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At the moment I'm suffering a bit, as both my ears seem to be blocked up with wax. Can hardly hear a thing! However... normally I am pleased to say that I have very good hearing, which annoys some people sometimes as I can hear whispering from another room! I played the drums for 11 years and so to still have such good hearing at almost 60 does surprise me. The only problem I have ever noticed is that certain high frequencies now make my left ear 'buzz'... this, I assume, is a legacy of the drumming days and having a very loud guitarist on my left! As a rule I usually have the telly on at very low volume and can hear it no problem. Can I hear a pin drop? Usually... yes.

When my hearing got worse recently, a visit to the audiologist showed my right ear had a large build-up of compacted wax. A microsuction session quickly cleared it and I couldn’t believe how much it had affected my hearing. The audiologist recommended a few drops of olive oil each week to keep the wax soft and help my ears clear it naturally.

Yeah, I've had my ears 'syringed' many times as, unfortunately, I am prone to this wretched wax build up. They don't syringe them as such now, but used a pump that is very carefully regulated. I have just put some drops into both ears - Otex Express - which does actually dissolve the wax. I used it a year or two ago and it does seem to work. Failing this, I will have to make an appointment.

To give an example of how my hearing usually is... We have a little, wooden, battery-powered clock that stands on the mantelpiece. It has a very unobtrusive tick. Barely discernible. Except to me! At night, if I am watching the TV, I have to either bury the clock under the cushions on the sofa or take it out into another room... the ticking, as quiet as it is, is too loud for me and just drives me mad. I'm a bit like the old guy from The Fall of the House of Usher! But not at the moment! I don't think I could hear Big Ben ticking if it was in the same room!

As an aside, sadly my parents are both very deaf and even hearing aids seem to make little or no difference for them. Having said that, they haven't spent anything like the money I have seen mentioned here on them!

When I last played the drums, 2011, I used those little in-ear rubber ear protectors. But during the 1980s and 90s, nothing, apart from the odd bit of cotton wool if things got REALLY loud!

Well hopefully a Treatment Room Nurse at my local Health Centre can syringe a wax blockage
that most over the counter oils only cure temporarily.
Once upon a time GP'S did this for you or take blood samples, not any more- send you elsewhere
as someone else's problem!!!!

Mike

I got my hearing aids last Fri and I'm amazed and delighted with them. Of course, it will take me and my brain a while to get used to them but the difference between before and after is absolutely incredible and it's made me realise I should have taken the plunge ages ago. And the technology is brilliant!

They have loads of features. For example, I've got them linked to my phone via Bluetooth and with that and the App that comes with them I can turn them on and off, adjust the volume and select one of four hearing modes which are Automatic, Restaurant, Music and TV. Also, they have a few other features which I haven't got to grips with yet. I was interested in the Music setting as I wanted to hear what music sounds like with the aids, particularly via headphones.. The answer is 'pretty good' and I can hear things like a snare and cymbals far more clearly than before. I can also alter the eq so it's like having an in ear hifi system. Oh, and if my phone rings I can answer it by tapping the top of my ear twice!

The above won't be anything new to those of you who already use hearing aids but to anyone who thinks they need them but is dragging their feet (like I did) I'd say without hesitation 'go for it.'

Tone wrote:I got my hearing aids last Fri and I'm amazed and delighted with them. Of course, it will take me and my brain a while to get used to them but the difference between before and after is absolutely incredible and it's made me realise I should have taken the plunge ages ago. And the technology is brilliant!

They have loads of features. For example, I've got them linked to my phone via Bluetooth and with that and the App that comes with them I can turn them on and off, adjust the volume and select one of four hearing modes which are Automatic, Restaurant, Music and TV. Also, they have a few other features which I haven't got to grips with yet. I was interested in the Music setting as I wanted to hear what music sounds like with the aids, particularly via headphones.. The answer is 'pretty good' and I can hear things like a snare and cymbals far more clearly than before. I can also alter the eq so it's like having an in ear hifi system. Oh, and if my phone rings I can answer it by tapping the top of my ear twice!

The above won't be anything new to those of you who already use hearing aids but to anyone who thinks they need them but is dragging their feet (like I did) I'd say without hesitation 'go for it.'

Nice one Tony, glad you took the plunge!

Baz.

Hello everybody

I see there are many fellow sufferers here.
I have been wearing Otikon hearing aids for 5 years after a measurement of my ears showed only 30% hearing. Above all, I could no longer perceive the treble, everything was quite bass-heavy. This also affected my live playing, as I used to turn up the guitar and the amplifier very brightly until it hurt my fellow musicians. "You're so bright" was a constant companion back then and I didn't want to believe it. The investment of GBP 4,600 (CHF 5,600) was expensive but very worthwhile. When I'm on the phone, it automatically increases the volume in my left ear and reduces the volume (ambient noise) in my right ear. My hearing is almost back to 90%. I can also hear the treble again, but not always correctly. Since I no longer have the important little hairs on the ear canal, I hear e.g. flutes or whistles etc. like a roller coaster, up and down. That's the only problem and I can live with that. The "worst" is the noise of dishes and children shouting (ride a bus full of school children once). But I can turn down the volume for that. After my family vehemently urged me to finally do something about it, I am now glad that I left my vanity behind and took this step.

Greetings, Roland

Joeland-CH wrote:Hello everybody

I see there are many fellow sufferers here.
I have been wearing Otikon hearing aids for 5 years after a measurement of my ears showed only 30% hearing. Above all, I could no longer perceive the treble, everything was quite bass-heavy. This also affected my live playing, as I used to turn up the guitar and the amplifier very brightly until it hurt my fellow musicians. "You're so bright" was a constant companion back then and I didn't want to believe it. The investment of GBP 4,600 (CHF 5,600) was expensive but very worthwhile. When I'm on the phone, it automatically increases the volume in my left ear and reduces the volume (ambient noise) in my right ear. My hearing is almost back to 90%. I can also hear the treble again, but not always correctly. Since I no longer have the important little hairs on the ear canal, I hear e.g. flutes or whistles etc. like a roller coaster, up and down. That's the only problem and I can live with that. The "worst" is the noise of dishes and children shouting (ride a bus full of school children once). But I can turn down the volume for that. After my family vehemently urged me to finally do something about it, I am now glad that I left my vanity behind and took this step.

Greetings, Roland

Hi Roland,
Your 'roller coaster' sound is caused by the 'automatic gain control' in your hearing aids. Get your audio tec to turn that feature off in the music channel. See my earlier post.

Regards,
Baz.

hi Baz
Thank you for the advice. I will enquire.
greetings, Roland