Hearing loss

[EireAtaxic]

Has any of you out there been given hearing aids for your ataxia related hearing loss? I was told by one ent doc that I would benefit from them, I was told by another that I wouldn't.

[pinjem]

Yes, they are great! Thing is, the younger you are when you start wearing them, the better, Our brains don't adapt to them if we leave it too late in life. I use mine for TV and conversation. And, listening to birds!

[EireAtaxic in reply to pinjem]

Thanks. Are the standard big white slug behind the ears or do they have to be something more technical? I haven't terrible hearing but it is very frustrating for my wife.

[EireAtaxic in reply to pinjem]

Do they ease tinnitus?

[pinjem in reply to EireAtaxic]

I am sure it will please your wife if you have hearing aids! You might feel more 'in' the world too. I have natty smallish NHS ones, matt silver, they don't particularly show. Mine had a sea like noise that I had to have on constantly for some weeks to start with- it trains your brain to ignore tinnitus. It helped.

[EireAtaxic in reply to pinjem]

I am in Ireland so I am not sure what is available to me here through our NHS similar source. Different ents have advised my differently.

I'm not sure that my wife is that into hearing aids that they would as you said "please her" 😀

[pinjem in reply to EireAtaxic]

Pfft! (Ha ha!) I'm sure she will like not having to repeat herself endlessly? You might like not apparently being 'trying'?

[springlove]

I'm already a member,I had NHS big white but then used private, 100% better

only have one because nothing in the right ear.

[Veteran250 in reply to springlove]

I had NHS hearing aids since the 1980s, was always having trouble with them, went private in 2018, it’s expensive, but I went to a company that let me pay over time, I get free servicing etc for life, but pay for any repairs(but none so far)

Going private, if you can afford it, is 110% better, I would recommend it! 🙂