I'm asking opinions on best style of hearing aids.

Some of the over the ear ones have bluetooth capabilities for not much more than the regular over the ear. My friends who have bluetooth hearing aids all love them.

I use an Oticon… very expensive, but tailor-made for my atypical hearing loss and recommended by my audiologist. Personally I would not stint on this device, as I would not stint on eyeglasses.

(Well over $3000, but I have had mine for four years and it starts to get cheaper when you pro-rate the cost.)

What does blue-tooth capability mean?

You can get the audio from bluetooth devices and have it streamed wireless through the hearing aids. My mom has them and she can play the television with the sound off so it doesn’t bother anyone but it’s like she has headphones. She can also use it with her phone so she doesn’t have to hold it up to her ear—it’s like she has a wireless headset on automatically when the phone rings. Basically, any electronic device with audio and bluetooth can turn your hearing aids into your own private stereo system.

Thank you. Just what I don’t want right now…my own private stereo system. But, then, I still have one ear that works properly.

I use the closed caption on my TV in order not to bother anyone. And when I have my phone on speaker, I can hear it with no problem.

@rfo1946- I’m an Audiologist and Hearing Aid Dispenser in an Ear, Nose and Throat Doctors office – so I am independent of any manufacturers and we don’t participate with any groups that give us quotas or incentives to use a particular manufacturer. A patient’s hearing loss and their ability to process and organize auditory information are crucial in choosing a make and model of hearing aid. Other factors are the size and shape of the ear canals and auricles, and the patient’s ability to handle and manipulate the different sizes and styles.

Since you are an experienced user of custom in-the-ear (ITE) instruments, you might find them easier to get in and out of the ears. That is one of the ‘pros’ of ITEs. Some ITEs can be made so tiny they fit so deep in the ear canal that they are not visible. This style is called Invisible In-the-Canal (IIC), but due to size they have some power limitations.

Taking the electronics and tucking them behind the auricle takes them away from the heat, humidity, and wax in the ear canal (a hostile environment for electronics and audio equipment). It also removes the microphones from the ear canal opening, which helps reduce whistling feedback. Not filling the ear with the electronics also allows is to leave the ear canal more open, which eases some of the occlusion issues that many people experience with ITEs. Some devices use disposable silicone tips that are very flexible, and soft or hard custom earmolds are also an option.

A traditional behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid has ALL the technology behind the ear, and the sound is pushed through a tube that goes into the ear. This style is best for people with frequent moisture or wax, or who have tiny ear canals or problems with comfort of things in their ears from sensitivity or TMJ issues.

The most popular and newest style these days is the Receiver-In-the-Canal (RIC) style. It’s the ‘happy medium’ option. Most of the electronics are behind the ear, but instead of pushing the sound through a tube, there is a speaker wire that runs down to the speaker that is placed into the ear canal. This is more cosmetically appealing and it allows the greatest separation of microphones and receiver, which is best for feedback reduction and produces a very cleaner sound with a little less power than a BTE does.

Usually the first question I ask my experienced patients is what they like and dislike about their current and previous devices, and what they wish hearing instruments could do. Choosing between manufacturers again will usually depend on the patient’s preferences for sound and their auditory processing abilities. If you’ve been happy with your Starkey devices, you may well prefer to stick with them. I find that Phonak has similar sound quality and features. Oticon and ReSound have a somewhat different amplification philosophy and tend to give more sound in the high frequencies. These are the 4 major manufacturers with which I am most familiar. The other top manufacturer in the US is Siemens, and they own their own hearing aid chain so many independent practices don’t carry them because of competition.

There is a ton of information on the web, and you’ll find users who love or hate a particular device or manufacturer for one reason or another – just like any other technologies, from cell phones to blenders to cars. So my advice is to work with an Audiologist that is independent and carries several brands and has a good trial period policy so you could try something and exchange it if you’re not happy.

@gailcalled- the hearing aids do not have Bluetooth currently, because it is a power-hog. Different manufacturers have different systems to pair with other technologies. It seems that there may be some cooperation to develop a system that will be compatible across different brands of hearing aids and cell phones.

These are additional accessories that can be purchased separately if your hearing instruments are compatible – which yours is. Most of my patients with single-sided hearing loss like yours do not find these to be necessary.

^^ Hallelelujah.