Hearing Aids and Hunting

[diggerson]

So, at the age of 40, I\'ve realized my hearing is already bad enough that it needs help from hearing aids. I\'m tired of my catch phrases around family and friends being \"huh?\", \"what?\" and \"say again?\". Things really came to light last hunting season, when my hunting buddy flat out told me he realized anytime we were in the field and whispering to talk quietly, he had to get on my right side so I had half a chance of hearing. If he was on my left, I\'d turn my head as far as I could to get my better (still not good) ear in favor. This past elk season, I missed multiple distant bugles, cow calls, game splashing across water that he heard and would ask \"hear that?!\". I\'ve finally had enough and visited an audiologist. Weighing my options for type, make, model, function, capability, cost, blah blah blah...

Who here uses hearing aids, and how has improved (or detracted) from your outdoor experience. I got to try some demo aids over the past weekend and the experience was great! Didn\'t get to use them in a hunting situation, but I was outside some. While I could hear lots of distinct noises I couldn\'t otherwise, I also noticed occasional wind noise when it would hit the mic right. Sometimes, the sound of walking through grass, brush, etc. was too crisp, too amplified, and I can see this being detrimental.

Looking for feedback, experience, tips, etc.

 

[Ol' Arky]

I\'ve used Walkers Game Ear products for years... I like the ear muffs best but they have there drawbacks like too hot when it\'s hot and not good in the rain... Haven\'t tried the in ear models but have used the behind the ear modles which are too easy to loose... With all the hearin\' enhancers I\'ve use ya get that crunchin\' sound when walkin\'... If ya set (like I do most of the time) they are great... I have found that Iphones to close to my game ear muffs will cause a lot of feedback... Most hearin\' aid\'s DO NOT have a reduction circuit to lessen the noise of gun blast like game ears do... Check with ya audiologist to see if they can build ya somethin\' that will assist with hearing and not blow out ya ear drums when ya shoot...

I think the reason for the loud crunch when ya walk is because we are so used to not hearin\' it it just sounds loud and would get better the longer ya use any hearin\' aid or enhancer... Just my opinion...

Hope ya find somethin\' that will work for ya....

 

[diggerson]

Thanks for the input, Phil. And good to see you still hanging around the hunting forums and getting out after deer and ducks. I was nocohuntr on Elk Camp...

 

[Ol' Arky]

Thanks for the input, Phil. And good to see you still hanging around the hunting forums and getting out after deer and ducks. I was nocohuntr on Elk Camp...

Yep as long as I can I\'m goin\' to go and sometimes even when I can\'t... :shh: :shh:

 

[elky McElkerson]

40?! bummer.

did you work in a loud environment? mine is diminshed, but i still hear well enough to hunt..

sorry to hear this. it\'s in my future for sure, but hopefully waaaayyy in my future.

 

[diggerson]

Elky, some of it may be from working around construction equipment when younger (I have more of a cushy management job now), but it\'s mostly from gunfire and rock n roll, and youthful neglect protecting myself from that. My dad also has significant hearing loss, and his likely comes from working around heavy equipment most of his life, but there may be some hereditary aspect there too.

Along with hearing loss, I also have constant tinnitus (ringing in the ears). The severity comes and goes, but it is always there. Most of the time, other than extreme quiet, I don\'t notice it. But I definitely notice when I strain to hear a distant bugle, or just try to determine if a distant bugle was all in my head/ears

Yeah, it kinda sucks at 40, but I\'m past the vanity aspect of it. It\'s time to do something about it.

 

[elky McElkerson]

Good for you! I have tinnitus as well. Oddly. I usually only notice it when I am hunting in the silence. It also comes and goes. I get it.

Good luck.

 

[mtnmutt]

I have worn behind the ear hearing aids for 31 years. They have much improved in the last 15 years, especially for outside and noisy environments. It takes my brain about 30 days to get used to a new hearing aid. Each hearing aid model will have different characteristics, ie sound different. Therefore, it takes my brain about 30 days before things sound normal. I am considered an experienced hearing aid user.

