Do hard of hearing audiologists have an advantage over those with normal hearing?
“You can use those Starkey Destinys but a pair of Oticon Epochs would be much better for you. The Epochs are cutting-edge tech” said the audiologist. “Why would the Epochs be better?” I asked. “The technology is far more advanced…. ” he replied.
I’m sure an Oticon Epoch is more advanced than a Starkey Destiny but I really wanted that audiologist to tell me why the Epochs would allow me to hear better. I wanted to know how they’d sound different, how they’d sound better and clearer and what things I’d be able to hear with them that I wouldn’t be able to with the Destinys. Difficult questions to answer, I’m sure - but would he be better placed to answer them if he himself wore them?
I think he would.
I visited a new audiologist recently, an audiologist who is hard of hearing and wears a hearing aid herself. When I first found out she wore one I was very surprised but also very pleased: at last, someone who can fit me with hearing aids who truly understands my problems. She wears an Unitron Moxi, which she is recommending to me and have more confidence in her recommendation because she has used it herself and knows the aid inside out. What’s more, she has a very similar level of hearing loss to me and so I can see the Moxi in action as if I were using it.
When we came out of the consulting room and went to the front of the shop to make a follow-up appointment one of he colleagues spoke to her, she heard her clearly and responded, all I heard was a mumble. I also noticed that when she asked me for my personal details she was able to hear my address details first time - not something I could do at the moment with my Starkeys as I am relying on context to build sentences a lot of the time.
It was great talking with her, I’ve been able to ask so many questions about the Moxis, such as: Do they work well with phones? How long it the battery life? Etc. She has also been able to talk about how the noise reduction sounds, how the different programs sound, how comfortable the aid is and so on. This is all stuff you want to know when buying a new aid and stuff you usually need to find out for yourself during your trial period.
audiometry isnt a very exact science .you can have 2 people with similar levels of hearing give them both the same hearing aid system and find that one will cope much better than the other,we are basicaly measuring pure tones ,its impossible to measure speech discrimination in different environments how can you recreate real life background noise theres too many variables ie room size general acoustics ceiling height numbers of people present etc etc …whatever works for the user is best dont go spending vast amounts of money on something with so called better technology if it doesnt give you SIGNIFICANT improvement on what you already have….i can promise you that next year your audiologist will tell you theres something even better and im sure dearer available !!!!!!!!!
Very interesting post, Steve. Can you tell us more about her? Do you know if she was hard of hearing before becoming an audiologist and if that’s what inspired her career choice or if it happened after she was already working as an audiologist?
Sarah
Sarah,
I’m not sure. She did say she had been dispensing for 28 years but I don’t know if she had hearing problems before that. I’ll find out when I next visit!
w.mckee
I totally agree with you. Just because she gets on well with the Moxis does not necessarily mean I will. But I do think it is good to get a first-hand account from a another user. Either way, if I want the Moxis then I have to stump up the cash and try them out - it’s better to get as much info up front before making the decision to pay out and having an audiologist who knows the science and also has first-hand experience is a boon.
The Moxis are 2500 for the pair and there’s no way I’m paying that unless they give me some serious hearing improvement. Having seen what the audiologist hears with them, I hope they can.
im sure your audiologist will give you a good money back trial period remember the suppliers give the audiologist at LEAST 90 days to return them so no reason you should not get at least 60 days
The question that was asked, ie: “Do hard of hearing audiologists have an advantage over those with normal hearing? ” has a multiple of yes and no answers depending on which aspect your looking at.
YES, of course.. but only if you’re asking if they’re able to truly “empathize” with you and your hearing situation over someone who doesn’t have a hearing loss. Two people who are in the same type of circumstances can always understand what the other persons situation is.
Now the generalized statement was made: “At last, someone who can fit me with hearing aids who truly understands my problems.”
NO, they can’t.. because not only don’t they have the same “specific” hearing problem that you have, but their day to day activities of life under their specific hearing loss is different than yours.
Now if one were to ask the “advantage” question as a generalized statement (yes, I know. You can’t ask a question as a statement.. but you know what I mean), then my answer would be a “resounding” ((well I had to get a pun in “hear” (there’s another) someplace.)) YES!
Shi-Ku Chishiki ShiKu.Chishiki@Gmail.com