Help me! I need to choose my hearing aids for the first time

By Kronus23, 4 November, 2023

Forum
Apple Hardware and Compatible Accessories

Hi everyone,
I hope you are all doing well.
I apologize for my translation.
I have a question.
I am bilaterally totally blind.
In my latest audiograms, a decrease in my hearing has been noted, so I have been prescribed hearing aids.
I have also noticed that I hear less in places like a university classroom with few people, with soft-spoken women's voices. Even my wife has to repeat things to me several times.
When we are at a restaurant, I need her to be next to me, not in front of me as is expected.
I can say that this may be due to the continuous use of screen readers, as I always work with computers.
I am currently 36 years old, and I am socially active. I use my iPhone, a Mac, and a Windows computer for my daily tasks.
I have been researching hearing aids for this, and fortunately I know that there are possibilities for my use, the connection with my iPhone, and with the computer.
Also reading some articles on Applevis, I also found something I need, and believe me, they have given me a lot of desire to move forward with this because I am not the only one in this situation, and I still struggle to realize that I now need to use another accessory besides my cane, and that it will be forever.
Currently I find many possibilities, but I have liked the Starkey brand.
Here in Colombia, Starkey Evolv are now available because Genesis have not arrived yet.
My question is:
I find the topic of channels confusing. How many channels should my hearing aids have to hear my surroundings well and soft-spoken women's voices, to hear well when I am in a classroom, when I am with my family? When I am with my wife, I would not like to ask her to repeat everything.
I understand that the more channels I choose, the higher the cost of the hearing aids will be, and that is why I am appealing to your experience on the subject, because I do not want to make a mistake.
I really appreciate your help.
Thank you!
Sincerely,
Alejandro

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Comments

By Holger Fiallo on Tuesday, November 7, 2023 - 18:28

Contact him at Livingblindfully podcast. He uses hearing devices and iPhone. He may have suggestion and great input. Good luck.

By Ramy on Tuesday, November 7, 2023 - 18:28

Hello:
same here, and am a music producer, so neeed my ears as all my life.
I tried both widex and Phonak, and Phonak is my choice now, very great Hearing aid, work very smooth with IOS specially with Myphonak app which they made it accessible on ios.
I recommend Phonak

By Bruce Harrell on Tuesday, November 7, 2023 - 18:28

Hi. You might want to ask your audiologist about hearing aid accessories. For example, it is possible your hearing aids can work with a table top omni directional bluetooth microphone which would make noisy restaurants and dinner parties much easier to hear.
Another example is a bluetooth microphone that your wife can wear while you are in the car or out to eat, making it much easier to hear everything she says.

Finally, the rubber/plastic domes at the end of your hearing aid wires that go into your ear canals can make a big difference. If you use domes that block all outside sound, then you will only hear the sound coming from your hearing aids. If your hearing aids do a good job filtering out unnecessary sound, then you will hear much better if your domes are not allowing outside sound to reach inside your ear canal.

I hope this helps.

Good luck!

Bruce

By Travis Roth on Tuesday, November 7, 2023 - 18:28

Hi,
Starkey is a good brand. I wish you could get the Genesis AI instead of Evolv. Much better in crowd noise in my opinion.
You ask about channels. Your audiologist can explain better. What I understand is it is the amount the hearing range can be divided up. Like say 1500hz to 2000hz. The more channels or bands, the more control and precision the audiologist has to match your hearing prescription. So the more channels, the better the hearing aid can meet what you need to be able to hear more clearly. In short, get all the channels you can afford.

By Ekaj on Tuesday, November 7, 2023 - 18:28

Hi and thank you for this topic. I recently had some wax removed from both ears, and my hearing was also checked by an audiologist. She reported that I have a slight hearing loss, probably not much. In addition, I was recently on another website and they briefly mentioned that hearing loss is associated with Leber's Congenital Amaurosis in some people. That is the cause of my and a sister's visual impairment. Not much was said about it though, and I'm therefore rather curious. Suffice it to say, I will probably be contacting Mr. Mosen too regarding hearing aids. I have a bone-conduction headset, and that helps out a good deal but I cannot wear it all the time due to the battery life. In reality I guess I could but I've been known to make heavy use of my technology, lol.

By Danny Norris on Tuesday, November 7, 2023 - 18:28

Hi.
I am a long time hearing aid user. Most Audiologist should give you a decent amount of time to try them out before you purchase. That should give you some confidence of whether they will help or not. Not sure about Over the Counter hearing aids. Not sure if they have trial periods or not but make sure you ask about that.
Yes, it is easier to understand someone if they are sitting next to me near my ears. I have no shame asking if we can sit on the same side of the table.

Danny

By Ramy on Tuesday, November 7, 2023 - 18:28

Hello all:
a question may be out of this thread, but sometimes, i need to listen to some music with better music quality than my Hearing aids.
so, If am outside i do not want to exchange my AirBods with My hearing aids, can i use AirBods instead of my Hearingaids for sometime?
just to amplify my cerroundings until i go home? or change my place?
Wish my question is clear

By Kronus23 on Tuesday, November 7, 2023 - 18:28

Many thanks for your answers.
I would like to know: when choosing these hearing aids, which style is best?
I wear sunglasses, and I don't know which style to choose between RIC and ITC.
From an aesthetic point of view, I like ITCs better, but I don't know how functional and comfortable they are for a blind person.
What do you use?
I am also thinking about something that won't get lost easily.
Do you know if Starkey ITCs have any physical buttons to answer calls?