I have never lost a hearing aid. The safest place for your hearing aid is in your ear. People using in the ear hearing aids are more likely to lose them if they have poor fitting molds. I was backpacking with one person with in the ear hearing aids when they lost one hearing aid when jumping over a creek. They had replacement insurance. I have never had replacement insurance, however, I have never lost one or damaged them. I do not baby them, so perhaps I have been lucky They can be sent in to be fixed for around $200/each. I do this fix when they are reaching end of life in order to get 1-2 more years out of them.

My audiologists is my most important health care worker. Not all audiologists are created equal. I use one in my ear doctor\'s office for the last 20 years. For 30 years, I could not hear anyone without using my right hearing aid.

For 30 years, I had profound/deaf (90+ dB to No reading/deaf) in my left year. My right year, until January, was moderate to severe (60-75 dB). After my January successful operation, it is now a normal to mild loss (15-35 dB) and one frequency moderate (60db) hearing loss. September was the first time I ever heard a distant bugle because my right hear was not good enough in the past. My left ear is mostly useless.

After my successful right ear operation in January, I was very jumpy from all the new sounds I heard that I had not heard in 30 years. I had not heard car doors closing or most thunder for 30 years. I mostly had a low and middle frequency loss. It took me 30+days to get used to these sounds. You will have similar experiences when you start using hearing aids because you had diminished hearing that may have been gradual over time. Your crisp sounds you hear while wearing a hearing aid are likely the high frequencies. Example: T\'s & S\'s are in the high frequencies. M\'s & N\'s are low frequency sounds. Rs & Ps are middle frequency. Crunching up thin paper is a high frequency sound. Stepping on crunchy frozen grass is mid to high frequency. This season, I found out how loud I was while walking in the woods.

Get your hearing test results: either graph or chart of your hearing test. Look at the frequencies left to right (low to high frequencies). It is best to take notes on your experiences and sounds that sound strange during your 30 day trial period and see the audiologist within those 30 days to get adjustments. You have 30 days to evaluate them before you can\'t return them for a full refund. Some state laws give you a longer period. CO is 30 days.

I have 4 programs for my hearing aids. You may have your audiologist tweak one of your programs for outside/hunting. I heard on another forum that a hunter had one of his programs customized for his hunting needs. The person took bugling and cow elk sounds to their audiologists and they were able to figure out the frequencies of these sounds. While seeing the audiologists, play the sounds and have them make adjustments on the fly until you are satisfied. You are their customer, so they should work with you until you are satisfied. I have had the same audiologist for 15 years. She never charges me for adjustments outside the 30 days window.

Your success or failure of being a hearing aid user depends on how good your audiologist is and how good you are at giving feedback to your audiologists.

Nowadays, audiologist use a computer to program the hearing aids after your hearing test results are entered into the computer. For many people, this may be all they need, however, this does not even get close for me because of my very odd hearing loss. I absolutely need to take notes and work with my audiologists to make adjustments for each frequency/sounds. Since you are not a seasoned hearing aid user, it may take a few months before you get the hearing aid adjusted for your needs. Patience is key. Each time you get an adjustment, try it for 3-4 weeks before making more adjustments. For the most success, wear the hearing aids during all waking hours. Part time wearers are handicapping themselves.

Wind noise: My hearing aids have 2 mics: 1 front and 1 back. For my 2nd program, the program does noise cancellation of the sounds coming in from the back mic. This program is frequently used for restaurants and has occasionally helped with wind noise. I occasionally use that 2nd program in the woods. I hunt in medium to dense forest, therefore, wind noise is not bad. I hate wind noise. Be sure to mention the wind noise to the audiologist. I have gray fabric filters placed over my 2 mics that reduce the wind issues.

Wear head gear while trying the hearing aids. I cannot turn on my left hearing aid when wearing any headwear/gear. The left aid uses so much power to feed sound into my ear that feedback is constant while wearing just a hat. While hunting, I leave the left aid in my ear, but turned off. I use my right ear for hearing. My right hearing aid does not have feedback issues when I wear headwear. Remember to try your hearing aids while wearing your varying headwear/gear and any glasses or sunglasses.

