Hi Everyone!

[JRae]

I am a newbie to hearing loss (at least admittedly so) and thought I should try to find out some information from others with similar conditions. I was diagnosed with Otosclerosis, which will be operated on soon. I also have a sensorineural loss on top of that. My ENT just has labeled as "unknown loss" and I am still undergoing other tests. My sensorineural loss puts me right around the "40 db" mark on both ears on the audiogram. Forgive me, not familiar with terminology.

I am 23 years old and I am having a hard time accepting this. Particularly when it comes to other people knowing that I have hearing loss. I am looking into "invisible" hearing aids online and was wondering if any of you could recommend a CIC hearing aid that you have tried and liked. Thanks for your help!

[nine]

hi there you remind me of me! I have otosclerosis also, although I don't feel comfortable about having the operation (this may change one day!). I also have a similar audiogram hovering around the 40 mark (give or take a little).

I understand completely about the acceptance, and letting others know. I think with me, I get self-conscious asking people to repeat themselves... it's like I am somehow making them responsible for my inability to hear by asking them to talk louder. I feel guilty if I have to ask someone more than once to speak up.. oh well that's why I'm looking into getting some hearing aids! I had my most recent auidogram and the audi suggested CIC aids. Audis and other knowledgeable folk on this board also suggested CIC, which suits me fine, because like you I want as little to be seen as possible. Long hair comes in handy! Some CIC wears who post on here make a lot of good points for CICs.

My audi suggested phonak and oticon - although she didn't really specify why, other than saying they are really good brands. So I will hope people respond to you, as I will eavesdrop

[lohearn]

Just wanted to say welcome! I have no info to give you on a HA. My 17 year old son has an Oticon BTE aid that he never wears, although he did wear it a lot in the past. He was diagnosed with otosclerosis in 2006, started wearing the aid in 2007.

I joined the ranks of the hearing impaired over the winter on New Year's Day when I fell and damaged the hearing on my left side. I am 4 weeks post op from what turned out to be a stapedectomy for me, but I also have a sensorineural loss too. Prior to the fall I had excellent hearing so it's been a bit of an adjustment in my life these past 5 months.

Once I am healed from this surgery I will most likely need an aid in my left ear. Unlike you, I am 47 and don't really care who knows I can't hear them. I have no trouble saying that I have a hearing issue if I need to. In the grocery store a few times I have been asked a question by a cashier and didn't hear them. When they give me that look like "what are you, some kind of idiot?" I say "I'm deaf in one ear" and that usually changes their attitude.

When is your surgery scheduled for?

[Don]

OK, here's the thing. CICs cannot be seen from the front or the back but are obvious from the side. RICs cannot be seen from the front and "probably" will not be noticed from the side, and maybe can be seen, depending on hair, from the back (but noticed?) . Everyone I've told about my hearing aids (RIC style) has been surprised, no one has noticed.

I used CICs for a while and I always new I had something in my ear. At first it felt like a big orange hanging in there and it does get better but, they are occluding to one degree or another. Put your index fingers in your ears and talk. That's a CIC.

I now wear RICs with an open fit and I have to put my hand up there to make sure they are still there, can't feel them at all.

If you have a hearing loss where you can't have an open fit then you will either have a RIC with a custom mold or a CIC and at that point, I guess I would just go ahead and get the CIC because they will both be occluding.

[vaiyun]

try exsilent qleaf...smallest ever

[alwood]

I have the Phonak Solana cic. It has been awesome. I have had no issues. I don't care who knows but felt like it was a easy put in and go. I am 36 and a teacher. It has been an easy transition.

[prodigyplace]

Hi JRae,

Like others here, I too am trialing new hearing aids. For the past 7 years, I have had Widex ITC (In the Canal) style aids. ITC aids atr slightly larger than CIC aids.

I tried some open fit, less occluding aids. The Phonak aids I tried would not give a decent, natural sound for me, even with custom "non-occluding" molds. The issue there may have been programming.

I then tried some Hearsource open fit aids. They have fewer features and I could not get satisfactory performance without feedback issues. In my experience the power domes (double domes) )felt like "finger in the ear" and I could not tolerate them.

Open fit and RIC/RITE (Receiver In the Canal/Receiver In The Ear) aids look similar. The difference is that the open fit transmit sound through a hollow tube to your ear. The RIC aids have a small wire in the tube to the receiver (speaker) located in the ear canal. With your stated loss, I expect you would either need power domes or custom tips.

I am not trying some Starkey CIC (Completely In the Canal) aids. I have not yet had my first adjustment yet, but they are amazing. I see the need for minor adjustments, but the results are still impressive. These aids use the small size 10 battery, so they need changing more often. (4.5 days for last set)

According to the professionals here, the new IIC aids are less visible, but only suitable for aboout 20% of people. They sit deep in the canal, so the canal needs to meet certain criteria (size, straightness) and the custom impression needs to be made very carefully for a good fit. This style is the newest and more expensive than most of the others.

I disagree that CIC & ITC sound like "finger in the ear" Your speech can sound a little to you, but that can be adjusted, to some extent. You do feel that something is in the ear, though. You get used to it. In time, you almost forget about it

The hearing aid industry likes the open fit and RIC/RITE aids because they can fit many people without the need for custom fitted parts. Unless the features you desire are only available in an RIC style, I too would recommend a CIC aid.

In my case, the top of the line Starkey aid is only RIC. I decided that the wireless features were nice, but not necessary. I am using some S Series iQ 11 aids that have the same technology without the wireless features.

By far, the most important thing is to find a hearing professional who knows their product and will work with you to get the results you need.

Sorry for the long post.

[eynewman1]

cics work very well for otosclerosis. In fact, in general people with otosclerosis tend to do better in general than people with straight sensorineural hearing loss because there is less distortion in the inner ear. I like the sound quality of Oticon Agil Pro CIC but any major manufacturer now-a-days has fairly similar technology, so as long as you are able to trial them, things should work out well.