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AuDBallBag t1_iyxw3za wrote

Reply to comment by iLLogick in FDA change ushers in cheaper, easier-to-get hearing aids by AsslessBaboon

Audiologist here. I fully agree. Very few of my patients have mild to moderate loss. If they've sought help already, they're likely not a candidate for OTC. But this will hopefully be a way for hearing-aid -curious individuals with early signs of their loss to start treating sooner. I just wish the product came with a good recommendation to have a diagnostic evaluation first so we can rule out wax impaction, infection, anatomical abnormalities and disease. Unfortunately people will always self treat, but I wish they would not self diagnose this issue. You can really do a lot of damage.

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maladictem t1_iyy0cxs wrote

If you don't mind me asking, would this be something that could help people with more significant hearing loss, if they are having trouble getting proper hearing aids? My grandpa really needs hearing aids, but is having trouble with the doctor Medicare keeps sending him to (they don't fit or don't work properly, it's been a while since I talked with him about it, so I'm forgetting some of the details), he has gotten frustrated and stopped trying to get them to work. Would this be something that I could get for him to at least somewhat improve his hearing, or would it be better to not use them; either way, I'm going to continue to try to convince him to go back to the audiologist.

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AuDBallBag t1_izf3qjk wrote

So medicare does not cover hearing aids at all and his medicaid supplement may dictate he needs to go to a certain provider to get discounted aids, but he can go wherever he pleases if he wants to pay privately for them. These devices are self fitting and for mild losses only so I would say he probably would not benefit tremendously from them. But he would benefit from a second opinion.

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Aightball t1_iyyycp6 wrote

I 100% agree with seeing an audiologist. My problem is that, when I have seen one, they say my hearing is fine. I've had tinnitus my entire life and I can pass a hearing test with flying colors. My problem is that a lot of people increasingly sound like Charlie Brown's teacher when they talk to me, and after a while, i smile and nod, and hope I haven't agreed to anything. I can hear fine but I can't understand some times...and the louder the room, the worse it is. So this might be something that would benefit me, who knows I have an issue but who has been dissmissed by every doctor I've ever seen. :|

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LadyGrey-3 t1_iyz11yu wrote

You may have a Central Auditory Processing Disorder—worth seeing if you can get referred for a CAPD specific test if your traditional audiogram keeps showing up as normal.

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Aightball t1_iz75h55 wrote

Sorry for the delay in responding!

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Where can I find more information on this? And how would I go about asking my doctor and/or finding someone to do this test?

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LadyGrey-3 t1_izcbjy0 wrote

“CAPD” testing is completed by an audiologist who specializes in that area (the average audiologist is not completing this testing). I would honestly google “central auditory processing testing near me” and see if there is an audiologist with a private practice dedicated to this specialty. If not, you could contact your last audiologist and see if they have any good names to refer you to.

Otherwise, you could potentially cut to the chase and try a program for auditory processing training online. I know LACE is a popular program that is self-guided. It would be worth getting a proper diagnosis though if possible.

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Aightball t1_izcs6ew wrote

Thank you! I live in a medium sized city in Iowa, so I should be able to hopefully find someone near by. And it's enough of a problem that I'm willing to travel if need be to get the testing done. It's so frustrating when people sound like nonsense to me when I know they're using actual words. Thank you for the information!!

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AuDBallBag t1_izf45z6 wrote

Yes an OTC aid will not help you but you may need to see a neuro-otologist because if you have normal hearing thresholds but distorted speech recognition and tinnitus you may have anything from Central auditory processing disorder, to cerebrovascular inflammation, to a benign tumor on the acoustic nerve. I wouldn't stop at the test - I'd get an MRI. If that's clear, I'd ask for auditory processing disorder screening.

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Aightball t1_izg47fk wrote

I've had it suggested by an ENT (who showed that vertigo was actually treatable and manageable!) that I might also have a birth defect in the inner ears. Apparently, it's 'not normal' for 2-year-olds to report tinnitus and vertigo. The story my mother often told me was that, when I could form sentences, I complained that the room went around and my ears made noise. We got the vertigo taken care of serveral years ago, but the tinnitus never went away. At the time (and now) I couldn't afford further testing, but it's something to consider looking into.

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