Another problem is shooting. When I shot RH, my right aid would have feedback while at full draw because the back of my hand would press against my ear. I had to change my anchor point while shooting RH. When I switched to LH, I simply turn off my left hearing aid since I really cannot use my left ear to hear much of anything. Go shooting during your 30 day trial period.

I rarely have tinnitus. My hearing loss is middle ear bone disease and a post-op infection in my left ear. Tinnitus is more common for those who have hearing loss due to loud sound exposure. Stay hydrated. Plus, breathe...your ears need oxygen too. I have also heard people reduce their tinnitus with a change in diet. I can\'t remember what they changed.

Good Luck!

 

[cnelk]

Patricia
That is one well informed and written post. Thank you!

I have heard an issue with hearing aids is you forget you have them in when you take a shower.
And the water ruins them.
Is that true?

I also have some hearing loss along with tinnitus so I am learning about this topic as well
Too many guns and rock & roll.... The 80s were tough on me

 

[Zpd307]

tinnitus sufferer here...... with some noticeable hearing loss. my tinnitus really bothered me this year, trying to listen for distant raking bulls...

 

[mainebrdr]

Thank you mtnmutt for that information. I am currently in the process of making decisions related to hearing aid procurement. I have moderate to severe hearing loss in both ears and and quite a bit of tinnitus as well. Supposedly my health ins. will cover a percentage of the cost but right now I am having difficulty pinning them down on exactly what they will actually cover. Having started elk hunting only a few years ago I have yet to hear even so much as a mew! I have to watch my son\'s face as I call. I am really looking forward to next season with hearing aids. I guess at 61 I don\'t need to worry about them making me look old!

 

[diggerson]

Yes, mtnmutt, thank you for ALL the information! That is exactly the kind of honest feedback I was looking for. The good, the not so good, and the ways to deal with it.

mainebrdr, yes, insurance for hearing aids can be tricky terrain to cover. At first, I thought I had a good deal going with my policy, as it stated it would cover $2500/year for hearing aids. HOWEVER... the fine print states that\'s only after the deductible is met, which for me is $2,000. So, essentially, my plan will only cover $500 of this. Luckily, I\'ve had a health savings account through work, and have been fortunate to have good enough health and few medical bills the past few years, that I have saved enough to cover a good chunk of the cost. Now, my dilemma is how much to spend. There are a lot of options out there, with a lot of technological inclusions and adaptations. But how much of this do I really need to hear better? The low end model I could afford outright, but I\'m told that\'s like buying an iPhone4 when we are now on iPhone6 or so(??). As you go up in cost, the capability of the aids increases and has a lot more features, like remote control, Bluetooth integration, etc. I\'m sure these features make life a bit more convenient, but will they really benefit me that much, beyond being able to hear better? :dk: :dk:

 

[Ol' Arky]

Iphone 4 works for me... And if ya are gonna compare hearin\' aids to Iphones ya might as well get ready to upgrade ever year... :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[mtnmutt]

I have heard an issue with hearing aids is you forget you have them in when you take a shower.
And the water ruins them.
Is that true?

Yes, you are correct. About once a year, I enter the shower with one of my hearing aids. I little water exposure will not destroy them. I do take precautions and have yet to ruin them from exposure to water.

When I received my first hearing aid, the audiologist said that these 3 things are the worse for hearing aids:

1. Hairspray[/*:minhc9hl]
2. Ear wax[/*:minhc9hl]
3. Water[/*:minhc9hl][/listinhc9hl]
   Just in case your audiologist doesn\'t explain some details, here is some bedtime reading... :yawn:
   
   Ear Wax - Your ear will produce more while wearing an aid. Everyday, wipe down the hearing aid and get off any caked on ear wax. Wipe down the outer part of your ears and gently use a q-tip to do the ear canal. Do not shove the q-tip in too far and hit the ear drum. Taking a shower everyday reduces ear wax if you use a towel to wipe your ears. Camping for 9 days for hunting is when I accumulate the most ear wax. I use a tissue to wipe down my ears and aids.
   
