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Edited

Resound vivia 9s

So first, will my ears be itchy and hurt for ever? If no how long until it stops? Trying lidocaine drops and eargene. Both work for a time.

Do all brands/models struggle to keep settings after (user) adjustments?

Anyone else notice the aids shifting in and out of phases? For example if I am on my phone and I have the aids set to what I want to watch tv, then as I am scrolling (with no volume on my phone) I can hear the left and right shifting in and out (like loosing stereo).

Also I cannot adjust audio streaming settings during streaming because as soon as I leave the app that’s streaming to look at the audio streaming settings, the app switches back to regular settings. Some apps stay playing, but not all.

How often do you all have connection issues? Loosing either the whole aid, Bluetooth, or steaming?

In a crowded and loud setting with live music playing in the background, I could not hear the people in front of me well. Basically I could hear the people behind me and ironically to my left, but infront was a struggle. I tried all settings and tried moving around and turning my head.

I am still not sure how much any of this is me? Resound? Audiologist? Newness or what. Thanks

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@miyanc said:

So first, will my ears be itchy and hurt for ever? If no how long until it stops?

I switched to a new dome type recently (Oticon OpenBass to tulip), and my ears started itching, so I switched back to my original.domes for a time. Then I decided to tough it out to see it I could adapt. I’m going on one month now, and I have almost no itchiness now, but it took some time. Of course, your milage may vary.

In other words. Give it a week or two, and I hope they become more comfortable for you.

Edited
@miyanc said:

Do all brands/models struggle to keep settings after (user) adjustments?

I have Oticon, and they reset to default on power up (e.g., when I remove them from the charger in the morning).

I’m planning to discuss various adjustments with my audiologist. I want them to be optimal at the default setting.

What settings are you adjusting? Can you talk to your audiologist about making those adjustments in the hearing aid itself?

Edited
@miyanc said:

then as I am scrolling (with no volume on my phone) I can hear the left and right shifting in and out (like loosing stereo).

What phone do you have, and do you know if you’re using or BT LE?

On my Android Pixel 9 phone, if I set my connection to use BT (not BT LE), I noticed what seems to be audio ducking when the phone plays a system sound, like a key press noise. The key press noise is inaudible, but the audio ducking is obvious. Could you be experiencing that?

BT LE doesn’t seem to do this, but there is a lag setting up the connection, so sometimes the beginning of audio is cut off.

@miyanc said:

Some apps stay playing, but not all.

I know YouTube stops playing when you switch away unless you pay $$$ for YouTube Premium. Maybe try another app like Pandora or local music player? Not sure exactly which phone you have or which app you’re using, but this may not be a problem with the hearing aids themselves, but more a (possibly purposeful) limitation of the app.

In reply to @bpeckham

My audiologist basically said the same thing “ I can set something to be your base.” The problem is that there are many settings in many situations and for me to be able to relay that info after a week, or write down all changed is a bit ridiculous. And frankly not the point. Why have an app, or any settings or adjustments at all if they go away. They told me to make custom settings. Which I may do at some point, but what’s the logic in letting us adjust if it doesn’t stay? And while I am ok the subject, why not give us full control like the audiologist has. As long as I had the ability to reset to baseline, why not allow me, the person wearing and using them in a real environment have access to adjust my very own product.

In reply to @bpeckham

The resound app has 2 situations for me. 1 is like a standard mode and I have 2 settings ( all around and hearing in noise) those both have a speech focus and noise reduction button. Then I have the ability to raise and lower volume ( as 1 or left and right) then a sound enhance section with has bass, mid and trebile and also a noise reduction slider and wind slider. Then similar stuff in a streaming section. 2 sections with similar buttons but they are both labeled the same and I honestly don’t know the difference.

In reply to @bpeckham

Pixel 8 pro using le audio.
The problem isn’t the 1s I can switch to, it’s the ones I can’t. Why not have access to all options at all times? Both ways? I use Libby and hoopla. If those are streaming I don’t have access to none steaming options because the streaming app is play. Or if I have an app the goes away and there is a streaming adjustment I need to make like more pass thru I can’t because by the time I exit the app the streaming part in the smart 3d is gone.

Why product designers design products that behave non-intuitively: Sheesh! IKR!?

I only have experience with Oticon. Maybe there is some other brand that remembers settings. Folks on the forum use all brands. Maybe someone else will chime in.

@miyanc said:

And while I am ok the subject, why not give us full control like the audiologist has.

I think this was a rhetorical question, but I’ll attempt to answer anyway. Probably because these are medical devices that can be adjusted for a wide variety of applications, including those that could further damage your hearing, and so the manufacturers want you to get medical advice for adjustments.

That said. Check out the areas of this web site.

