How can I get ear moulds to last more then a year?

NaidaUP

NaidaUP

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I have a profound loss in both ears with Naida UP aids.

I have soft moulds with no vents.

They are 10 months old and my aids are whistling like mad and driving me mad. I have feedback block on but my aud said due to the amount of power my aids have, feedback block, can not stop it all.

Can I ask my aud, to have the new moulds really far in the ear canal? Old moulds are quite far in already but that is the only thing I can think about to keep my moulds working for a decent amount of time.

Does anyone know of anything else?

Thank you.
Based in the UK.
 
NaidaUP said:
I have a profound loss in both ears with Naida UP aids.

I have soft moulds with no vents.

They are 10 months old and my aids are whistling like mad and driving me mad. I have feedback block on but my aud said due to the amount of power my aids have, feedback block, can not stop it all.

Can I ask my aud, to have the new moulds really far in the ear canal? Old moulds are quite far in already but that is the only thing I can think about to keep my moulds working for a decent amount of time.

Does anyone know of anything else?

Thank you.
Based in the UK.
Click to expand...

Perhaps a different material (still soft). I've heard most last about 9 months, but my audie gave me some that were supposed to last longer. I don't recall how long the lasted, but when it was time to get new ones, I opted for glitter ones (the one's that were supposed to last longer only came in clear and skintone).
 
Thanks, I will ask my aud when I see him next.

I wore Phonak Superfront analog aids for 17 years and never really had a issue with feedback until about 14 to 16 months of using the same moulds.

I do like the glitter or coloured moulds, had those up till I was 18 years old. Once I was a adult, I wasnt allowed them on the NHS.

Although I have been paying for moulds lately, as NHS will not replace until it has been 2 years and with mine not lasting a year, means I am left with no aids. I have been getting NHS moulds, then private moulds, then NHS moulds etc. It time for me to pay for my next moulds, which means I can get coloured ear moulds.

:ty:
 
NaidaUP said:
Thanks, I will ask my aud when I see him next.

I wore Phonak Superfront analog aids for 17 years and never really had a issue with feedback until about 14 to 16 months of using the same moulds.

I do like the glitter or coloured moulds, had those up till I was 18 years old. Once I was a adult, I wasnt allowed them on the NHS.

Although I have been paying for moulds lately, as NHS will not replace until it has been 2 years and with mine not lasting a year, means I am left with no aids. I have been getting NHS moulds, then private moulds, then NHS moulds etc. It time for me to pay for my next moulds, which means I can get coloured ear moulds.

:ty:
Click to expand...

Try taking the impression with your mouth open. Also, make sure you have a doctor clean your ears of wax. Wax buildup can cause feedback. Finally get a new tube, it might be cracked.
 
VacationGuy234 said:
Try taking the impression with your mouth open. Also, make sure you have a doctor clean your ears of wax. Wax buildup can cause feedback. Finally get a new tube, it might be cracked.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I forgot about those ideas. I do an open mouth impression (pass the tissue please - for the drool :giggle: ) and I've had tubes replaced because they had gotten hard with age.
 
Interesting....are you sure the mould is shrinking/hardening and not the tube? I've had to replace my tube every year since it would shrink & harden and squeal. My moulds would last 3-4 years.

FYI, you can order a bunch of tubes online, just have to do some searching. Helluva lot cheaper than paying an audi to replace....although some do it for free as long as you bought your mould from them.
 
I've had the same earmolds on my hearing aids for 8 years now. Good as new.

The trick is to not use them. Ever.
 
Ive had the tubing changed only 2 days ago and they are the thick wall tubing for power hearing aids.

My grandma has had the same ear moulds for 10 years, it all depends on your hearing loss, to how long until they whistle.
I think (I maybe wrong), if you have low frequency loss then you will get more feedback. My low frequency is in the 115 to 125db range and my high frequency is in the 90 to 95db range.
My grandma moulds do not fit by far her but they do not whistle. She has got to the age now 93 years old where things like getting new moulds or glasses are not important.

Ive never had the old jaw impression taken. Will ask for that one. I am trying to leave it another month before I have to have them done.

:ty:
 
By the way, I seem to have to change the tubing about every month otherwise they whistle. You are doing well, having them last a year!
 
LOVE BLUE -

Have you every tried Phonak Secure n Stay?

They say they only fit the III and the V but not the XI? Have you found some that work?
 
One more thing, I don't know your age, but your ears do change size if you are growing as well as adjusting to the mold itself.

Personally, I can have a mold last more than a year, but my advice is to get a new one every 8 months to ensure the fit.
 
NaidaUP said:
LOVE BLUE -

Have you every tried Phonak Secure n Stay?

They say they only fit the III and the V but not the XI? Have you found some that work?
Click to expand...

No, never tried the Secure n Stay. Guess I'm not active enough to even consider it. :lol: I have the XI's, so maybe it wouldn't work either, but can't imagine why they don't fit the IX's. I had trialed the V's and I don't think the casing is any different than the IX's.

BTW, love your Avatar. :wave:
 
i had new soft ear mould arrived this morning and wore them ,i don't like how is fitting it so when i pulled it out the tube come out off the ear mould USELESS :D ,the audilogoy think that is will improving my hearing and i have hearing loss in november derrrrr lol :D It is not making any difference
 
Thanks LOVE BLUE. I see all Naida UP as the same size. May take the risk.

Think the way forward if just to open my jaw when the impression is taken.

I am 26 years in a few days time, ahhhhh! I have been told that ears carry on growing and some peoples grow more then others.

If you new mould stayed in your ear and your tubing came out, that is a good thing as the mould is a good fit.
To take out the hearing aid, you should not pull on the tubing anyway. They recommend pulling the mould out itself.
 
LoveBlue said:
No, never tried the Secure n Stay. Guess I'm not active enough to even consider it. :lol: I have the XI's, so maybe it wouldn't work either, but can't imagine why they don't fit the IX's. I had trialed the V's and I don't think the casing is any different than the IX's.

BTW, love your Avatar. :wave:
Click to expand...

Been very dumb now, what is a Avator? :lol:
 
I also have soft moulds with no vents. Generally my ear moulds last about a year but the one I am presently using in my right ear is much deeper in my ear canal and tighter in my ear, this mould has lasted longer. Also I live in Birmingham and they are quite happy to replace my ear moulds every year, so I was surprised that your audiologist won't do that, the NHS have a duty of care so should be providing you with the service you need, is there another hospital in your area that you could ask your GP to refer you to instead?
 
Remember you probably have a warranty on privately purchased moulds. Mine is for a year, so if the moulds fail before the end of 12 months I get replacements for free. When you next pay for moulds check how long the warranty is, who it is provided by (manufacturer or retailer) and what is considered a failure. Mine physically fell to pieces so that's nice and easy to say it's a failure, feedback is harder because any growth of the ear isn't covered, it has to be deterioration of the mould.

The NHS also has no business setting a deadline for replacement of kit which has failed. If your moulds no longer function they have to give you new ones, and I'd be taking that up with someone at the highest level. They can only bill you for replacements or tell you to get your own if the reason they have not lasted the estimated time to replacement is you lost them or mistreated them. If you use your hearing aids perfectly normally then they have to give you new moulds when the old ones don't work any more. Lots of people are having that problem these days with hospitals telling them how long their tubing and things are meant to last, I was told my tubing would be replaced max twice per year, but it physically snaps in half after less than that. I complained that they were not meeting their obligation which is to provide free NHS hearing aid services for everyone who is deemed to need those services, including provision of batteries and sundries. Until something changes that relieves them of that obligation they need to do you new moulds whenever you need new moulds.
 
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