   Water - Your ears sweat and humidity is not your friend. Buy the dri-aid kit ($12) or Super Dri Aid Hearing Aid Dehumidifier ($20) and put your hearing aids in them at night. I had to use one on the East Coast, otherwise, water stayed in the ear mold\'s tubing and likely inside the aid. Using the dri-aid will help extend the life of your hearing aids. In CO, I rarely use the dri-aid because I am lazy and humidity is normally very low. During our September 2013 rains, I had to use one. Even in dry climates, using a dri-aid will help extend the life of your hearing aids. Water droplets form in my ear mold tubes and can block off sound which result in things sounding like I am underwater.
   
   Rain - On the East Coast, I had a bad habit of getting caught out in the rain. I grew up playing outside during rainstorms, so I don\'t like that I have to wear a hat or hood to protect my aids. I wear my hair long and my hair is thick, so it does a descent job protecting my aids from rain. Hoods cause left hearing aid feedback for me and I do not like hats. In CO, I will still use my hair to protect them from rain, however, I generally carry a rain hat. My current hearing aids cost $1700 a piece. A rain hat is a good investment. I hunted during the flooding weekend in September 2013. My hearing aids never got too much water exposure. After I returned home, I used a dri-aid.
   
   Dogs and cats will want to chew your sweaty salty hearing aids. If your aids are not in your ears, your risk of losing them or damaging them increases. Buy the Super Dri Aid Hearing Aid Dehumidifier jar. The dogs and cats can\'t get to them if they are in the jar.
   
   After you get hearing aids, note how long the batteries last. The more you are exposed to sounds, the faster the battery will drain. I get about 10-14 days on my batteries. Before I go hunting, I put fresh batteries in my aids.
   
   My insurance has never covered the cost of my hearing aids. I use a Health Saving Account to save the money. Every 5-7 years, my hearing aids need to be replaced. I can get another 1-2 years out of them paying the $200/a piece repair which warranties them for 1 year after repair. My left and right ears do not need the same models. My left needs a power aid, therefore, I can only use a behind the ear model. In order to keep it simple, I buy the same model for both ears. It allows me to have the left aid reprogrammed to my right if I need to send in the right aid for repair. I cannot use my left ear to understand speech, therefore, I do not miss it while an aid is in for repair.
   
   The smaller the aid, the more expensive they will be. I have worn behind the ear (BTE) aids since age 19. I can care less if someone sees me wearing hearing aids, therefore, I would never buy in the ear (ITE) or in the canal (IIC) hearing aids just to keep them hidden from view. In the ear aids are more likely to fall out if poorly fitted, but they are less noticeable. The stigma of wearing hearing aids is way over with the newly aging baby boomers. Wear the size and style that works for you and your budget.
   
   Your ear canal will change once you start wearing them, so the fitting may loosen in time. Every 2-18 months, I need new ear molds ($60/each) because the molds eventually shrink which result in poor fit. In dry CO, they do need to be replaced more often than when I lived on the East Cost.
   
   Which model to buy: With most electronic gizmos, I tend to go middle of the road. If you are new to hearing aids, I doubt you will start using the features like bluetooth unless you spend a lot of time on the phone or listening to music. Bluetooth would drain the battery faster.
   
   Here are the features I would recommend, hearing aid with 2 mics (achieve noise cancellation), 2 or more programs and telecoil (t-coil).
   
   T-coil allows you to hear over a phone while blocking outside air sounds by using the magnetic field to feed sounds to your aid. By law, telephones & headphones are hearing aid t-coil compatible. You turn on the aids\' t-coil and you only hear the sound through the telephone or headphones and not sounds in the air. T-coils are handy in noisy environments like airports. Also, theaters likely have induction loops. You can buy an induction loop for your home for watching TV or listening to music. If a public place has a ear symbol, then they have an induction loop that is compatible with your hearing aid t-coil.
   
