Dr Cliff, I have enjoyed watching your very interesting and informative hearing aid videos. I have been deaf since I was 2 years old, 68 years ago, and have seen many changes of hearing aids during that time. I have been using Phonak Nathos S+ UP BTE hearing aids, issued by the NHS in the UK, for the last 3 years, with no complaints and I am excited to see how the technology of hearing aids is developing rapidly. The future "sounds" very promising. Thank you again.
Thanks so much for this video. I had ITE hearing aids years ago and hated them so much that I went without any for years, despite not hearing well. I got Starkey Muse IQ i2400 RIC two years ago, and the difference is so much better. I have no issues with discomfort, love the ease of rechargeable hearing aids, and love the various different settings for different environments. Having a hearing care provider who asked me what features I was looking for, in addition to properly testing and fitting the devices, has greatly improved my life. This video is something that everyone should see prior to choosing a style of hearing aid.
Still love your videos. Thank you. I had hearing loss. My family is deaf and was reluctant to get them. Never been happier! I realized I can take them out when I want to and need not suffer from the tinnitus.
I don't care anything about aesthetics I just want to be able to hear better. I don't care who knows that I would be wearing a hearing aid because it doesn't bother me. My health is more important than anything else so I really don't care what it looks like as long as it helps me. I'm just watching this video to see what they look like because my audiologist thinks that I would benefit from a hearing aid since I'm suffering from a vestibular schwannoma that's affecting my hearing and I also have tinnitus. I've already lost almost half of my hearing that deals with speech recognition so I hear the beginning part of the word but I don't hear the rest of it
I have found that the latest BTE Bluetooth aids to be great - listening to music. I wore “in the ear” for years- but now the music component was the deciding factor for me....
Wish you had short videos or photos up while explaining the pro/con of each type. I'm new to getting an aid.. so it's hard to picture what you're explaining nonetheless thanks for all the information
Wow, I am amazed at all the information you are giving us. There is so much to think about and to learn, Very informative thank you so much for these videos!
I have used an over the ear hearing aid for three years. I am probably one of the few that doesn't care for it. I wear glasses and no matter what I do the glasses don't stay straight. I have also had the hearing aid fall off multiple times at work and did not notice at the time it happened. Has anyone switched from an over the ear to an in the ear?
I have used “in the ear” hearing aide for 3 years and just recently decided to try an “over the ear”…I hate it, I also wear glasses and it just doesn’t work, I’m switching back to the “in the ear”.
I use high quality Bluetooth wireless earbuds and a hearing aid app on my phone for a hearing aid. I know it’s not always the most reliable or professional option, but it works if you’re on a budget or don’t have severe hearing loss. I might recommend if an actual hearing aid seems too expensive or just too intimidating. Don’t yeet at me, I know it’s better to use an actual hearing aid.
Thanks for this video. I have moderate loss in one hear and lighter in the other and am getting my first one is a few weeks. I've been so worried about people being able to see it and having this big huge thing on my ear like I had seen in the past. I was debating on getting my hair cut so as to cover my ears instead of having my usual ponytail. My son also has ear issues and tinnitus so I've been trying to talk him into getting an ear test and I know he's worried about people being able to see it also, then he ran into a girl that he worked with and she must have had an in the ear device and could control it with her phone.
Snow Girls, I feel like hearing aids are going the way of glasses. People are becoming more aware and accepting of the idea. HA and glasses no longer have the same heat I’ve stigma they did 20 or 30 years ago. I’ve met several people who wear hearing aids and honestly, I didn’t realize they were wearing them until they specifically told me- and my major requires me to know about them 😆 There will likely be an adjustment period for you and your son as you become comfortable with them, but I think the improvement to your quality of life will more than outweigh any discomfort during the adjustment period. I, for one, congratulate you on taking this step towards improving your quality of life.
