What Should I Know Before Buying a Hearing Aid? Do Tinnitus Spikes Affect Hearing Tests?

Hello all,

I have moderate hearing loss and bad tinnitus and my ears are a bit sensitive to noise. Is there anything I should know or do before purchasing a hearing aid?

Do spikes affect your hearing test?

 

Make sure the person who is selling you the aid has the necessary requirements to do so in your country.

Personally I think a spike can affect your hearing test, just like a healthy person going to a concert can suffer a temporary threshold shift. Hopefully you won't have one before your test.

 

Take all the time you need to try different hearing aids. They sound different and have some features you could find useful. Some may be more adapted to your hearing loss than others, so pick wisely.

You can also shop around: my current hearing aid came from Costco. Costco will do a hearing test for you then suggest a type of hearing aid.

 

@Drone Draper Thanks for the advice. What do you mean by necessary requirements though?

 

@GregCA Thanks I appreciate the advice.

 

In the UK, you need to be registered as a hearing aid dispenser to sell you a hearing aid. Just a formality, really, if you're going to anywhere on the high street, they're sure to be reputable.

Also you should consider what type of hearing aid would suit you - in-ear, behind the ear, etc.

I think I'd be more of an in-ear kind of guy, it seems less fussy. I look the look of the Phonak Lyric. It's inserted into the ear, worn 24/7 and replaced every 4 months or so. It IS pricey, but it looks like the least fussy way to do it.

 

Thanks @Drone Draper

 

Hello all,
Can anyone else with hearing aid experience please weigh in their opinion.

 

For me it did.

 

Thanks @JohnAdams

I don't know much about hearing aids. So how do they adjust the volume to your exact level if you have spikes during your test?

 

Won't hearing aids just damage your hearing even more... over time?

 

I don't know @Zeneth.

That's a good question. I hope not.