ADHEAR System by MED-EL: An Overview of the Research and Clinical Experiences from the Field (audiologyonline.com) We actually have 4 or 5 providers in my area that carry these devices. I found the link late last night and plan to set an appointment Monday morning when the business closest to me opens. I have considered checking into a Cochlear implant as my left ear is nearly totally deaf.
That is pretty interesting. My left ear hearing is gone. I have hearing aids with CrossOver - sounds on left side are transmitted to right side. I don't really like them as the sounds are just not natural. I find speech comprehension difficult when I use them. When my right ear is working good enough, I don't use them at all. The site says ADHEAR Bone Conduction System that the sounds are conducted through bone to the inner ear. With Meniere's, I thought it was the inner ear that was messed up. I guess as long as the vibrations get to the nerves, and then the brain, it could work. Do you know how much it costs?
I have had versions of this that did jot work well for me, but that was 25 years ago. It puts thr sound tomthe bone in your skull and throughnthat goes to the good ear. You have to have a good ear to send it to.
I don't know yet but I am calling first thing Monday morning and if I can try one out and it works I will mortgage the house to get one if it costs a bunch.
I do have a good ear and this just was made available in the last year so maybe the technology is better now or so I am hoping.
Just a short note. I have an August 21st appointment to check on it and hopefully try one out. No idea yet of the cost but I would pay quite a bit for one if it truly made word recognition possible. It is almost non-existent in my left ear. I will give an update after that if anyone is interested.
I have the Cochlear BAHA on my left side. It is a bone anchored system so it looks like the ADHEAR is similar. I am really happy with it. I have a better sense of where sounds are coming from now and the sound quality is really good. There are very few unrealistic sounds in comparison to other aids. It also bluetooths to my phone so I can hear calls and music.
Thank you for the information about the Cochlear BAHA you have and how much you like it. That sounds like what I am looking for. I wonder which system is better. I want better word recognition and sound locations. I searched for the Cochlear BAHA on the web and found a site that is going to send me some information via email about it.
I do not know every much about these newer systems like the adhear. Voice recognition is what I had lost to qualify for the BAHA. It is great for that.
I did not get to go to my appointment. My PCP did not return the referral that was needed as she was away from the office for 2 weeks. The facility rescheduled me for Sept 11th and we finally got my doc to return the fax referral yesterday afternoon. I was SO disappointed. On a positive side the hearing place asked me if I wanted to look into the BAHA system too which is for single sided deafness. It says it delivers the sound to the good ear though so it might just be like the aids that have a piece that goes across your head and brings the sound from the 'bad' side to the good ear. I don't think it is a bone conducting device which is what I want. Anyway I will give an update on Sept 11th if nothing else interferes with my agenda.
I missed your post somehow. The hearing center mentioned the BAHA and asked if I wanted to hear about it too. I said yes so I can choose between the two. I am so glad you posted and told me your experience with it. Thanks so much.
I wasn't aware it required a doctor's referral. I wonder why? It's just an external stick-on device isn't?
Yes you are correct but this hearing center isn't just a hearing aid place like where I got my first hearing aid in 2016. I don't think there was even a doctor there. Just a specialist to fit it to me. This is an otolaryngology doctor's office so maybe it is an insurance billing issue? I was surprised by them calling me the day before my appointment and saying they couldn't see me till we got the referral cleared up. I don't know why they waited till then to raise the issue and didn't tell me over the phone what I needed when I made the appointment at the first of this month. Makes me lose a little confidence in way they run their operation. But not enough to cancel as they are the only ones that I could find offering access to the Adhear.
LOL - Yeah, I agree with your thoughts on that, just plug your nose and play along. I wonder how it would feel, you know it has to have some weight and just kind of stuck on the side of your head. But, if it works, so what. I have hearing aids with the cross over feature, takes the sound on my left ear and transmits it to the hearing aid in my right ear. They were very expensive and I hardly ever use them. But sometimes the hearing in my right (good) ear takes a dive for no particular reason and I need them then. They make all the noises loud but I still have trouble making out words in conversation.
The ADhear ad says it has all day wearing comfort but frankly I would put up with a lot to get directional hearing back and word recognition. I think I had 20% hearing in my bad ear when I got the aid in 2016 and it is worse now than then. I got offered the cross over aids back then and they told me some people love them but others hate them. It sounds like they don't help much with word recognition for you. Does the wire from the bad ear go over your head or around your neck? I would worry about knocking it off my head while doing all my outdoor chores.
Hi - there is no wire, both hearing aids look exactly the same, but in fact the left one takes the sound that it receives and instantly, wirelessly transmits it to the right ear. That means I can hear people when they are sitting on my left, although the sound comes into my right ear. But I'm not often in a situation where I really need to hear people on my left.