hear noise that helps me)
 
It's harder to get old tubing back into hard molds. My friend had to replace her tubing when it came out her hard molds. When she put the new tubing in, she cut the end along the tubing to make it more pointy. She found it easier to get in altho still hard. Then you just cut the end off when you've managed it get it inside the mold.

Am I right, you have hard molds?!
 
NaidaUP said:
It's harder to get old tubing back into hard molds. My friend had to replace her tubing when it came out her hard molds. When she put the new tubing in, she cut the end along the tubing to make it more pointy. She found it easier to get in altho still hard. Then you just cut the end off when you've managed it get it inside the mold.

Am I right, you have hard molds?!
Click to expand...

My earmolds are hard now. They are supposed to be semi-soft.
 
I put new ones in mine regularly, but they're pointy and slide in fairly well. I don't know about getting an old one back in, maybe a bit of lubricant? Then you've got to worry about getting that off though... hmm. You can order them on ebay and at lloyds, but that doesn't help you today. Oooh, I wonder if you put it in really warm water if it would soften a bit?
 
I've just remember that warm water is good for sorting tubing out but normally pulling it out tho, not putting it in. Always worth a shot tho ecp.
 
yeah and besides, I always wear the old earmolds while the new earmolds are being made! (as for the tubing that needs replacing, I either get a new tube from my audi or replace it with some extras I have from the other hearing aids I got)
 
You can soften it by blowing it with a hair dryer on warm, same with the mold. It will be temporary so work fast!
 
Thanks everybody. I'm going to try the tips to get the tube back in until I can get to the audiologist (this week is grad/med school finals week).
I definitely need new molds. I have a PTA of 100db but somehow still have skeleton molds (really more of a mix between skeleton and full shell)...WTF?

(Though I just read that people with severe to profound hearing loss (me) can have skeleton molds as long as they are precisely well made)
 
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ecp said:
Thanks everybody. I'm going to try the tips to get the tube back in until I can get to the audiologist (this week is grad/med school finals week).
I definitely need new molds. I have a PTA of 100db but somehow still have skeleton molds (really more of a mix between skeleton and full shell)...WTF?

(Though I just read that people with severe to profound hearing loss (me) can have skeleton molds as long as they are precisely well made)
Click to expand...

I've been told you getting better sound with full shell. I think Love Zebras has gone from skeleton to full shell or will do soon. Maybe she will be able to tell you the different she can tell between the two, if I am right about her molds :)
 
I've just read that old earmolds reduces your ability to hear high frequencies and I think that's what's happening with me at the moment. Should get new earmolds very soon :)
 
yeah and I really love having full shell earmolds :D had those since 4ever.
@NaidaUP, I didn't know that but I'll try it just to tune my mom out LOL
 
I finally was able to get my tube back in but I had to cut the very end off so now it is a bit shorter but it works.
I just now applied a dab of superglue around where the tube meets the mold so that it won't fall out in the next few days (I have a medical school interview on Friday...I need good thoughts/prayers).

After that I'm going to make an appointment to get new full shell soft molds. Possibly with glitter.
 
I found a place that can do molds for $50 each. Saved money because I already had the impressions. Ordered skeleton, soft, and glitter if they can do it.

Maybe if they fit tighter than those in the canal molds that keep tipping I will find my recent loss is due to poor fit.
 
MCB said:
I found a place that can do molds for $50 each. Saved money because I already had the impressions. Ordered skeleton, soft, and glitter if they can do it.

Maybe if they fit tighter than those in the canal molds that keep tipping I will find my recent loss is due to poor fit.
Click to expand...

Your impression mold strinks after a couple of weeks. I wanted to re use the impressions I had as they were PERFECT but was told that the material that is used, strinks so I would always need new impressions done.
 
ecp said:
I finally was able to get my tube back in but I had to cut the very end off so now it is a bit shorter but it works.
I just now applied a dab of superglue around where the tube meets the mold so that it won't fall out in the next few days (I have a medical school interview on Friday...I need good thoughts/prayers).

After that I'm going to make an appointment to get new full shell soft molds. Possibly with glitter.
Click to expand...

Good Luck with your interview :)
 
NaidaUP said:
Your impression mold strinks after a couple of weeks. I wanted to re use the impressions I had as they were PERFECT but was told that the material that is used, strinks so I would always need new impressions done.
Click to expand...
I was warned that, but with my loss, a gamble on that is worth it. The HIS said six months is the outer limit, and they were in a plastic bag for much of the four months.
 
Thanks for the good luck wishes. My interview went wonderfully and my tubing stayed in place. Now I just need to schedule an audiology appointment to get SOFT, full shell earmolds. Less feedback would be awesome.

Also, I'm going to get sparkles.
 
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