@@studyzen8836 Thanks. I know that I've needed them for a long time, one ear was always stuffed up and if I was in a car with someone for example I had to turn around to see what they were saying so my other ear could and sometimes not hear what they were saying, and forget it if I was riding in a back seat. I finally told my Dr and she sent me to have them checked that very day and then a few days later I got a letter from her telling me that I had to go to the audiologist. That was big confirmation that there was a problem. No one thinks twice about going to get new glasses, and I think your right that within a few years it will be normal for people to be wearing aids. I've met a few people who I had no idea wore them. Gone are the days when you wear those giant things coming out of your ears or connected to your glasses. The one that I'm getting will be a mini BTE that matches my light hair. It will be a relief to not have to use the text on TV sometimes. I know many who have worked in noisy environments that have hearing loss but not yet wearing an aid.
@@oskarmolly actually I think it's GOOD that people know you have hearing loss, then when you misunderstand them or need to ask for repeating, they will understand. I also actually prefer mine to be as visible as the Apple Airpods so I don't lose it easily. I lost one BTE and it's expensive to reaplace and not to mention long waiting time for refitting, ordering, trial period etc. Of course the only good thing is the technology advances, you might get a better set next time.
P.S. ... one additional Con for the ITC units is the "living in the body all day" point you made can result in ear canal fungus, itching, and/or dead skin. I had no problem living with ITC aids in Central and South TX for 15 years. But last 5 years, I moved to the DFW area and now go to a ENT 2X a year to clear the dead skin and have to use anti-fungal med routinely to prevent the itching and irritation in the ear canals. Climate is actually dryer in DFW area than the coastal area I lived in So TX for most of my life. Has been frustrating... just FYI to your viewers.
I’m 26 and I was born with HL in my right ear and I always had a BTE and my first aid was an analog aid then when left ear suffered HL I switched to the RIC aid! I have a blue ear mold in my right ear as that ear is worse and I have a dome in the left ear! I have the back of my aid to match my hair! I love my aids! And I even have glasses! I have thick plastic glasses! My right ear has grown to fit my hearing aid because of having an aid in while my ear was growing so now that my left ear has grown and I got an aid for that ear after it has fully grown the BTE isn’t as fitted behind my left ear but my left ear will adjust to it!
i am a Veteran that received BTE Phonak Aides (B312t). They were adjusted to a loud volume and caused me a Stability Issue when impacted by 95 Dbl sound levels of the "Coming Attractions" at the local Marcus Theater. I also have Hiccups frequently and according to Mayo Clinic, that issue maybe related to sensitivity in the Ear. A hair touching my ear drum and Ear Wax have caused continuous Hiccups until removed. As a Vietnam Veteran I am concerned about Real World Noise Levels being utilized in fine tuning the Aide, versus Real Ear Measurements that may not be appropriate for hearing damage caused by Combat....
Glad I found your patient education videos a couple of weeks ago...thanks for taking the time to doing them. Very informative. I'll be talking to my AuD in January about replacing my 2014 Starkey 3s ITC aids. Your videos are helping me ask the right questions! Many thanks! ... An ENT I go to pushes the BTEs as "better" aids than what I have. I have been wearing ITCs for 20 years, so manage them well. If you have time, would like to see your opinion, or share link, on how BTEs are "better" when the microphones (on the units) are behind what God gave us to capture sound. (I assume you may consider them better too, because of 6 pros and your excitement on Phonak video). When aids don't quite pick sound/voice up, I can cup my hand around the ear to give aids a boost in sound direction. BTEs placement behind this natural sound cup (aka ear) just simply seems to go against nature, or natural features.
Hi Dr. Cliff - love your videos! Thank you! I am very new to hearing aids. I've had Oticon More 3 HAs for about 3 days now to see if they will help with long-term tinnitus. So far, so good, I think I'm noticing an improvement. One downside I've noticed and you didn't mention in this video is the sound of my own hair touching the behind the ear portion of the HA. Do you have any advice for this? Is there a way to reduce it, or eliminate it? Or will I eventually get used to it and not hear it?
