Hearing aids

I will try the olive oil tip Jayanna, thanks.

As little olive oil - a very little!- in the ear will lubricate and cure itching.

Some Specsavers (like our local one) operate on behalf of the NHS, and I had to be referred there by GP to get my free NHS aids. No attempt was made to persuade me to buy private ones.

I keep telling myself I don't need hearing aids, it is just that my ears are blocked with catarrh after a cold. I can hear it clicking when I swallow. However, I've been like this for at least a couple of years now. Even when the cold goes I am still a bit deaf. My GP gives me a nose spray which is meant to clear my ears but it doesn't help much. I know I miss a lot of speech and I have the TV up quite loud. Has anyone else been like this and did you get an aid and did it help? My DH says if I go to Specsavers they will sell me a hearing aid whether I really need it or not but he complains all the time that I frequently don't hear what he says.

Yes - do that. I am delight4ed with mine.

Interesting reading. Having had blocked ears for nearly 2 weeks as part of the cold/flu lurgy, whereby I can hear but very muffled, it has made me determined that if my hearing starts to go I will definitely be looking for hearing aids. Good to hear some positive things about them.

I had my NHS one re-calibrated a few weeks after I had them to cut down on very high frequencies. earache and Itching is common when first starting with hearing aids as the ear canal is very sensitive, mine itched like mad for several weeks, but it went off as I got used to them.

Mine are nhs ones and they have a switch on the back which turns the volume up or down. I do find that after a while they give me earache or start to itch.

I have had very helpful call back. Apparently the ones I have can be programmed to allow me to adjust the volume. They suggest I give it a few more weeks and if it is still difficult in the echoey rehearsal hall I can go back to have the reprogrammed.

I have had mine for a couple of years, private ones from Specsavers because I couldn't cope with the "over the ear" style of the NHS ones - I could hear my hair moving about and I used to accidentally dislodge them. The ones I have now are OK but start to irritate my ears after a few hours and I have to take them out. I live alone in a detached bungalow so I just turn the TV up and /or use subtitles.

Just had a follow-up call - obviously from an unqualified minion with some boxes to tick! She was very pleasant but unable to answer my question about being able to turn the volume down or turn them off. She is going to ask the proper bod to give me a ring about that.

The worst sound for me is people rustling in their plastic carrier bags. Thankfully there are fewer of the, around these days.

Ah - I'll give that a try - I was a bit worried about the battery dropping out. Thanks for the suggestion.

Them out .......

You can turn them off whilst in. Just pull the battery aperture forward slightly to break the contact. I often do that and it saves taking the out and putting them down in a place instantly forgotten!! ?

Been chatting to my brother and a friend, both of whom have NHS aids that have an on/off switch and a volume control. Mine have neither - I have to put them in their box and open the battery compartment to "turn them off." It would be very useful if I could just turn them off in situ in a situation where there is a lot of echo and I am getting too much noise, e.g. at choir in an echoey hall - or perhaps just turn them down a bit as appropriate to the situation.

Anyone else got NHS aids that have these facilities? - and did they give you these ones from the start?

Someone was talking about the colour choice of the NHS aids - mine are a black/very dark grey as my hair is dark brown and the pink ones showed through. You can hardly see these.

Life is full of surprises eh? Hearing loss must just creep up so slowly that you don't notice those little sounds disappearing. Glad the aids seem to work so well for you!

Isn't it weird? Sitting here I can hear my OH's laptop mouse scrolling! I was talking to a friend at choir and he takes one of his aids out when he gets there because he cannot get used to the echo in the hall - he aid that he makes them work for him - when he needs two he wears both and when the noise with two is too distracting he puts one in his pocket. I can hear myself tapping on the keys of my laptop as I write - never heard that before!

Funny thing - my fridge is buzzing too!

Yes to all this! It is a learning curve!
Me to DH in kitchen, 'What's that buzzing noise.'
DH, it's the fridge!
Don't be daft, fridges don't buzz!!
They do!!!

Oh heavens - not loud wind!

I have just been to a choir rehearsal and the noise of 120 sets of paper rustling was pretty impressive!

I have now told my OH that I have them and he has searched diligently for them!

Paper rustling and light switches were the ones that I noticed. I still can't wear mine when driving, too much road and wind noise (I have spoken to MrsP about the wind noise)

That's great Luckygirl, and for free too. I always thought the Specsaver ones were private, sounds like they do both. I do hope you get used to them quickly.

The clocks are ticking! - I thought they were silent!

The water is going through the heating pipes! - I thought they were silent too!

Paper rustles! - how dare it!

Fantastic Lucky! My OH took to them like a duck to water, which amazed me, as he had put off getting himself sorted for far (far, far, far!!) too long and I was expecting any excuse from him to avoid wearing them. He's only had them fairly recently and is still a little self-conscious and doesn't wear them to work (a place that's rife with Mickey takers!), but he does put them in in the evening and at weekends!

I'm sure you'll soon get used to them and your ears/hearing aids/brain will learn to co-ordinate! OH even managed a pop concert a few weeks ago!