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Home > Archive > Hearing loss support > June 2006 > Look for a good audie or a good hearing aid?
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Look for a good audie or a good hearing aid?
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| Over more than a decade dozens of people have sought advice from this
group on which is the best hearing aid for their particular problem.
Based on my own experince I often respond along the lines that the
layman should devote his efforts to finding a good audiologist. I have
learnt that, for the common types of hearing loss, choice of
audiologist is all-important while choosing between brands of hearing
aids is byond most of us. Any of the well known brands will do the job
for the more common problems. I would expect that each audiologist has
his/her personal preferences - brands which they are skilled in fitting
and adjusting.
Also hearing aid technology is too complex for me (and I write my own
business software) and, I believe, for most people. I have often drawn
a parallel between stents - singularly simple hardware used in heart
surgery - where no layperson would dare to tread - and hearing aids -
where dozens of people have no hesitation in making assertions.
But I cannot recall any of the people who have sought this sort of
assistance from the group ever reporting back on whether they,
themselves, found the perfect aid or whether they found that the most
worthwhile quest was for a good audiologist.
A support group, like most systems, benefits from feedback. Are any of
the people I describe above still around? What are their views now?
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| I find it's 6 of one half. What maybe good for one may not be good for
another. Audie or HA. IT is so person dependent it's not funny,
perception, expectations, preferences and other independent character
traits. Brand wise they offer all the same pretty much, but it's technology
that plays a huge part in it more so then Brand. Once you have the tech
part worked out, a skilled specialist has to work with you, the person, to
figure out how you like to hear and what you are hearing. Not an easy task
at times. They have to be skilled enough to also tell you up front, you may
not like what you hear but work with me and can help you hear better. The
person also has to adhear to the wearing schedule and adjust to hearing with
hearing aids.
So my vote is technology for your lifestyle and hearing lose, then Audie.
"Ken" <kkerrison@ozemail.com.au> wrote in message
news:1149141829.416239.271160@g10g2000cwb.googlegroups.com...
> Over more than a decade dozens of people have sought advice from this
> group on which is the best hearing aid for their particular problem.
> Based on my own experince I often respond along the lines that the
> layman should devote his efforts to finding a good audiologist. I have
> learnt that, for the common types of hearing loss, choice of
> audiologist is all-important while choosing between brands of hearing
> aids is byond most of us. Any of the well known brands will do the job
> for the more common problems. I would expect that each audiologist has
> his/her personal preferences - brands which they are skilled in fitting
> and adjusting.
>
> Also hearing aid technology is too complex for me (and I write my own
> business software) and, I believe, for most people. I have often drawn
> a parallel between stents - singularly simple hardware used in heart
> surgery - where no layperson would dare to tread - and hearing aids -
> where dozens of people have no hesitation in making assertions.
>
> But I cannot recall any of the people who have sought this sort of
> assistance from the group ever reporting back on whether they,
> themselves, found the perfect aid or whether they found that the most
> worthwhile quest was for a good audiologist.
>
> A support group, like most systems, benefits from feedback. Are any of
> the people I describe above still around? What are their views now?
>
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| On 31 May 2006 23:03:49 -0700, "Ken" <kkerrison@ozemail.com.au> wrote:
>Over more than a decade dozens of people have sought advice from this
>group on which is the best hearing aid for their particular problem.
>Based on my own experince I often respond along the lines that the
>layman should devote his efforts to finding a good audiologist. I have
>learnt that, for the common types of hearing loss, choice of
>audiologist is all-important while choosing between brands of hearing
>aids is byond most of us. Any of the well known brands will do the job
>for the more common problems. I would expect that each audiologist has
>his/her personal preferences - brands which they are skilled in fitting
>and adjusting.
>
>Also hearing aid technology is too complex for me (and I write my own
>business software) and, I believe, for most people. I have often drawn
>a parallel between stents - singularly simple hardware used in heart
>surgery - where no layperson would dare to tread - and hearing aids -
>where dozens of people have no hesitation in making assertions.
>
>But I cannot recall any of the people who have sought this sort of
>assistance from the group ever reporting back on whether they,
>themselves, found the perfect aid or whether they found that the most
>worthwhile quest was for a good audiologist.
>
>A support group, like most systems, benefits from feedback. Are any of
>the people I describe above still around? What are their views now?
In 25 years of on the job training being deafened and purchasing hearing
aids, I can honestly say my most proficient hearing aid fittings were
from a person that was not an audiologist, but a hearing aid dispenser.
First timers would probably benefit from seeing an audiologist for their
testing, however being an audiologist doesn't guarantee purchasing
fairness and fitting proficiency. I would recommend reading the messages
on Hard of Hearing Advocates Message Board for anyone in the market
for a hearing aid. http://hohadvocates.org/index.php
Caveat Emptor
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