I forgot to mention that I wear reading glasses and also use a set of earphones which came with my mobile phone, I just hook these around my BTE hearing aid, set the aids to the 'T" setting and use these to listen to my phone and Ipod and also link into my TV in the headphone socket, so I manage very well with everything, it's just a matter of trying things out to the best of one's own choice and having a bit of patience with oneself.
generall speaking behind the ear devices are a big issue with the current masking for covid as bad as trying to keep your glasses clear to getting tangled up with anything hamging on your ear
Good stuff here. What you missed? With in the ear you need a spare left and right=4. With Bte one spare is mostly good to go. All my headphones play better thru my ite aids.
My own key learning in my two months of looking at hearing aids: get an audiologist to test your hearing, and be prepared to spend a goodly sum for the best hearing aids. You get what you pay for!
Thank you so much for this video. Now I know better about the options. One of my ear canal tends to be flat and my Opticon BTE sometimes comes out or gets loose, and that's why I lost one piece! I thought about getting the in the ear mode, but judging from your video it seems BTE is a better option in general. So what should I do when it doesn't fit into my ear canal? ( my other ear doesn't have the problem for instance). Do you think different sizes of filter tips help?
Dr. Cliff, hi, i have been tested for hearing lost, the specialist showed me the diagram of my hearing different level of sound frequencies, apparently my problem is high frequency. I was in normal range with lower frequency sounds, the problem was almost at the very end of high frequency sound. The TV volume has to be louder for me than my son. Also, i feel i am not able to hear the syllables of the words spoken at normal volume, i like them to repeat the word again. Specially on the phone, i feel bad to ask the person to repeat it. So, what do you suggest for me to do. I had a HA behind the ear, was coming out all the time, after many adjustments i gave up. i had the one in the canal, It was echoing, sweating, i could hear my chowing more than the voice of a person talking in front of me. I gave up. Please advise me to the kind of hearing aids. I like your presentation, gave me a lot of pros and cons, very much what i experienced, therefore i respect your opinion highly. Respectfully. Najmeh Griffin
I am a high school student with server hearing loss, and I had disposal hearing aid batteries for years, and I have BTE hearing aids, and I love BTE hearing aids, they stay in my ear when I run around, and I have my hearing aids colored designed. If I get approved I can get rechargeable hearing aids that connects to Bluetooth, and for me that would be awesome!! I can't physically read very well because I am dyslexic and I rely on read aloud and substitutes and at a new samester with teachers they give me drama. Then my EC resources teacher is supposed to have batteries with her and every time I go to see her she isn't in her office when I forget to put batteries in my little special hearing aid stuff bag. Therefore rechargeable batterys and BTE hearing aids is the best.
My audiologist stated BTE would only work for me because I need very strong hearing aids. I'm profoundly hearing impaired and need the strongest ones made
I have behind the ear hearing aids. I think they're the kind you call RIC. I find insertion awkward. Also, hate the feeling of those little plugs in my ears. Sometimes it hurts a bit, sometimes they itch. I have an appointment to see the audiologist at the clinic tomorrow and I have a feeling I'll be told what I hear about every uncomfortable thing at my age (74): "You're going to have to get used to it." I've worn them now for two weeks; the sound is OK, but I hate the way they feel in my ears.
Hi Doc, thanks so much for your informative voids. You missed one negative on the BTEs. I sleep with my aides in my ears. Otherwise I can't hear my alarm or phone or other noises. With BTEs that is not possible. I am looking forward to rechargeable ITEs. TY
Hearing aids are not intended to be slept in, therefor I couldn't really list it as a negative. However, there are alarm clocks designed for deaf individuals that you could consider.
@@DrCliffAuD Hello, I have large protruding ears that stick out almost 90 degrees from my head. I assume "in the ear" is the option I should consider. Thanks.
Sir am using invisible in canals devices since 4yr but am not feeling comfortable with then in crowded area I miss some words or don't understand them....can I shift towards ric device for better hearing???
