Hearing Aids and Hearing Protection

[1911Nut]

The time has come (in fact the time passed years ago) for me to address problems I am experiencing with my hearing.

As background, I have used handguns, rifles, and shotguns pretty regularly for over 50 years, and with the exception of some shooting done without hearting protection while hunting in my earlier years, I have always been careful to wear good quality hearing protection when engaged in shooting sports.

However, I spent almost 40 years in the mining industry working around off-road mining and haulage equipment and in obnoxiously loud smelters and rod plants. I began my mining career in 1969, and until the mid-70"s when OSHA and MSHA regulations were fully implemented, hearing protection in the work place was simply not part of my life. Prior to working in mining, I had spent four years in the military and spent all that time in fairly loud communications centers full of radio noise and teletype machinery running continuously. I also spent quite a bit of time in my youth riding motorcycles as well as operating chain saws during summers, in addition to hunting and shooting.

When employed in the mining industry and following the implementation of OSHA and MSHA regulations, I was exposed to annual hearing tests and the use of hearing protection beginning at the age of 24 or 25, and by then my hearing was already seriously degraded.

So here I am 50+ years later, finally deciding to take action and address the issue. I suppose I am the poster boy for "better late than never".

My hearing has continued to deteriorate for the past ten years, and the past year or two it has reached the point that when wearing electronic ear protection and competing in pistol matches, the range officer has to hold the electronic timer within an inch or so of my right ear for me to even be able to hear the timer audible start signal. Communicating in a room full of people or when there is virtually any source of background noise such as traffic, music, normal conversation, etc. is virtually impossible.

I have an appointment for a hearing test and complete evaluation by an audiologist on February 2 and am researching hearing loss and the use of hearing aids prior to my visit so I may better prepared to make the evaluation as meaningful and beneficial as possible.

Turning to the vast knowledge base of this forum's members has never failed me in the past when I desired to increase my knowledge base, so I am tapping that wonderful resource once more. Some questions:

- Any important questions I should ask during my visit to the audiologist?

- Any red flags I should be aware of when evaluating treatment options?

- I much prefer simplicity, and am certain I do not need or desire any hearing aids to make my coffee, auto-pay my bills, or monitor my blood pressure. With those facts in mind, are there any particular features in hearing aids that one should migrate towards, or avoid entirely?

- When shooting, what does one do with their hearing aids?
- Simply place hearing protection over them?
- Turn the volume down on the hearing aids and THEN place hearing protection over them?
- Remove the hearing aids and depend on my electronic hearting aids to serve as my "hearing aids" when engaged in shooting activities?

- Any particular brand(s) of hearing aids to avoid or to ask for because they are of known better quality?

I'm certain that if I have chosen the right audiologist, they will be able to answer all of these questions, but I highly value the aptitude, intelligence, and experience of forum members and wanted to see if there are any bits of knowledge you might be willing to share with me prior to my initial visit. ESPECIALLY as that knowledge relates to "shooting for the hearing impaired". Thanks in advance for your advice and support.

[Borderland]

- When shooting, what does one do with their hearing aids?
- Simply place hearing protection over them?
- Turn the volume down on the hearing aids and THEN place hearing protection over them?
- Remove the hearing aids and depend on my electronic hearting aids to serve as my "hearing aids" when engaged in shooting activities?

I have serious hearing loss. Some due to military and some due hunting in my younger days. I've been wearing hearing aids for about 8 years. I put them on when I wake up and off when I go to bed. You have to wear them all day unless you happen to be doing something where you can't. I take them off when I mow and use ear plugs. Working in the yard in the summer may cause your perspiration to get them wet. They advise against that.

Shooting is a problem. I've tried muffs with hearing aids. It doesn't work. I just take out the hearing aids and use ear plugs or electronic muffs. I can't shoot clays with muffs so that leaves ear plugs. Rifle and pistol can be done with muffs.

Unless you have an audiologist that's a shooter, they won't be able to advise you about hearing aids when you shoot. You'll probably get better advice here anyway.

[DDTSGM]

I went from one in the canal aide in my left ear (for about 5 years) to over the ear aides for the last 15 years.

The first set of over-the-ear aides I bought were blue-tooth compatible if you got a dongle to wear around your neck. I declined because on the promo the guy demoing looked like a cra-cra on an airport moving sidewalk talking on the phone with no phone visible.

Four or five years later I got a set that was totally blue-tooth compatible. Definitely get them blue-tooth compatible, heck, I don't even know if legit manufacturers make non-blue-tooth ones anymore.

