Hi all,
I am a new hearing aid user (Siemens Impact Pro M) for moderate loss in my left ear, right ear is normal/ mild hearing loss with no HA. I work in IT and have to use a headset (earphones + mic boom) frequently to make Microsoft Lync and Skype type calls. Some of these calls can be up to 2 hours long, I've found that using my existing HP USB headset I get a sore ear from my ear mold if I put the earphone at the level of the hearing aid when on a call after about 5 minutes or the HA starts whistling. I have to shift the earphone completely away from my ear and listen with one ear only, or alternatively remove the HA during the call. I want to find a solution where I can make use of the HA and normal ear but not sure what to do and wonder if someone else has solved this problem, I can see several solutions:
1. Get a bigger or oversize ear cup for the headset so it fits over both my ear and the HA - is there anywhere to get these online?
2. Ask my audiology department to switch on the T-Coil setting on the HA and get either a Jabra or Plantronics headset with T-Coil option. Has anyone tried this and can you switch on T-Coil for one ear only or is it only for both ears? I don't want to just buy this headset as they are £80-120 so expensive if not a workable solution.
3. Purchase a Minitek and use Bluetooth from my laptop into the HA when on calls. Not sure if this is listen only or if you can do calls with a microphone as well. Again as Minitek appears to be £280-300, it would be expensive if it didn't' work.
4. Purchase a different headset with one earphone/ mic and not involve the HA at all.
From my internet research so far it seems most technology is focused on streaming sound into hearing aids via Direct Input, Telecoil or Bluetooth and is designed for 2 hearing aids but there's not much available for single HAs and integrating voice.
Any advice would be gratefully appreciated.
I am a new hearing aid user (Siemens Impact Pro M) for moderate loss in my left ear, right ear is normal/ mild hearing loss with no HA. I work in IT and have to use a headset (earphones + mic boom) frequently to make Microsoft Lync and Skype type calls. Some of these calls can be up to 2 hours long, I've found that using my existing HP USB headset I get a sore ear from my ear mold if I put the earphone at the level of the hearing aid when on a call after about 5 minutes or the HA starts whistling. I have to shift the earphone completely away from my ear and listen with one ear only, or alternatively remove the HA during the call. I want to find a solution where I can make use of the HA and normal ear but not sure what to do and wonder if someone else has solved this problem, I can see several solutions:
1. Get a bigger or oversize ear cup for the headset so it fits over both my ear and the HA - is there anywhere to get these online?
2. Ask my audiology department to switch on the T-Coil setting on the HA and get either a Jabra or Plantronics headset with T-Coil option. Has anyone tried this and can you switch on T-Coil for one ear only or is it only for both ears? I don't want to just buy this headset as they are £80-120 so expensive if not a workable solution.
3. Purchase a Minitek and use Bluetooth from my laptop into the HA when on calls. Not sure if this is listen only or if you can do calls with a microphone as well. Again as Minitek appears to be £280-300, it would be expensive if it didn't' work.
4. Purchase a different headset with one earphone/ mic and not involve the HA at all.
From my internet research so far it seems most technology is focused on streaming sound into hearing aids via Direct Input, Telecoil or Bluetooth and is designed for 2 hearing aids but there's not much available for single HAs and integrating voice.
Any advice would be gratefully appreciated.