Hi! Very interesting video. I have a question on the best 'in the canal' hearing aids for severe/moderate loss. It's exist? I mean, considering the bests hearing aid in the market, like Oticon OPN1 or ReSound 3D Linx/Enzo 9's level, or are there ITC version of these kind of HA? Also I'm interested just in one HA, not in a pair. Just a personal consideration, ITC is not only a choice for vanity, I think is more about stability, safety and flexibility every day. For exemple if you do sport, if you are in some situation like bad weather or if you go in some luna park and try a roller coaster. With 2017 technology is a good choice buy one high quality ITC in the market or wait few months for some new HA? Good Channel and competence, congrats. P.s. Sorry for my English.
Hi Toni. There is an Invisible in-the-canal style (IIC) hearing aid by Phonak that can fit up to a Severe hearing loss, which I have another video for, Phonak Titanium. The Oticon OPN doesn't have a CIC or IIC option currently. The Resound Linx 3D hearing aids do have down to a CIC, but you lose a lot of the 3D features with that small of an aid. As far as the best IIC device, functionality is nice for sport and being active because it doesn't interfere with your normal activity or things like glasses and hats. Hearing aids do not work like vehicles where the "New Year" brings out better models. They are released at random and typically several years apart. The Phonak Titanium IIC was released earlier in 2017 so it is the newest of its kind. Keep in mind, we hear with our brain and if you have hearing loss in 2 ears, you should be treating both to hear optimally and prevent any cognitive related issues to untreated hearing loss. Hope this answers your questions.
Dr Cliff, should I be concerned if my Audiologist gave me what he thought best and didn't provide options for me to consider? Specifically, he didn't think a T coil much of an option so what he provided didn't have one. He said eye glasses wouldn't be much of an issue with my BTE aides yet when I remove my glasses they often pull hearing aids off my ear. And lastly he doesn't provide for a Real Ear measurement, is that a concern? Thanks so much
Thanks for the great videos. I currently wear Oticon Opn 1 BTE, I never stream, change programs, or use iPhone features. I’m 64 years old and getting ready for new hearing aids. I am wondering if I would be better served by a in the canal unit ? Please share your thoughts.
Hi, every video I've watched avoids the question of how long the batteries last. I presume the BTE can take a larger battery than the ITE so would have a longer battery life. Is this true?
My inside the ears hearing aids have a very narrow vent which causes occlusion. Can the vent be made bigger without replacing the whole mold? Can they be redrilled without replacing the molds?
I have to disagree with you on the BTE I have been using different types of BTE and it doesn't matter how big or small it is still in the way of my glasses and it is not any better with the mask it's worse and if I wear a hat I chose the BTE or glasses but I really appreciate your advice on hearing aids I can't seem to find one that works for me but I am a veteran soi have to deal with the VA but thanks for your helpful info...
Behind the ear are easier to lose, they fall off when you pull something over your head or change glasses a lot (computer glasses, safety glasses, driving glasses). They are harder to place, again the glasses are a nuisance, and since they’re loose you have to keep putting them in so they don’t drop off when you change glasses, hat, shirt etc. They irritate the ear if you have glasses. They are easier to forget since they’re on and off all the time. Rechargeable batteries have a limited life, 5 years is a good run. Sealed in rechargeable batteries means new hearing aids after 6 years.
Are there a specific HA that works better with CBH loss? No one is saying which aid works best for this type. I currently wear Oticon Ulta but they are not helping much
I am having lot of sweat from my body even in winter. That sweat water enters into my Hearing Aid then my aid becomes unfunctional. Is there any remedial measures
Dr Cliff, Do you have any videos discussing bimodal hearing solutions? I just (11/1/22) got a cochlear implant (CI622 Nucleus 7 with ability to upgrade to Nucleus 8 when it comes out) and have decided I want a ReSound Omnia by the end of the year when it will be available to me as a part of my package. Right now I have a ReSound One 7 with a custom mold which I don’t love I just got the mold and the correct wire I have unti 12/23 and the ability to extend my trial but will be getting the Omnia the 7 probably comes with the package What benefit would the Omnia 9 afford me? I did just watch your video on technology level comparison. Thank You
Hi Sherry. www.HearingTracker.com has a great filter feature for finding a provider. You can select REMs on that feature so it lists only providers who claim to use it.
