The 67-year-old hearing test results! You need hearing aids.

[dtaylo1066]

I am now on my 3rd pair of hearing aids. Beginning of 2018 I had an ear infection which I didn't get taken care of soon enough. My first impression for hearing aids in general, it was like hearing through your own personal p.a. system Music wasn't very smooth. I got a second pair about a year later which was optimized for music professionals. They were better. My hearing regressed and so the 3rd pair. These hearing aids have a music setting. IT WORKS! I leave it at the music setting because everything sounds better. My listening to music has become much more enjoyable. I am not an ad for hearing aids, but if anyone asks I will tell which brand and model I ended up with.

I will go to the consult in two weeks to go over all this stuff and what my Medicare Advantage will cover. I really liked that audiologist and she was super informed, and I told her my audio addiction. If you don't want to post, please PM me with the hearing aid brand you arrived at and like so much. That is encouraging news.

Of course we could also discuss progressive lenses, but that is for a different forum. Oh to have my 20 year old ears and eyes again!

 

[groovybassist]

I am now on my 3rd pair of hearing aids. Beginning of 2018 I had an ear infection which I didn't get taken care of soon enough. My first impression for hearing aids in general, it was like hearing through your own personal p.a. system Music wasn't very smooth. I got a second pair about a year later which was optimized for music professionals. They were better. My hearing regressed and so the 3rd pair. These hearing aids have a music setting. IT WORKS! I leave it at the music setting because everything sounds better. My listening to music has become much more enjoyable. I am not an ad for hearing aids, but if anyone asks I will tell which brand and model I ended up with.

I’d be curious what brand/model you’re wearing. I have tinnitus in left ear, as well as moderate hearing loss in that ear - my left ear hearing drops below normal starting at 750hz and continues a downward slope from there!

I wear a Widex Moment in my left ear and have found the least bad setting for music listening is leaving it on Universal, but dropping the volume one click and treble two clicks. I recently decided I’d just take it out for listening to music, but I’ve grown so accustomed to my hearing with it in that I disliked music more with it out. Literally sounded like the left channel virtually disappeared.

 

[Midwest Blade]

63 and basically have lost anything over 12khz, loud noises from things like sirens or overhead train wheels screeching (Chicago resident so this can be frequent) can really bother me and I usually cover my ears. Loud parties or restaurants become a problem unless I am right beside someone. Oh well, getting older can suck sometimes.

 

[pseudoid]

Come on you guys! Uze'awl smack-talking about hearing loss with not one reply posting a graph?
Such behavior could be against ASR EULA at a minimum and nears the border of subjectivitism!

ADD: I believe ignorance is bliss for things you cannot correct readily. Maybe posting some graphs may help me consider a hearing test.

 

[groovybassist]

Come on you guys! Uze'awl smack-talking about hearing loss with not one reply posting a graph?
Such behavior could be against ASR EULA at a minimum and nears the border of subjectivitism!

ADD: I believe ignorance is bliss for things you cannot correct readily. Maybe posting some graphs may help me consider a hearing test.

Mine below:

 

[Peterinvan]

Had a hearing test last week age 64. Only a slight drop below normal at 8k which is as high as they tested.

I asked the audiologist why they only tested to 8Khz. He said that’s as high as hearing aids go.

I use Sinegen.exe and good headphones for my DIY hearing test.

 

[Todd k]

Great topic. Thanx for bringing this up, really appreciate everyone’s experience with our advancing age related issues. presently 65 and I think this will inspire a trip to the audiologist. I probably have not been kind to my ears and would like to know now my limits. Just so I can’t blame it on my cables heheheheh.

 

[Ninjastar]

I saw my plot/chart after the test, but don't yet have access to post it from my health portal.

Per your quite accurate statement regarding 30db HL, below is what a hearing test chart looks like. After a pretty level plot up to 3 - 4K in the lower normal area, my curve began sloping downward significantly into passed into the mild, then moderate and finally into the moderately severe area as frequency increased to 8K.

I can hear fine when conversing on phones and don't blast the TV like my wife does. Both my ears tested about the same, so things are even. And they did all the pressure and bone tests.