Shooting - I generally take my aides off unless I need to hear a timer - even with amplified muffs I cant hear the timer unless the RO is right behind me.

I have a set of these - https://elginusa.com/collections/blu...elling-earbuds - (25db NRR) - that I wear under my muffs when I need to hear my phone ring.

In terms of hearing aides themselves I use OTICON brand because that is what the guy who I chose sells. I got my first in-the-ear aides from the ENT/Audiology department at the clinic I doctor at; when I went to both ears I shopped around - going to several different places and having tests, listening to their spiels. The guy I settled on gave me what I considered the best exam of all and was the least pushy in trying to sell me aides. I didn't do a whole lot of research on different brands, I was more concerned with finding a person I felt I could trust/felt comfortable with.

One choice you will probably have is battery or rechargeable. I chose battery because of my lifestyle - I go on motorcycle trips several times a years, go to the range, etc. I decided it was more convenient for me to use batteries then be without hearing aides while my aides recharged. That's just me.

I plan on my aides lasting four or five years. The ones I just recently replaced were just over two-years old. My wife asked me to get new ones after we ate supper with my grandson at Buffalo Wild Wings - the ambient noise was such that I couldn't understand a word being said. The replacements - which are one notch above what I need for my loss - are way better in crowds, but not perfect.

Another thing you might consider if you are a veteran is the VA. I have several acquaintances who got aides from the VA and are completely happy with them, they don't understand why I don't get mine from the VA.

Hope this is helpful, or at least offers food for thought. Good Luck!

[Jay585]

I am legally deaf since birth and went though K-12 and college with sign language interpreters or notetakers. I've been shooting since I was 12.

I cannot offer help with your audiologist questions as I haven't been to once since I was in high school. I could tell you about what I remember of my testing process if that's of interest (which was much more thorough than the OSHA hearing test I had to take for work). My hearing loss is somewhere in the 80 to 90% range with a high frequency loss.

I have hearing aids with moulded ear impressions. They are old technology, but better than what I had in high school. I wear Sordins with the volume maxed out (except when shooting in indoor ranges). Hearing aids stay on their normal settings.

[baddean]

Congratulations on choosing to improve your life. Hearing aides will alter your life as you now know it.
I am four years in hearing aides and 16 years in the journey with my father's aides.
Undoubtedly the best money I've ever spent on myself.
I wear Phonak Audeo M90-R rechargeable so I can only speak to them.
Things I've learned.
Buy from your audiologist not Costco or the like. More on that later.
Buy the best/top/latest hearing aides you can from whatever manufacturer you choose.
You have a few choices of type of hearing aide from outside of the ear to fully inside of the ear.
Buy rechargeable aides. They can last as long as 36 hours. You will generally only wear them 10-12 hours a day anyway (almost three days usage). There are auxiliary power packs available for travel etc. that you can take with you.
Go for the bells and whistles. Bluetooth connectivity to your phone for adjustments to your surroundings you can make yourself anywhere you are. The technology is very user friendly.
Buying from an audiologist, at least in my case, gives the peace of mind that you have support for several years down the road to adjust the aides so that they are benefitting/working for you as your hearing changes. You won't get that from Costco or other "over the counter" aides.
It's been mentioned that the VA could be a source. Be aware that the VA is excellent at providing quality aides for vets but may be lacking in support to ensure that the aides are actually benefitting the user based on their unique hearing needs.
Ask about warranty support for the aides and access to your audiologist for continued support. The Phonaks that I wear should last 4-6 years with care.

Shooting with hearing aides.
I use Pro Ears Gold shooting muffs and wear the aides under them. I don't turn the aides down and run the volume on my muffs on high. Works very well for me. For shotgun shooting the Pro Ears are rather large so I use a thinner pair of electronic Howard Leights and must remove the aides. I just put the aides into a hard case I can carry and reinsert as needed.
If you choose to wear muffs over the aides be sure the muffs have a large enough ear box to fully accommodate the aides. The type of aide you choose (inside or outside) can determine the type of muffs you use.
Initially I took the aides out and put on the muffs when on the range but quickly discovered that I still couldn't hear students or range commands, so I started leaving them in and covering with the muffs.
Discussing this with my audiologist she had never had this particular question posed so she called her tech support at Phonak and we had a conversation over speaker phone. Oddly enough they had never had to address this either so we ended up with a couple of people from Phonak on the line. They looked up the Pro Ears web site so they could see what I was using and thought what I was doing was a great idea. The hearing aides themselves have a circuit in them already that will shut them down at loud noises. They just won't shut down fast enough to block sharp noises like a gun shot. Wearing the aides under my muffs has worked out very well for me.
I use this system with both rifles and handguns. I also hunted wearing the aides using a suppressed rifle.
If there is anything I didn't cover, or you have more questions please ask away.
You are going to be shocked to realize what you can't currently hear.

