life of hear aids

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mayuri

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hey....i am new hear aids users...me using starkey cic active iq 9 in both ears.for left ear i had purchased a year back but for right ear i had purchased 20 days back...i want u all to share which hear aids are u using n what are life of your hear aids...do hear aids get repair after there life finish ..please reply...


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mayuri said:
hey....i am new hear aids users...me using starkey cic active iq 9 in both ears.for left ear i had purchased a year back but for right ear i had purchased 20 days back...i want u all to share which hear aids are u using n what are life of your hear aids...do hear aids get repair after there life finish ..please reply...


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That actually has more to do with my progressing hearing loss than the life of my aids. I've never had an aid "die" on me because it got old, I've had to retire 2 sets of aids (well one "set" wasnt' a set it was just one, audi didn't think I should wear 2, next audi poo pooed that) because my hearing loss surpassed the aids capablities. The only one I had to have "repaired" was one my dog ate right after I got it. I had the first set, analogs, for about 6 or 7 years maybe. No repairs, but one of them did need a new ear hook, the threads wore off. I never got it fixed though because even before that happened I'd started getting problems with feedback, I was needing to turn it up louder because of further hearing loss. The next one, a digital, the one my dog ate, I had for about 4 years, but really 2 1/2-3 years into it's "life" the aid couldn't handle my loss any more, had to get new ones.
 
The life of the aid depends on the care. My last analog hearing aids (Starkey) were ten years old when they broke. I now have Widex digitals. As long as you go in for required cleanings, tube changes, mold changes and just do all the required up keep that the audi recommends, there's no reason they can't last ten years. BTW, after my Starkey broke, I was able to get them repaired for emergency back-ups, so there's always a way to fix them if you have the money.

Laura
 
so which 1 proved to be better for u...a starkey hear aid or ur new widex one...n which style of hear aid


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mayuri said:
so which 1 proved to be better for u...a starkey hear aid or ur new widex one...n which style of hear aid


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Hearing wise, I loved my Starkey analogs because they never gave me trouble, cleaning or functioning, but they're now a thing of the past; the Starkey digitals really didn't impress me sound wise and they were also so damn fragile that they were a pain to maintain. Never having owned digitals before 2011, I was lost with all the trouble I was having with them. I think I saw the audi three times at least for problems related to cleaning and 'accidents' I had.

Widex haven't been as sensitive to wax build up, which is an important difference between the two brands. All hearing aid models will require cleaning but it shouldn't be a major event that lands you back in the audi's office every time you do. I was always screwing something up with Starkey and the digitals were such a disappointment coming off the positive experience I had with their analog models. And they were always getting plugged and I was forever having to change the wax guards - this is assuming you don't accidently brush wax into the hearing aid itself - then you have serious trouble.

If I still wore them today, I'd be an unhappy customer now that I have to pay for the wax guards from the audi where before I didn't. So between the two brands: Widex gave the best sound, the best features and aside from the inital struggle to remove the wax guards when I first got them, they've been otherwise perfect out of the box. It's true what they say, you really do get what you pay for, mayuri.

This is the model I have, but for mild hearing loss, you'd probably use something different and a lot less expensive.

http://www.widex.com/en/products/hearingaids/clear/


Laura
 
CIC aid don't last anywhere near as long as BTE aids due to the CIC aid being inside your ear all the time where their is moisture.
 
please dont say they are cheap...in india it cost alot...i have never got any issue with my hear aids since i am wearing say 11months...touchwood


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please dont say they are cheap...in india it cost alot...i have never got any issue with my hear aids since i am wearing say 11months...touchwood


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BTE aids are better technology then CIC, CIC aids are a lot cheaper then BTE aids. CIC aid will last between 3 and 5 years, BTE aids can last a lot longer.
 
howz sound lens hear aids of starkey....the one which are invisible


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mayuri said:
howz sound lens hear aids of starkey....the one which are invisible


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When I was starting with my current employers, I asked about this model because I didn't want my new employers to know I'm hearing impaired. My audi commented that they have a short life span due to the placement of the aid and the degree that it's affected by wax build up. They're not terribly easy to handle and prone to breaking, particularly where the battery compartement is located. If price is a consideration, they are not to be had cheaply.

Laura
 
they last for 5-7 years but it's a good idea to keep the old hearing aids for backup though ;)
I don't just rely on the 2nd pair but I rely more on my 1st pair since it has all the missing puzzle pieces lol
 
NaidaUP said:
BTE aids are better technology then CIC, CIC aids are a lot cheaper then BTE aids. CIC aid will last between 3 and 5 years, BTE aids can last a lot longer.
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THIS. They're more durable, and last longer.
 
and how much you people have improve with your hear aids....in which situations you feel difficulty to understand speech...


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mayuri said:
and how much you people have improve with your hear aids....in which situations you feel difficulty to understand speech...


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In my case, the upgrade to Widex helped to improve my ability to understand speech in noisy situations at work. However, with hearing loss, this will always be an going struggle regardless of what hearing aid you go with.

Laura
 
mayuri said:
and how much you people have improve with your hear aids....in which situations you feel difficulty to understand speech...


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Go to your audi and try out a bunch of different aids.... Maybe you could get a BTE in your favorite color.
 
I really don't understand why you don't want people to know you have a slight hearing loss?....better people to know rather then think you are being really rude!!
 
NaidaUP said:
I really don't understand why you don't want people to know you have a slight hearing loss?....better people to know rather then think you are being really rude!!
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For us, this is a really minor thing. It's like wearing reading glasses, or needing eyeglasses because your near/far sighted. We dont' dwell on it or much care. In her case, being from India, they view the disabled at any level as a curse. I can only come to this conclusion based on her extreme reaction to something most people don't consider a big deal. Remember, even in this country, when someone is told they have mild loss and will require hearing aids, many opt to wear nothing or want to hide that they're wearing hearing aids. The "invisible" models and the ITCs exist for this reason.


Laura
 
mayuri said:
and how much you people have improve with your hear aids....in which situations you feel difficulty to understand speech...


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Mayuri, I don't know if you're currently in a trial period with your current model as you haven't said this in your postings. It's also not clear how many other models your audi might have available for you to try. Here's the deal: the smaller and more "invisible" a hearing aid is, the shorter the life span and the more expensive it tends to be. They're also the most sensitive to cleaning and easier to break.

The Behind the Ear model is the least expensive and the most durable, but I doubt this will make you happy because it's not as hidden as you like. You don't sound like you have much money so I'm not sure why you're going back and forth with this given your limitations. If you're a student, I should think being able to hear in the classes should be your priority. I would consider looking for work in the UK or another country. I know you don't think you can get a job, but outside of India, you can. You'll then be able to afford or obtain the smallest model you like. More importantly, the experience of meeting people in the more developed countries will hopefully expose how foolish your reaction is to something as mundane as mild loss. Best of luck to you however you decide.

Laura
 
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