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Single hearing aid only / Mastoid Cavity - any advice about suitable hearing aid setups?

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I have had a severe middle ear infection as a teenager with a subsequent operation that left me with a large mastoid cavity on my left. The ear canal is quite short. The ear drum was repaired in a subsequent operation decades later. My hearing loss can be seen above and considering the op I feel lucky that it’s not worse than it is. My right ear is fine and I have 100% speech recognition.

I’m now in the process of getting my first hearing aid, obviously only on my left ear.

After my first fitting (Signia Charge&Go 1IX) it felt amazing straight away, such a positive difference.
I’m wondering if any of the higher end devices i.e. 3IX, 5IX, 7IX will make any difference when only one hearing aid is used?

Many thanks for any feedback :slight_smile:

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Speaking in generalities instead of specifics to the hearing aids you mentioned. In general the more advanced features of hearing aids are aimed at dealing with speech in noise and that generally requires a pair of hearing aids to take advantage of having microphones in different locations. An exception to that might be the Phonak Audeo Infinio Ultra as there have been reports of people doing very well with one hearing aid. However this (use of Phonak aid) has usually been with one “good” ear. I have no idea how it would work with somebody’s other ear being near normal like yours.

@MDB said:

An exception to that might be the Phonak Audeo Infinio Ultra as there have been reports of people doing very well with one hearing aid.

I agree and confirm, as a Sphere user, look at my .

Try Audeo Infinio Sphere 90 in your poorer ear only, however you need some patience, probably power domes deep placed to avoid occlusion effect.

It is important to differentiate occlusion effect (with off) vs. ampclusion effect (with HA on).

Keep in mind there will be new Phonak platform in Aug 2026, but Sphere is outstanding enough to give a try.

I think it’s established that one Sphere in a ear with usable hearing combined with a non aidable ear is helpful. I don’t know about when combined with an ear with near normal hearing.

@MDB said:

I don’t know about when combined with an ear with near normal hearing.

Why? Isn’t it the same situation as before the Sphere’s introduction? If one ear has poorer hearing and the second has normal hearing, the poorer ear should be aided.

EDIT:

To be more accurate, @michali in his better ear has hearing loss above 4000 Hz.

I suspect you’re right. I’m just extremely cautious about telling somebody they should do something. Perhaps the Sphere’s noise reduction combined with a decent hearing ear would create an odd effect? I don’t suspect it, but I can’t rule it out either.

@MDB said:

Perhaps the sphere’s noise reduction combined with a decent hearing ear would create an odd effect? I don’t suspect it, but I can’t rule it out either.

I understand your doubts, however, think about differences with hearing in implanted patients - for most of them, after some rehabilitation it’s no problem at all.

This is with artificial hearing! So I don’t think that effect you described could be a problem more that do with patients with more symmetrical hearing loss.

Cros, Bicros info
[Screenshot_20260110_211459_Facebook] I’m posting for consideration.

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