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Mild hearing loss but still struggling (NHS question)

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Before Christmas I got my hearing checked and was advised to wear a hearing aid, I was fitted for one and left with a brand new hearing aid from this very first appointment yay NHS, but its 3 months later now and I am still struggling, I have been told I’ve been referred on to see an but I have no evidence of this on my app. I work in a school and with SEN pupil and I feel bad asking these kids to repeat themselves all the time. I have a hearing aid only on my left ear and am struggling with working out the direction of sounds when I am wearing it as everything sounds better in that side now but I’m getting little directional information. I would appreciate any advice!

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You can’t isolate the direction of a sound or really hear in background noise with asymmetrical hearing or a hearing aid on one side. Even if the aided side perfectly restored the level of hearing as the better ear, the processing through the aid results in a time delay (phase), which further complicates the development of the directional field.

People might suggest that your hearing isn’t that bad; your issue is that the children you deal with are likely to have hearing levels in minus numbers (30dB + better than yours) and you’re listening in a challenging reverberant environment.

Get a free trial from somewhere private, see if it helps.

Thank you that’s useful to know! My hearing dropped from normal to what it is now in 3 months so I guess my real fear is that it’s dropping still and that’s why I’m struggling but what your’re say makes sense, I will wait for a appointment and see what’s what! Thank you for your response.

I have had NHS aids for many years now and extremely satisfied with the service. I have regular check ups with the audiology team at local NHS hospital and have had replacement aids whenever they have been required following either breakdown /Fault or change in . Tried Specsavers in the hope that I could get further improvement but was extremely disappointed with their aids and service and returned the aids during the trial period. In my experience it does take time and some adjustments to get the best out of your aids so I would go back to audiology before you spend a considerable amount of money on private aids. I understand that a lot of NHS aids are basically the same as privately bought aids however the manufacturers give them different names, very much like trying to buy a branded washing machine or refrigerator only to find the specific model is designated slightly differently by the retailer. Hope this helps

Sounds like you have been lucky with your local NHS. I waited 2 years to get NHS , then had to wait 14- months to get my first post-fitting follow-up (which was excruciating because the molds were unwearable so for that whole period, I had no aids to wear).

With the NHS I’m still waiting. I’ve ended up going private (thanks Gran for leaving me just enough money for !) I really hope you get sorted sooner, or can find a way to go private.

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