LOL. Weird question. A Non-Compression hearing aid is technically a Linear Hearing Aid that applies the same amount of amplification to every input level. Adaptive directional (not sure about the range optimization part) has to do with where the microphones orient when you are in a complex situation.
I use an in the canal hearing ear device and have a lot of itching. Have you had patients with that problem? Have you done a video that discussed that problem? The itching has been severe. I have a lot of moisture from them too. They replaced the colored shell with a clear hypoallergenic shell, but it didn't help. I have decided to switch to a behind-the-ear type to see if that helps.
I'm pretty sure that the ones with the wire have the speaker at the end of the tube inside your ear. With just eh tube, the speaker is in the unit behind your ear and the tube transmits the sound to your ear
LOL. Yes, I hear that often. I think it is a component of me enunciating and projecting well. It doesn't hurt that I record audio 8 inches away from my mouth on all my videos though 😀.
1) 20210317 A current / revised edition of this particular video appears technologically necessary, at this time (4 years old?). 2) A production date as part of each video title, would be informative. Not being age-of-video discriminatory, just reality of changing technology and practices, requires consumer/viewer evaluation and weighting of content age as well. 3) A current, well maintained, up to date, downloadable, sortable, indexed, linked document would be VERY consumer useful. You have produced many outstanding videos over a range of subjects, and time, that have now made it difficult approaching mentally painful, to extract my individual perception of either desired, or needed, information (not always the same). Suggestions welcome. 4) Perhaps your user community could/would be of assistance. Evaluations and indexing and ranking feedback, far beyond simple RU-vid like / dislike, is what I am referring to in this comment. I have NEVER seen a video of yours deserving of less than a like! Thank you, and please continue your great work.
I think RU-vid has the video posting date on all videos. Nothing has really changed in terms of styles over the past 4 years. Still waiting for something in a different form factor. Unfortunately, creating a constantly updated document is not in my wheelhouse. Perhaps we could crowdsource a document from viewers as you suggest? Much love for the comment Rick!
Things have changed a little bit due to consolidation since making this video, but in general they are Phonak, Resound, Oticon, Signia, Widex, and Starkey.
Hi Dr Cliff Is the Sparkey livio 2400 the same as Micro tech esentia 2400...just bought the Microtech esentia 2400 but one manual comes from Sparkey another micro tech sowhat did I purchase.. how does this work
All these hearing aids with different styles & models are not effective. I m using opn s 3 , though I m missing words. Words are not clear to me, only it amplifies the sound nothing else , neither helpful in hearing clear voice. I m losing hope....😭
@@kevinsam1457 I think I need some more time to get you know bcoz I have get it to reprogramme it. There are a lot settings in Oticon app. Like programme setting like p1, p2,p3..., equaliser setting etc. Do you have any idea ? Please elaborate how it works...Rest I’ll talk to u later. Thanks buddy for showing concern🙏
@@DrCliffAuD the type of technology, i lost most of my inner ear bones at a young age. looking at different bone anchored hearing aids like the Ponto and BONEBRIDGE
@@NickHokema the tech is pretty impressive. All are pretty solid. Depending on which brand you go with, you can also get Bluetooth connectivity as well.
If you already had the devices with you, why didn't you show them? It'd be a much more informative video with you demonstrating with the devices rather than just talking at the camera.
I just received a pair of bte from advanced affordable hearing and I was told that they would be programmed according to my test results. I received the hearing aids and I don't believe that they were programmed and they set me 2 tips, not even a pair of batteries to get started. Is this Company legit or are they a flim flam company. I'm upset because I paid them 1100.00dollars and I feel like they are a bad company