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Domes/tips don't maintain position in ear canal - solutions?

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I’m not sure if there have been any changes to the Oticon grip tips in the last three years, but when I did order two of them I had one difficult time getting them onto the receivers. The order form used by my audiologist indicated that they would work on 60 and 85db receivers. I have 100 db receivers, but we tried them anyway. It was frustrating and I finally got acryllic earmolds, which I have been extremely pleased with.

@user172 said:

love how my hearing aids sound when the domes are all the way in, BUT they slide just that fraction of a bit out and I don’t hear as well.

Yep! Welcome to my world! I’ve tried using leashes, also had custom-fit silicone molds, but no matter what goes in our ear canal, it’s gonna slip-slide OUT a bit as we talk, chew and articulate our way through the day. As far as I know, there’s NOTHING to prevent that happening. So I just push my aids in all day long - like I push my glasses up on my nose.

In reply to @Nutmegger

The Oticon GripTips are a very tight fit on Phonak 2M receivers. In fact I split one as I was forcing it on. I have since used a tiny smearing of petroleum jelly on the plastic ring tip of the receiver while ensuring the jelly doesn’t go into the receiver aperture. The GripTips slip on easily.

Almost back to square one. The right Oticon GripTip has started to slip out after a short period. As a last resort I have reversed the l/h and the r/h domes in the hope the handed dome shapes will suit, or offer more resistance in my oily ear canals. I do clean the domes and my ear canals regularly.

My first hearing aid was an in the ear one. Every time I chewed it would squeel. The supplier took a very tight wax impression. So it fit much tighter. Cured the squeel. But the hearing aid was so uncomfortable that I took it our every time I was stressed. It was my stress meter.
Just saying…my supplier didn’t have the skill to take a mould well.

I know it’s frustrating. Perhaps someone else has a work around.

I think you hit the nail on the head; yes, they lose their tackiness and go a little softer after a few weeks. I repeat, I have extremely oily ear canals.

So I’m back to my Widex large tulip domes which are okay.

I gave the Oticon GripTips another chance, after all I’ve invested a hefty £22 in two pairs. The left one behaves better than any dome I’ve ever had. So I concentrated on the right one. Rotated it clockwise 90 degrees. No difference; just eased out in no time. Rotated it 180 degrees so the vent is now on top of the receiver. It stays in position. It’s comfortable and it sounds fine. Bingo (for the time being - two days).

Excellent. (Industrial humour. They should be marked, “This end up. Use no hooks”) I worked in a factory too long…

DaveL
Toronto

In reply to @KeithL

@KeithL said:

Rotated it clockwise 90 degrees. No difference; just eased out in no time. Rotated it 180 degrees so the vent is now on top of the receiver. It stays in position.

wow - that’s awesome - so the opposite of the pics you sent me - this time it worked better with the vent on the top (as you look down at it), at least on one of the hearing aids.

I think they would fit Resounds. I have given up on them. As time goes on they get very soft and squidgy. I’m back to my Widex large tulip domes which don’t get the receiver wires as close to my head as I would like, but then the domes don’t slip out much from my oily canals. I envy all those peeps with dry ears where the domes stay in position and the receiver wires are difficult to spot.

@KeithL said:

I envy all those peeps with dry ears where the domes stay in position and the receiver wires are difficult to spot.

You wouldn’t if you went custom made molds, great fit with canal lock so no movement and the receiver is hard to spot.

I had custom molds for my Widex about 3 years ago. They were terrible. Maybe they were badly made. Can’t remember whether I didn’t get on with the sound quality or physical fit. I could dig them out and try again. But that would mean going back to 5 year Widex as opposed to my newer P90s.

Just now I tried the custom molds and can report that both the sound quality and the fit are poor. They sound horribly occlusive and they protrude from my ear canals. There are slits below the receivers which are supposed to be vents. Maybe the slits should have been deeper and wider to prevent the occlusion.

@KeithL said:

Just now I tried the custom molds and can report that both the sound quality and the fit are poor

On which ? But the molds do need to be made correctly, sometimes it’s not perfect first time, it doesn’t cost to have them remade until your happy with them, and yes a bigger vent helps with occlusion, but your fitter has to compromise between feedback and lower frequency response as well.

Going way back…my first hearing aid was an in the ear Widex. Left ear only. It hurt to wear it. So if I was stressed I took it out and stored it in my pocket. It was my stress meter. No the vendor didn’t remake it. I kept that piece of junk for 10 years…
That’s my experience. Toronto Canada.

DaveL

Custom moulds can take a few attempts & all ear moulds should feel comfortable. I am sorry your dispenser did not ensure this was the case. In my experience Widex are always happy to support remakes for up to 6 months to make sure they are right for you. An experienced dispenser will know this & anyone prioritising your hearing experience will be prepared to support this.

Thank you. There was a wonderful fitter there. She left and started working with an . I lost touch with her.
The business suffered greatly when she left. They remade the I had right at the end of the warranty period. I used that darn thing for 10 years. I could hear so well behind me…30 yards away! I couldn’t hear someone talking in front of me, across the table in the noisy cafeteria at work.

My first audiologist was absolutely wonderful and superbly skilled. She helped me qualify due to exposure to loud noise at work. Her Phonaks were the best I ever had…then she sold her business.

DaveL
Toronto

In reply to @KeithL

On my Marvels, the impressions were taken with my mouth closed. I got bad occlusion (similar loss to you) so I widened the vents to 3mm with my Dewalt drill! Definitely helped. When I went private, my slimtip impressions were taken with my mouth open, and I get no Occlusion with 2mm vents

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