Hearing aids

[B&W FOX]

Thank you everyone. NHS self referral appointment at Specsavers in two weeks.

Is that an appointment with

NHS Audiologist
or
Specsavers
????

I went for a Specsavers ear test,( as it's free) when I told them I had a titanium bone in my right ear. That was the last I heard from them, so I had to go back down the NHS route.

The latest NHS hearing aids are awesome compared to my 4 year old set.

 

[bullet chucker]

My hearing is damaged in my right ear which is down to shooting. I have an annual test, this year the last said would I consider a hearing aid? I said when the time comes and she replied its come. Only 50!

Apparently if damaged hearing ranges/frequencies aren’t stimulated they get worse. In a busy room and you’re on my right it’s quite bad with certain letters. So wearing a hearing aid will prevent the damaged bits getting worse by stimulating those bad frequencies.

Are you a left hand shooter as I am, my right side hearing is really bad.

BC.

 

[Essexsussex]

What is anyone’s recent experience getting a referral from the nhs to an audiologist? Takes ages or they try to avoid it or what?

Thanks
ES

 

[hairlesshunter]

What is anyone’s recent experience getting a referral from the nhs to an audiologist? Takes ages or they try to avoid it or what?

Thanks
ES

After visiting specsavers I went down the right to choose route with my doctor and it didn’t take long at all

 

[purdeydog]

Are you a left hand shooter as I am, my right side hearing is really bad.

BC.

Hello. Yes I am. Oddly if affects opposite side.

 

[bullet chucker]

It is not odd only that your raised left arm when aiming gives a degree of ear protection, right hand shooters the opposite. The woes of NOT wearing ear protection!

BC.

 

[scoby270]

What is anyone’s recent experience getting a referral from the nhs to an audiologist? Takes ages or they try to avoid it or what?

Thanks
ES

Mine took 2 weeks, that's in East Cheshire, afraid its probably a postcode lottery these days.

S

 

[polranny]

Is that an appointment with

NHS Audiologist
or
Specsavers
????

I went for a Specsavers ear test,( as it's free) when I told them I had a titanium bone in my right ear. That was the last I heard from them, so I had to go back down the NHS route.

The latest NHS hearing aids are awesome compared to my 4 year old set.

Thanks. It’s at specsavers. Do you think they are not up to it/NHS are better?

 

[MarinePMI]

Been wearing Oticon CROS hearing aids the past several years. No complaints other than wind noise when it's blowing hard (which because they are CROS variants is quite annoying, but unavoidable).

I wear Sordin/MSA or Peltor ComTac 5 headmuffs when hunting or shooting, so it's like wearing hearing aids, but with sound protection added.

 

[downwind]

Thanks. It’s at specsavers. Do you think they are not up to it/NHS are better?

I took a patient for an NHS audiology appointment last Friday. He has Phonak aids which my Specsavers Audiologist told me are not available from Devon and Cornwall healthcare trust, the guy I took is covered by the same trust. The tests and adjustments that his audiologist carried out on his aids is much more comprehensive than I've ever been given by Specsavers!! He had nothing but praise for his audiologist.
I think I need to ask my GP for a referral to the NHS Audiologist to see if I can get better aids without having to go private.

 

[MarinePMI]

I took a patient for an NHS audiology appointment last Friday. He has Phonak aids which my Specsavers Audiologist told me are not available from Devon and Cornwall healthcare trust, the guy I took is covered by the same trust. The tests and adjustments that his audiologist carried out on his aids is much more comprehensive than I've ever been given by Specsavers!! He had nothing but praise for his audiologist.
I think I need to ask my GP for a referral to the NHS Audiologist to see if I can get better aids without having to go private.

The large difference in performance of hearing aids is all about the adjustment/filters programmed into them.

While manufacturers do update the algorithms in newer hearing aids, the industry as a whole, tend to have very similar algorithms in their products. The cheaper vendors (like Costco here) just spend less time on programming the filters, so they don't appear to work as well. Whereas when I got mine (through an audiologist), they were set up with several different filters, based upon feedback at follow up appointments (which the cheaper vendors don't have by default). One for office, one for crowded places like a restaurant, and one for quiet outdoors (amplifies the animal noises and birds) tend to be all that I need.

It is incumbent on the user to ask for this filters to be made and loaded into the aids/apps, and many do not know this. Even the cheaper providers will do it if asked (they just don't volunteer the service, since it takes a little bit more effort and time).

 

[Trickyd66]

Is that an appointment with

NHS Audiologist
or
Specsavers
????

I went for a Specsavers ear test,( as it's free) when I told them I had a titanium bone in my right ear. That was the last I heard from them, so I had to go back down the NHS route.

The latest NHS hearing aids are awesome compared to my 4 year old set.

NHS use specsavers as a NHS contractor for initial fittings.... had mine done by them around covid times (couldn't hear because everyone was wearing face masks and I had unknown to me become able to lip read to some extent)
All follow ups have been with NHS audiology.

 

[Trickyd66]

Every time I go in for an update / tweak with my NHS ones ask if they can do noise cancelling versions... still no joy

 

[moeggesit]

I don’t think private will get you any better than NHS. I’ve been hoping someone would wake up and see the market for prescription hearing protection.

 

[Rake Aboot]

I’ve heard they are good for tinnitus, anyone confirm this ?

 

[timbrayford]

What is anyone’s recent experience getting a referral from the nhs to an audiologist? Takes ages or they try to avoid it or what?

Thanks
ES

Still waiting after a June referral!

 

[Cyres]

I have very mild tinnitus and yes hear aids help me.
D

 

[Rake Aboot]

Anyone with more severe tinnitus tried them ?

 

[Rafter]

Anyone with more severe tinnitus tried them ?

Yes, and no, no improvement for me.

Cicadas all year round, day and night.

 

[downwind]

Anyone with more severe tinnitus tried them ?

I have constant tinnitus, hissing, like a punctured tyre. The Specsavers private aids made no noticeable difference!