The audiologist indicated that hearing aids will often assist in patients like me who have had increasing tinnitus, something I was not aware of. By improving the impaired frequencies, you brain is struggling to hear and interpret, the hearing aid can help your brain adjust (no guarantee or to what level) the effects of tinnitus, thereby diminishing it. Sometimes to a significant degree. The longer you wait to correct your hearing loss, if you also have tinnitus, the less likely this positive outcome.

I am also an audiologist.

Yes, studies show that properly fit hearing aids can help mitigate or reduce tinnitus in roughly 60% of hearing aid users. 40% will experience no change.

Most patients with your type of loss will have speech understanding difficulties in background noise environments, but your experience can vary.

I asked the audiologist why they only tested to 8Khz. He said that’s as high as hearing aids go.

Sort of. We do this because speech information is contained in that region and that is why most hearing aids stop amplifying up to that frequency.

We can often test "ultra high" frequencies above 8 kHz, but that is not typically done in a clinical setting unless we are doing monitoring. For example, if a patient is on certain medications that are ototoxic (can damage hearing), it is important to monitor if their hearing is being affected and that will show up on higher frequencies first.

 

[MattHooper]

On this interesting on-line tone generator if I crank it up abit on my iFi iDSD Micro Black Label with Zero Red ear buds I can hear the signal tone clearly to 8K, and to 10K if I crank the volume way up as I pass 7K. Toast after 10K, as in carbonized Melba.

When Amir completes his neuro-EQ implant I will be in good shape!!!

One moment, please...

All right you oldsters, and youngsters, try the tone generator with some HPs or on your stereo and see your upper limit!

Since there are few young audiophiles out there, I am wondering where people will top out. Be prepared, it may be worse than you were thinking.

This would make a good post and survey question. How high In Hz can you hear?

Clearly a DAC filter rolling off too early at 17K is not an issue for me!

It's been a little while since I had an official audiogram, so informally I've used a tone generator on my phone. I don't bother with headphones and since I have pretty bad tinnitus and can suffer hyperacusis, I'm very cautious about blasting a pure high frequency tone in to my ears. So even when I test my ears it's at a very low volume. I wonder how high I could hear if I played the tones louder.

 

[pseudoid]

Mine below:

Thank you @groovybassist, now we are getting objective about hearing measurements.
I just made an effort to find out that I do have hearing-test coverage.
Now, I will have to find a local audiologist that will do me like @amirm does with his AP, going beyond just 8KHz to RedBook!

 

[MattHooper]

I am also an audiologist.

Yes, studies show that properly fit hearing aids can help mitigate or reduce tinnitus in roughly 60% of hearing aid users. 40% will experience no change.

Most patients with your type of loss will have speech understanding difficulties in background noise environments, but your experience can vary.


Sort of. We do this because speech information is contained in that region and that is why most hearing aids stop amplifying up to that frequency.

We can often test "ultra high" frequencies above 8 kHz, but that is not typically done in a clinical setting unless we are doing monitoring. For example, if a patient is on certain medications that are ototoxic (can damage hearing), it is important to monitor if their hearing is being affected and that will show up on higher frequencies first.

As someone with T and Hyperacusis, I live in fear of ever being prescribed ototoxic medications..as well as MRIs....

 

[Gorgonzola]

What's to be done?? I'm 79 and stone deaf above about 8kHz. Gotta live with it.

 

[JSmith]

Ideas? Suggestions.

Widex hearing aids & accessories | Official Widex Global website

Explore all Widex hearing aids, accessories, apps and shops at the official Widex Global website. Start now.

www.widex.com

tinnitus

Tinnitus relief methods - How to manage the ringing in your ears

Seeking tinnitus relief? Methods includes sound therapy, relaxation exercises and hearing aids. Start now.

www.widex.com

JSmith

 

[Birdy]

I am 66 and have mild hearing loss in one ear, a dip around 4 - 6 KHz and have some difficulties understanding speech with lots of back ground noise. I do not have a hearing aid. For listening music i think it would be kind of artificial sounding, passing my great sound (main +sub) trough a mic, noisy amp and tiny ear peace speaker up to 8 KHz, oh my god, what a horror scenario! Then i prefer using APO Equalizer to bump up my weak spots!

 

[groovybassist]

I am 66 and have mild hearing loss in one ear, a dip around 4 - 6 KHz and have some difficulties understanding speech with lots of back ground noise. I do not have a hearing aid. For listening music i think it would be kind of artificial sounding, passing my great sound (main +sub) trough a mic, noisy amp and tiny ear peace speaker up to 8 KHz, oh my god, what a horror scenario! Then i prefer using APO Equalizer to bump up my weak spots!

It’s definitely not great using a hearing aid for music - I’d rate it as tolerable. My hearing loss and tinnitus is related to noise exposure when younger. Played in loud bands and went to many loud concerts/clubs. Hearing protection? What’s that???

 

[Birdy]

It’s definitely not great using a hearing aid for music - I’d rate it as tolerable. My hearing loss and tinnitus is related to noise exposure when younger. Played in loud bands and went to many loud concerts/clubs. Hearing protection? What’s that???

If i didn't have a other option, i would use it as well with severe hearing loss...

 

[MattHooper]

What's to be done?? I'm 79 and stone deaf above about 8kHz. Gotta live with it.

I’m curious: do you find yourself ever aware of the hearing loss above 8K when listening to music or your system?

Personally, I’m not cognizant of my hearing loss, which is likely above 13.5 K or so. High frequencies still strike me as “extended and airy”

 

[dtaylo1066]

I am also an audiologist.

Yes, studies show that properly fit hearing aids can help mitigate or reduce tinnitus in roughly 60% of hearing aid users. 40% will experience no change.

Most patients with your type of loss will have speech understanding difficulties in background noise environments, but your experience can vary.


Sort of. We do this because speech information is contained in that region and that is why most hearing aids stop amplifying up to that frequency.

We can often test "ultra high" frequencies above 8 kHz, but that is not typically done in a clinical setting unless we are doing monitoring. For example, if a patient is on certain medications that are ototoxic (can damage hearing), it is important to monitor if their hearing is being affected and that will show up on higher frequencies first.

Thanks for expert input, Ninjastar.

Typically, and for many years, I have had issues properly hearing discussions at loud parties, in loud restaurants, etc., as the background noise really bothers me. I seem to be acutely sensitive to it. Same with traffic and road noise, lawnmowers, etc.

Yet I was surprised that I actually did very well on the word recognition part of the test and got all but one of the sentence recognitions correct when she played them with various levels of background noise.

My response chart was not that dissimilar to the one posted above though my two ears were pretty much equal.

And, yes, for the philosophy of ASR, I will try and get my results and post them.

The place I was tested seemed to have the very latest equipment, which was kind of cool.

Sounds like a lot of us are in the same boat. Yearn for and demand transparent gear, as we should as consumers and audio geeks, but have some issues on the human uptake end of things.

Despite my hearing loss, my stereo and my new headphone amp and set up still sound superb to me. The detail and imaging are all there, just not to as fine a degree as before, and I guess that's more on the high end. Also it is probably why I like the volume up pretty loud as things seem dull and without sparkle until I hit a reasonable dB level.

 

[Gorgonzola]

I’m curious: do you find yourself ever aware of the hearing loss above 8K when listening to music or your system?

Personally, I’m not cognizant of my hearing loss, which is likely above 13.5 K or so. High frequencies still strike me as “extended and airy”

No, I can say I'm aware of the loss, per se, above 8kHz. I can still tell a good recording from a not so good: detail, transparency and "air" are generally quite evident and enjoyable.

 

[warnerwh]

With my hearing aids the first thing I noticed was how much better music sounded. I've had hearing aids for years but this current pair is the first pair I will wear daily. Even with the extra processing(noise and distortion) of the hearing aids music sounds significantly better due to hearing higher up the frequency range mostly. That is until you turn the music up very loud. It can overdrive the hearing aids and you get sounds similar to a speaker breaking up. At first I thought I had a blown speaker until I figured out what had been happening.
Get the best ones you can. My current ones are expensive but they are also the first pair I will wear regularly.