@miyanc said:

2 sections with similar buttons but they are both labeled the same and I honestly don’t know the difference.

The two sections are likely for “surroundings” and “streaming”. The surroundings let you adjust audio on the path from your hearing aid microphones to your receiver while the streaming adjusts the audio on the path from from your phone to your receiver.

@miyanc said:

The problem isn’t the 1s I can switch to, it’s the ones I can’t. Why not have access to all options at all times?

Pixel 8 has a split screen feature. You might actually be able to have both your streaming app and the hearing aid app open at the same time. If so, maybe you can adjust settings.

However, I just tried this with the Oticon app, and it didn’t work. Maybe the product designers for Resound did a better job. Here’s what I got when I tried split screen (that orange circle at the top is the streaming app), and you can see the message that Oticon doesn’t support split screen. :slightly_frowning_face:

Screenshot_20251109-164356

When my ears started itching I learned about a hearing dryer that has a UV light in it. I put my aids in it every night. The itchy problem immediately went away.

Every once in a while I had to clean my domes/molds and ears with rubbing alcohol. All good after that.

It’s totally normal to have some itching or mild discomfort when you first start using hearing aids.

Your ears are adjusting to having something sitting in the canal or behind the ear for longer periods.

The irritation usually eases within a couple of weeks once your skin adapts.

If the itching persists, you might find this article helpful: “Itchy ears inside: causes & remedies” it1 covers a lot of the underlying reasons (like skin sensitivities, wax build-up, humidity) and what you can do about them.

As for the connection and settings issues, you’re not alone.

Most modern hearing aids rely on Bluetooth, and the connection can be finicky, especially when switching between apps or devices.

Some brands handle this better than others, but occasional drop-outs or odd phase shifts (left/right imbalance) are fairly common.

It’s usually not a defect more a matter of optimizing your device and habits.

The “phasing” effect you mentioned where left and right seem to move in and out of sync could be your aids automatically switching between listening programs or reacting to ambient noise changes. That can feel awkward at first but can often be adjusted by your audiologist so it responds less aggressively.

In noisy places like live-music venues, that’s one of the hardest environments for any hearing aid.

Try using a “speech-in-noise” or “restaurant” program if your device has one these programs focus more on voices in front of you rather than all-around sound.

Also, turning slightly so the mic points toward the person you’re listening to or reducing background noise where possible can help.

Bottom line: you’re likely still in the adjustment phase, and a lot of what you’re experiencing is normal.

Keep noting what feels off especially when it happens, what you were doing, which setting you were using and share those details with your audiologist. That feedback is super helpful to fine-tune the fit and settings for you.

MY made my ears itch badly. Now I apply Miracell with a q-tip before donning my HA. Problem solved.

Edited
@miyanc said:

So first, will my ears be itchy and hurt for ever?

I changed to soft, silicone tips and the itching stopped. Also helpful is regular cleaning. I do the regular wiping, but also use Perfect Dry Lux to disinfect.

@miyanc said:

Do all brands/models struggle to keep settings after (user) adjustments?

My Signia will keep whatever I set on the phone app or on the buttons on the devices until I turn the devices off. Then they revert to standard setting. That is a real pain.

@miyanc said:

How often do you all have connection issues? Loosing either the whole aid, Bluetooth, or steaming?

Mine don’t stream by phone or TV (Phone & TV are too old), but do stream from the Mac computer. The range is large, but if I get out of range, they stop. When back in range, they connect back immediately.
Maybe range is the problem you’re having.

@miyanc said:

In a crowded and loud setting with live music playing in the background, I could not hear the people in front of me well

Yours may be capable of being programmed with a setting for picking from which direction you want to listen. This helps me a lot in such situations.

I’ve a few methoed available:
The phone app has a circle around an icon of a head. I can use my fingers to widen or narrow the pick up range from 360 degrees to any degree in any direction. For example, I can set it for straight back and 30 degrees (or what ever degrees) wide. Or, I can send it Left only at any degree. Or anything else. Perhaps explore the phone app to find out if yours have this feature.

Also, the audiologist put an adjustment where I can push a button on the hearing aid and it will narrow the “beam” to straight ahead. This is great for listening to a speaker when there is noise all around. No phone app needed. I use it at Mass to hear the priest. Yesterday it was handy in a noisy restaurant. I could not understand the person at the table across from me due to noise of TV sets and people. I pushed the button on the hearing aid and the surrounding sounds were diminished greatly. I could hear and understand the person across from me well. Hopefully yours can be likewise set up.

But, both of the above will go un-set if I turn off the hearing aids and turn them back on.

Third, the devices have built in something to follow a speaker around. It will lock into someone speaking and follow that person around, diminishing surrounding sounds.

Maybe your fitter can set up one or more of these helpful features.

Best of Luck!
Paul

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