[DDTSGM]

Shooting with hearing aides.
I use Pro Ears Gold shooting muffs and wear the aides under them. I don't turn the aides down and run the volume on my muffs on high. Works very well for me. For shotgun shooting the Pro Ears are rather large so I use a thinner pair of electronic Howard Leights and must remove the aides. I just put the aides into a hard case I can carry and reinsert as needed.
If you choose to wear muffs over the aides be sure the muffs have a large enough ear box to fully accommodate the aides. The type of aide you choose (inside or outside) can determine the type of muffs you use.
Initially I took the aides out and put on the muffs when on the range but quickly discovered that I still couldn't hear students or range commands, so I started leaving them in and covering with the muffs.
Discussing this with my audiologist she had never had this particular question posed so she called her tech support at Phonak and we had a conversation over speaker phone. Oddly enough they had never had to address this either so we ended up with a couple of people from Phonak on the line. They looked up the Pro Ears web site so they could see what I was using and thought what I was doing was a great idea. The hearing aides themselves have a circuit in them already that will shut them down at loud noises. They just won't shut down fast enough to block sharp noises like a gun shot. Wearing the aides under my muffs has worked out very well for me.
I use this system with both rifles and handguns. I also hunted wearing the aides using a suppressed rifle.
If there is anything I didn't cover, or you have more questions please ask away.
You are going to be shocked to realize what you can't currently hear.

Thanks for that info.

[Dog Guy]

15 years with aids. 1st set of in-ear lasted 5 years, current set of behind the ear are at about 10 years.

I have no doubt that my next set will be eons ahead of what I have now, based on tech advances. Mine are poor at picking out conversation if I'm in a noisy room. That's a big ask and could be a litmus test of quality. Maybe I'm hoping for too much.

Bluetooth is great. Just be certain that there is no connection lag. Things like Google Maps though my aids always loose the first 3 or 4 syllables as the connection wakes up. I expect this is better now and due to my older tech but you'll want to make sure.

I generally liked the in-ear better, but the tech on the behind-ear was better when I last bought. Wind noise, glasses and goggle strap compatibility are nicer with in-ear.

[psalms144.1]

The VA issued me Phonak Audeo P90s for tinnitus and hearing loss. As tinnitus treatment they fairly well suck - have tried all three of the noise generating options and the only way to drown out the tinnitus in my right ear is to have the noise up so loud I can't hear anything - sort of marginal approach to life. They work OKish for helping my hearing loss, but, as others have mentioned, they're worthless in, say, a restaurant.

When I go to the range I either take them out before leaving my truck, or just put my Peltors on over them.

They have Bluetooth, but are VERY sensitive to connection - the connection drops every time a goat farts in Bolivia. They're also VERY sensitive to any touch - I've had them hang up pretty much any time I'm in a call and put on or take off glasses (readers, distance, sunglasses, anything like that), and have even had them interpret me pulling a hood up as wanting to hang up a call.

[BN]

I'm considering getting hearing aids - - - - - - - - - again.

Maybe everybody doesn't mumble and it's me that can't hear conversation.

I went to an audiologist a few years ago to try hearing aids. I was tested and fitted with very expensive behind the ear aids. The part that went in my ear was open because I could naturally hear some levels of sound.

When I wore them, everything was annoyingly loud. I kept turning them down and down through my I-Phone connection. They were try before you buy, but I only had them a day or so before they started asking me to pay in full. I turned them back in before I really gave them a chance. It seemed like too much money for something that might not work and would sit in a drawer somewhere.

I have some ESP electronic ear plugs, so I'm going to try them a little around the house to see if my wife mumbles.

Our church has concert level music quality plus sound wise. If I sit near the front, it's too loud and I wear ear plugs. I recently got some concert ear plugs from Amazon and they let me hear better quality than just ear plugs.

I'm thinking that the audiologist you use is very important. There is only one audiologist in town and I might need to travel a bit to find somebody.

I'm interested to hear what everybody else is experiencing.

[psalms144.1]

Editing to add - the Phonak P90s I have are rechargeable and the battery life is dog poop. I put them in around 0700 daily, and by 2100 they are completely dead. Every day. Without fail.

Of course, as with all things VA, you get what you pay for. I'd be willing to spring for different hearing aids if I found some that didn't have all the sucky down-falls of the P90s.