   Some electronics may cause interference with the t-coil and you get a buzzing sound when using t-coil. Store security systems used to cause buzzing even when I used just the aid\'s mic, not t-coil. Initially, the digital age was not friendly to hearing aid users until the government updated the laws. Unfortunately, manufacturers are not always held accountable for the interference that their devices cause despite the law. Analog phones were a ton better for t-coil than when we all went to digital for everything. Perhaps because of the aging baby boomers, the manufacturers are now more complaint than ever before. My work laptop causes t-coil interference, therefore, I cannot effectively use t-coil for phone calls at work because of the buzzing sound from the laptop\'s interference. I do not think much of electronic manufacturers. Unfortunately, the FCC rarely goes after these manufacturers unless it\'s a safety issue with operating aircraft. You have no idea if an electronic device will cause interference until you use the device. It is not the fault of the hearing aid.
   
   All phones have a hearing aid t-coil rating. Likely, T3 or T4. T4 is better. Ratings are T1 to T4. All phones also have a microphone rating M1-M4. The M rating is important when using a cell phone with your aid in microphone mode (not t-coil). The higher the better. Your hearing aids also have a M rating M1-M4. Add up the 3 values to see the overall value. The higher the number the better.
   
   I once had hearing aids that needed a remote control for volume control, selecting the programs and selecting t-coil. It is just one more thing I may lose. I prefer aids that are controlled by the buttons on the aid. Perhaps controls on the aids are not as likely an option for in the ear aids.
   
   Research on the internet on how to buy a hearing aid. These things are not cheap and they are more complicated than buying a car.
   
   Audiologist do not sell from all manufacturers. I use phonak for the past 20 years and are happy with them. I only buy behind the ear hearing aids. If I bought in the ear aids, then perhaps I would choose a different manufacturer. I trust my audiologist, therefore, I do not research different aids. She hasn\'t done me wrong yet. Some audiologists will be more driven by profit rather than fitting you with the correct make and model that you need.

 

[WW]

Mtnmutt has really covered the nitty gritty about aids very well. I have behind the ear aids and yes, you can loose them and not even notice it is gone for awhile. The only thing I can think of is when I removed my binoculars from around my neck, the strap must have brushed one of the aids out of my ear. Searching for it was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Never did find it! the replacement cost was $900 bucks. And since they were under warranty, that was about 1/2 the original price. So from now on, I tie a piece of fishing line on them and run it behind my head and to the other aid. Hopefully if one pops out somehow, I will feel it dangling on the end of the string.

I was really lucky when I bought mine because my audiologist was a bowhunter. Mine have three settings on them and when I told her I wanted the hi setting set for (elk mode), she knew exactly what I was talking about. So I have super bionic hearing when I hunt.

I have been told that Costco has the best prices for aids. Mine are by NuEar and Costco doesn\'t have that brand with the three settings. So I have to pay more.

By the way, the three settings are #1 for normal hearing, #2 for cancelling out background noise, like in a restaurant, and #3 is for my special elk mode which is much louder. :lol:

You can expect to pay the price of a decent used car for a good set of aids!

 

[Buglemaster]

I also have behind the ear aids that I\'m still having trouble adjusting to. Any wind at all will drive me nuts! If it\'s calm, I certainly hear better, but.......I\'ve recently found something that really tripped my trigger. My Son in law is in law enforcement as well as the military police & is a shooting instructor. Recently we went out to play with his Glock. I put on my old earmuffs & he pulled out his & said I should try them out. Electronic shooting muffs that not only block out the loud stuff, but amplify as well. WOW! I picked up a pair of Howard Leight 1526 electronic shooting earmuffs. I haven\'t actually hunted with them yet, but just playing around outside I was amazed at how much they amplified sounds & without the wind distortion. For $50, they do a great job. If your not quite ready to drop the big bucks on hearing aids you should check them out. It\'s pretty cool to be able to cary on a normal conversation on the shooting range without taking off the ear protection. Just an alternative to spending 3-5K.

 

[mainebrdr]

So Dave do you think anyone would notice me wearing them in a progress meeting around a table :?:

 

[Buglemaster]

There is a chance... You would be surprised at how much more info you get tho. Tonight while watching tv with them on, my wife kept screaming at me to turn it UP! Quite the opposite of when I am not wearing either the hearing aids or the muffs. The positive side is turning the muffs off. That really pizzes one off. roblem: