A New Me Blog

#36 Hearing Devices
Monday, February 3, 2025 by Deb Vellines

Helen Keller once said, “Blindness separates us from things, but deafness separates us from people.”

This is true. We separate from others when we catch only some words. It’s hard work filling in the blanks of what we don’t hear. Actually exhausting work. And, sometimes we begin to shy away from situations we know will be hard.

In an effort to solve my hearing problems, the first product I bought was to amplify the TV. My husband was complaining I played it too loud. But, when he adjusted the volume, I couldn’t hear enough.

https://www.maxiaids.com/5-in-1-wireless-earphone  This solved arguments and was enough help at the time.

Next, I purchased a device worn over the ear meant to amplify sound.  You can purchase PSAP’s (Personal Sound Amplification Products) without the professional guidance of an audiologist or another specialist. They might help, but they are not for everyone. They are a whole lot cheaper (many are under $50) than hearing aids, BUT the results didn’t satisfy me. I used it on and off for maybe a year but continued to feel frustrated that I was missing too many words.

Even using the phone next to my “good “ ear, I missed too many words. So, I purchased a telephone with closed captioning. I’d suggest you buy such a phone if it can be returned if it doesn’t work for you. This phone left me frustrated, too.

http://www.captel.com/captel/phones/captel-840i/?offer_id=1&aff_id=1021&url_id=101

I knew it was time to research hearing aids.

I quickly found out not all hearing aids work the same. After going to my support group and hearing good things about the bone anchored hearing device, I visited an audiologist and learned the hearing in my “good” ear wasn’t enough for this kind of hearing help. Also, I didn’t really like the idea of surgery to insert a titanium screw anchored in the skull bone behind the deaf ear. A vibrating sound processor is attached externally, which reads sounds and transmits them through the skull bone to the cochlea of the good ear.

Some in my support group love this type of aid. But one member said, “It doesn’t work for me and now I have this screw in my head.” Like all devices and aids, it’s an individual thing: What works for one person might or might not work for another. Here’s a link to the BAHA or bone-anchored hearing aid: http://www.earassociates.com/services-bone-anchored-hearing-aids-san-jose-ca.html

 

Next, I researched the SoundBite system. Addressing a hearing problem with an aid worn in the mouth might not sound like a logical solution, but that’s what the company Sonitus Medical did with SoundBite – a hearing system that transmits sound to the inner ear via the teeth. It, too, used bone conduction. And like the previous aid, I wasn’t a candidate. This company is no longer in business.

In my next blog, I will talk about the hearing aid that worked for me.

*****

Readers: What devices have you tried?

*****

Dear God,

So far, the devices I have tried still leave me frustrated. I know there must be a hearing aid that will work for me. Help me find it. Amen.

Show me the path where I should walk, O Lord; point out the right road for me to follow Psalm 25:4 

 

Previous Posts

# 77 – 21 Stress Busters
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

# 76 Claustrophobia
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#75 Facial Issues
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#74 Phantom Sounds
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#73 Walk Without Falling
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#72 AN Awareness Week
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

# 71 Hearing Loss
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#70 Understanding Changes
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#69 Is It Growing?
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#68 AN Facebook Group
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#67 Turn Off Anxiety
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#66 Decisions & Stress Busters
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#65 Control and Choices
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#64 Surgeon Questions
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#63 Virtual Education Event
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#62 Three Ways to Connect
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#61 Reminders
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#60 Grocery Shopping
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#59 9 Conversation Hints with Masks
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#58 A New Me & New Ways
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#57 Irritable?
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#56 11 Reasons to Try Chair Yoga
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#55 Hints for the Holiday
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#54 Treatment Ideas for Headaches
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#53 Headaches
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#52 Hyperacusis
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#51 ** 5 Ways to Prevent Falls
Deb Vellines

2/4/2025

#50 Closed Captioning (CC) at the Movies
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#49 Hearing Loss Advice
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#48 Networking8 Networking
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#47 Help Me Hear
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#46 4 YouTube Videos
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#45 Get Connected
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#44 Signia Hearing Aids
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#43 Improving Balance
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#42 Treatment of Depression
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#41 Depression
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#40 ** 7 Ways to Fight Brain Fog
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#39 ** 5 Fatigue Busters
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#38 Tinnitus
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#37 Phonak CROS Hearing Aids
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#36 Hearing Devices
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#35 Single Sided Deafness
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

# 34 Post Treatment
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#33 Treatment
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#32 A Hit Over the Head
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#31 National Symposium
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#30 Knots with Purpose
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#29 A Time to Kill
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#28 A Letter
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#27 Peace With Trust
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#26 Joy is a Choice
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#25 Flat Emotion
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#24 New Thoughts
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#23 Acceptance?
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#22 Help!
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

#21 Crying
Deb Vellines

2/3/2025

# 20 Full Plate
Deb Vellines

2/2/2025

#19 Concentration
Deb Vellines

2/2/2025

#18 Worry versus Trust
Deb Vellines

2/2/2025

#17 For Healing
Deb Vellines

2/2/2025

#16 Who’s in Control?
Deb Vellines

2/2/2025

#15 Depression
Deb Vellines

2/2/2025

# 13 Doctor (specialist)
Deb Vellines

2/2/2025

#14 Different Treatments
Deb Vellines

2/2/2025

#11 Support Group
Deb Vellines

2/2/2025

#12 Thank You
Deb Vellines

2/2/2025

Step # 10 Questions
Deb Vellines

2/2/2025

Step # 9 Bargaining
Deb Vellines

2/2/2025

Step #8 Energy
Deb Vellines

2/1/2025

Step # 7 – Reactions – of others
Deb Vellines

2/1/2025

Step #6 – Do I share my News?
Deb Vellines

2/1/2025

Step #4 – To stay calm waiting for test results
Deb Vellines

2/1/2025

Step #5 – Why?
Deb Vellines

2/1/2025

Step #3 – Courage – to make an appointment for a test.
Deb Vellines

2/1/2025

Step #2 – Wisdom – for the doctor
Deb Vellines

2/1/2025

Step #1 – Wisdom – to know when to call the doctor
Deb Vellines

2/1/2025