Are you embarrassed to wear hearing aids?

Dear Konni,
Thanks for your response. As a matter of fact I have ordered iic aids which should arrive next week. Very excited and looking forward to their arrival. Hope I like them! Betty

@Betty said:

Thanks for your response. I find that the RIC style is not that comfortable with my glasses. I think another part of my problem is that I somehow feel my hearing is not bad enough to warrant wearing HA’s. I did go to the movies last evening and it was great to hear all the words, so I know in my heart that I do need them, but my mind is not that accepting. Does this make any sense?? Thanks for listening. Betty

I felt the same way when my audi recommended HAs. I thought she was nuts or just trying to sell something. I asked her what I was going to hear with them that I couldn’t hear without them. She said “you’ll be able to hear a dog‘s toenails on the floor and birds and some other things that I don’t remember.” All of those things I could hear anyway. But, I thought I would try them since I didn’t have much to lose. And after thinking about it for a couple of weeks, I got them. When I first wore them outside it was after a recent rain and I heard my shoes squishing on the water-soaked lawn and I heard more birds. I had the same situation at the movies; I actually heard all of the dialogue.

However what sold me were crickets. I went out at night and I heard crickets, not something I spent a lot of time thinking about –or missed. But I hadn’t heard crickets in years and I couldn’t believe I was hearing them and I wondered what else I was missing. I wouldn’t give HAs up now.

@Betty said:

Dear ZCT,
Thanks for your response — I appreciate your input and what you said makes a lot of sense. Do you wear HA’s and what kind? You said you are a hearing professional. Is it OK to ask what you do in the profession? I have just ordered a pair of iic aids by Starkey and was wondering if you have any input on them. Since I went back to the hearing aid office a few weeks and had a new audiogram and the aids were adjusted to my current losses, I have been wearing the one’s I have and am finding that wearing them is better than not wearing them. I have so many questions but wanted to thank you!
Betty

No problem Betty. I’m happy to answer your questions:

1. I do not wear hearing aids.

2. I am a Hearing Aid Consultant for a national company. I travel three states (mainly) and supervise open house events, do training for hearing professionals, and help with demonstrations for patients of our latest technology. I’ve been licensed since 1994 in England, where I was a Hearing Aid Audiologist, and when I moved to the US I got licensed as a Hearing Instrument Specialist.

3. I must admit, I am not a fan of the IIC, if I am being honest. Placing the aid so deep in the ear has certain considerations that probably exclude about 80% of patients from having them even if they wanted them. They can end up being uncomfortable if they are not inserted perfectly, or if there were even the tiniest of issues with the impression.

Let me give you an analogy. I recently purchased a new car, and I decided to get something sporty. My wife and I don’t have kids yet, and it’s rare that there is ever more than two of us in the car. Usually just me. I looked at the Nissan 370Z and a Porsche Boxter, and while they were very fun cars, when it came down to it I just couldn’t face the idea of owning a car with no back seat. I kept imagining situations when I might have to take an extra passenger. So I ended up with a sports coupe, with a small back seat.

It’s fun like a sports car, but it has a big trunk and I could take two passengers in the back at a push.

The IIC is like a sports car. It is designed for just one thing, to be tiny. And just like a sports car, you make certain sacrifices when you own it.

So if it were me, I’d rather have the cheaper CIC, which is still well hidden or a RIC which I think is even better.

I think that’s all your questions so far. Hope that helps. Just keep in mind that despite what I said, there are still plenty of people who drive sports cars and they are happy with their choice. Just because it wasn’t for me, doesn’t mean it isn’t right for you.

@jbobp said:

However what sold me were crickets. I went out at night and I heard crickets, not something I spent a lot of time thinking about –or missed. But I hadn’t heard crickets in years and I couldn’t believe I was hearing them and I wondered what else I was missing. I wouldn’t give HAs up now.

What a great post. Thanks.

Jbobp,
Loved your response. I guess I did not remember that I missed crickets! Thanks. Betty

I have been wearing HA since I was 6. That was 46 years ago. Have worn all types of HA in the past. Have a new set of Phonex Smart IX and ICOM now. I have told many people that I wear HA over the years. I am in sales and depend on what the customers are saying. And yes still I feel there is a stigma with wearing HA, but it is my own stigma. After telling people that I have a hearing problem they understand and its not really a issue. So stick them in your ears and hear life.

@Betty said:

Jbobp,
Loved your response. I guess I did not remember that I missed crickets! Thanks. Betty

Yep… I thought the same thing… I was sure that we did not have crickets at our 20 acre farm. We also have a 3 acre pond and I just found out we have bullfrogs… Ahhh the things that I was missing. I wore my new aids for 2 weeks before I told everyone at work that I had them. None noticed as they were behined the ear ric. I was sure that the coworkers would see them and I was timid about wearing them the first time. Now I wear them from wake up until bedtime.

This is embarrassing…

NayTatas
I have to agree with you. Now the only problem I have is that I can be talking in the phone and people wonder is I am talking to myself.
For I have the duals and the streamer with bluetooth connection to the cell phone.

I have only had mine a week and its like when I wear my glasses instead of contacts,people seem to just move on or it starts a whole new subject of conversation. Some people wonder if they might have a need also, Possibly you might help someone else.

I have to say everyone is different. But in my experience, I think a hearing loss is very noticeable, and I can usually tell after a few minutes speaking w/ someone, almost always. I don’t always notice hearing aids though.

I’ve worn HAs since 2nd grade, and back then you dont want to be seen as “different”, so yeah, back then it was embarrassing. Since growing up, it’s not an issue, as people earlier in this thread said, it’s like wearing glasses.

I actually use that analogy when asked by a child what those things are (watch the parents cringe when their kids ask that question )

BTW, once you explain what they are, they don’t give it a second thought.

Hi Betty, my Mum was actually really embarrassed wearing hearing aids at first and in-fact would generally go without wearing them at all and preferred to struggle just getting by with lip reading mostly through conversations. She has just been fitted with the octicon acto which she absolutely loves and they came at a great price too so maybe have a look at trying them and see if they help with your confidence of wearing them.

Ask your friends that wear glasses full time if they are embarrassed with those “things” hanging on their ears.

Most will say no, glasses are acceptable, but somehow wearing corrective equipment for hearing is different than corrective equipment for vision?

No, I’m not any more embarrassed to wear HA than to wear my reading glasses.