A few weeks ago I visited my optician to sort out some new shades & I noticed their offer of a free hearing test. I’ve had tinnitus for years and always put it down to riding motorcycles for years without using ear plugs rather than MS.
Intrigued I booked an appointment and on the due day discovered I have high frequency hearing loss in both ears. The audiologist then offered a trial period of two weeks to see how I would get with crystal clear hearing again. Well after the initial excitement of hearing my late fathers retirement clock ticking away in the lounge all these other noises started to invade my tranquility, the turning a page sounded like the russelling of a packet of crisps, the dogs claws on our hard floor sounded like Riverdance but worst of all the noise of the nearby motorway now sounding as though it was only metres away.
Today I returned the loan hearing aids with decision that I’ll live without those new invasions and what’s more save myself a small fortune as I hadn’t a clue the cost of these things could be so high. The pair I had on loan were valued at £2500 each ear. Pardon.
Maybe in time I’ll see what the NHS has to offer but for now I’ll carry on as I am. What, did you say something.
So did they think it was the motorbikes or the MS? I’ve had tinnitus for years (I think it was the discos that did mine in) and I keep thinking I should get my hearing checked. Probably worth knowing how much hearing I’ve lost and then just live with it.
They couldn’t say either way, but I’m guessing it was the bike riding and the wind noise, likewise I’ve had it for years but only diagnosed with MS this year. It’s only learning about MS that’s lead me to link the two together nothing more.
Hi there, Along with other symptoms, I have high frequency bilateral hearing loss, tinnitus and balance problems. These all started some years ago, leading me to consult my GP who immediately referred me to an audiologist who, in turn, referred me to a neurologist. This led, eventually, to a diagnosis of MS. (And that’s cutting a long story short!).
In addition to my other treatments, I now wear NHS hearing aids which are great. They correct the hearing loss and seem to reduce my awareness of the tinnitus, although I should add that, over time, I do seem to have just got used to that.
My NHS hearing aids are supplied with no charges at all, and I believe that applies to everyone.
I’ll ask my GP for a referral to an NHS audiologist on Monday, and to be fair to the one I saw on Friday she strongly encouraged me to do much the same and wasn’t pushing me down the expensive private route. Fair play to her.
Hi,Ben i got nhs hearing aid in Febuary this year at first EVERYTHING was too loud people talking cars kids voices,and the noise from paper rusting was soooo bad,but now things are just starting to sound normal and i do know if i havnt put them in.
The one thing i am struggling with is the phone its hard to hear and sometimes its easier to hear without the hearing aid in.
But i must say its the best thing i have done in a long time i hear the birds and and the wind in the trees and so many other things and best of all the tv is not blasting out and i find im not having to lip read what people are saying whithout realising i was doing it.
I put my hearing loss down to working in noisy kitchens with pans clattering and extractor fans buzzing and people shouting ,then going to noisy discos too.
So yes do ask your gp for a referal and the nhs hearing aids will be just as good as the expencive private ones and you also dont have to pay for the batterys as there free too.
I wear 2 hearing aids and I certainly couldn’t live without them. (My husband also needs a pair too - what a pair we are )
I didn’t go down the NHS route because of the very lengthy delay there was going to be before I got a pair and the type of aid that my local NHS was offering at the time (they are much better now apparently but at the time they were only offering the “in the ear” non-digital type which I knew was uncomfortable and, tbh, not that brilliant as I had tried a pair out before)
I got mine from a well known national chain of Opticians because, at the time, I wasn’t that clued up. I got a middle range pair and the price wasn’t too bad (I thought) but the top-of-the-range price was RIDICULOUS.
My husband went to our usual opticians when he was first looking and the price that he was quoted by them was BEYOND RIDICULOUS!!!
He then went to the same place that I had and, although the price was lower, the aids that he got from them were not good for him and were completely the wrong design so they kept failing and psarts had to be replaced pretty much every week.
Finally, after much arguing with that firm (and a gentle mention of the County Court) , we got our money back and went to our local independent audiologist. WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!!
Fantastic service, no hard sell and the price was MUCH better than what the various Optician chains were quoting. Definitely worth going to a proper independent specialist rather than the “add on” businesses that high street Opticians have linked up with.
Well since I started this thread I’ve now been equipped with a pair of NHS hearing aids and although its only day two, after weeks of very irritating tinnitus I’m pleased to report I’m really impressed with them as they seem to be keeping that whistling at bay. Happy days.
I know this thread is super old. Sorry for bumping. But I’ve recently was recommended to wear hearing aids. These devices are pretty expensive, so it would be great to find out the details before making the choice. Which ones do you use? Where did you buy them? What things should be taken into account?
Thanks in advance.
It is a difficult question to answer. I guess you should visit a doctor first and next step-(removed by moderator)… Ask them about the options (there are tons of them), brands and differences between them. When you have some ideas you can also do a little research online and after make up your mind.