Hi there,
For those of you with a conductive hearing hearing loss, what is your favourite type of hearing aid and why?
I've tried normal BTE's, a BAHA, ITE and a mini BTE. My favourite is the Mini BTE.
For those who are interested, this is my experience: (skip this bit if you cba to read it! :P)
Conventional BTE
I found that these tend to be fairly bulky and the mould had to be guarded with my life because it takes a minimum of 2 weeks to get it replaced if it's lost or broken in the UK! This type of aid is very noticeable to others and also acts as a nasty ear plug. Not very good for keeping ears clean! That said, I did find it to be a very effective aid in terms of sound amplification.
BAHA
Having to undergo surgery was rather daunting for me. Once I got my BAHA, I often found it very painful to connect it. I never liked having a screw permanently attached to my head. The sound also seemed very unnatural to me and I never fully adjusted to it. I didn't like the appearance of it (bulky). It also put restrictions on my lifestyle. (I.e. it put me off from participating in sports etc.) I did appreciate the fact that I was one of the first in the UK to receive this type of aid. However, the titanium screw fell out within a year! The end result for me is a very sensitive part on my head. (where skin graft was taken.) Perhaps things have changed since then though.
ITE
Looked good and the sound quality was very good due to the precise fit.
However, I found it very difficult to insert and remove. Obviously, it also plugged my ear, which made it more difficult to keep my ear clean. The aid was also prone to getting blocked, and it was more difficult to clean/unblock than a regular BTE aid. (Especially when you're not at home!)
It was a major annoyance when it broke, because it meant that I had to have a new impression and wait weeks for a new one. Not only that, I had to adjust to using a different type of hearing aid (BTE) meanwhile until I got a replacement ITE.
Mini BTE
ALMOST the best possible solution for me. The thin tube design means that my ear is not completely blocked/plugged by the aid. This helps keep my ear clean. It also lets me hear natural/unaided sounds (i.e. the frequencies I can naturally hear well.) Another good thing about this aid, is that the entire device can be replaced easily/quickly. I also like the fact that it's small and not easily noticeable. I'd even go as far as saying that it's a pretty cool looking little device.
The only bad thing about it for me is that my Siemens Reflex L is on its limits for my degree of hearing loss. This is only an issue in busy/crowded/noisy environments, but it's something I'm adapting to. Hopefully my situation will improve when the NHS offer more advanced mini BTE's. (That said, I'm not sure if it's a design limitation as opposed to a specific limitation with the model.)
Not the NHS supplied Siemens Reflex L model (unfortunately!!)
For those of you with a conductive hearing hearing loss, what is your favourite type of hearing aid and why?
I've tried normal BTE's, a BAHA, ITE and a mini BTE. My favourite is the Mini BTE.
For those who are interested, this is my experience: (skip this bit if you cba to read it! :P)
Conventional BTE
I found that these tend to be fairly bulky and the mould had to be guarded with my life because it takes a minimum of 2 weeks to get it replaced if it's lost or broken in the UK! This type of aid is very noticeable to others and also acts as a nasty ear plug. Not very good for keeping ears clean! That said, I did find it to be a very effective aid in terms of sound amplification.
BAHA
Having to undergo surgery was rather daunting for me. Once I got my BAHA, I often found it very painful to connect it. I never liked having a screw permanently attached to my head. The sound also seemed very unnatural to me and I never fully adjusted to it. I didn't like the appearance of it (bulky). It also put restrictions on my lifestyle. (I.e. it put me off from participating in sports etc.) I did appreciate the fact that I was one of the first in the UK to receive this type of aid. However, the titanium screw fell out within a year! The end result for me is a very sensitive part on my head. (where skin graft was taken.) Perhaps things have changed since then though.
ITE
Looked good and the sound quality was very good due to the precise fit.
However, I found it very difficult to insert and remove. Obviously, it also plugged my ear, which made it more difficult to keep my ear clean. The aid was also prone to getting blocked, and it was more difficult to clean/unblock than a regular BTE aid. (Especially when you're not at home!)
It was a major annoyance when it broke, because it meant that I had to have a new impression and wait weeks for a new one. Not only that, I had to adjust to using a different type of hearing aid (BTE) meanwhile until I got a replacement ITE.
Mini BTE
ALMOST the best possible solution for me. The thin tube design means that my ear is not completely blocked/plugged by the aid. This helps keep my ear clean. It also lets me hear natural/unaided sounds (i.e. the frequencies I can naturally hear well.) Another good thing about this aid, is that the entire device can be replaced easily/quickly. I also like the fact that it's small and not easily noticeable. I'd even go as far as saying that it's a pretty cool looking little device.
The only bad thing about it for me is that my Siemens Reflex L is on its limits for my degree of hearing loss. This is only an issue in busy/crowded/noisy environments, but it's something I'm adapting to. Hopefully my situation will improve when the NHS offer more advanced mini BTE's. (That said, I'm not sure if it's a design limitation as opposed to a specific limitation with the model.)
Not the NHS supplied Siemens Reflex L model (unfortunately!!)
haha
