Domes getting stuck in ear canals!

[Lunarsola]

Hi everyone: I've been using Bernafon Brites for a couple of months now. I am having a major problem in that periodically when I take my hearing aids out, the speaker/wire component will slip out of the dome, leaving the the dome stuck in my ear canal. I've been told I have very small ear canals and docs have to use pediatric-sized tips on their otoscopes for viewing the inside of my ear canal/TMs. Thankfully I my signifcant other is a nurse and he can retrieve the domes from my canals using his otoscope and forceps. Needless to say, though, it's a real hassle because there are times I need to take my hearing aids out when he's not around and I run the chance of getting a dome stuck in the canal and not being able to wear my hearing aid. I mentioned it to my audiologist--she told me to make sure the dome is on the rigid speaker tube all the way (it is), and to gently pull on my lobe while taking the hearing aid out (which I do). She asked me if I put them in and take them out a lot throughout the day (I don't). So far, her suggestions/ideas are not solving the problem.

Has anyone else had this problem and have you found a solution?

Thank you for your time, Donna K.

[jay_man2]

If your canals are that small why do you even need the dome in place? I know of at least one poster on another forum who's wearing receiver-in-canal aids without any domes at all, to no ill effect.

[Lunarsola]

Originally Posted by jay_man2

If your canals are that small why go you even need the dome in place? I know of at least one poster on another forum who's wearing receiver-in-canal aids without any domes at all, to no ill effect.

Off the cuff I would think that without the protection of the dome I might run into scratching/irritation of the plastic edge against my canal. On a lark I put the hearing aid on w/o the dome once and the receiver/wire felt to be floating loosely in my canal. It didn't feel secure and snug, and the possibility of it just falling out of and off my ear made me feel very uneasy.

[Lunarsola]

Okay, I arranged an emergency visited with my audiologist yesterday. She noticed that the dome insertion holes were sort of stretched out and loose, maybe from the combination of oils and wax from canals. She put new domes on the microphones and they stuck on like glue. Her recommendation is that I change my domes once a week.

[buck]

Have your fitter glue the domes on. We've had a few people that had to go the emergency room to get them out. But most people I fit i don't even use the dome if not necessary. But gluing them have helped.

[EnglishDispenser]

Originally Posted by Lunarsola

Off the cuff I would think that without the protection of the dome I might run into scratching/irritation of the plastic edge against my canal. On a lark I put the hearing aid on w/o the dome once and the receiver/wire felt to be floating loosely in my canal. It didn't feel secure and snug, and the possibility of it just falling out of and off my ear made me feel very uneasy.

The Starkey Zon can be used with a tiny sleeve instead of a dome - it's not part of the standard fitting kit, but you can ask for them.

As for other manufacturers, I find that the RITEs can be too tight for narrow canals - even with the small dome fitted.

I would NOT allow a client to keep an aid if the domes pulled off.

I would also NOT use a RITE without some sort of dome.

[Hear-Ring]

Some open fit devices have an option for a custom mold (RITE aids have that ability too - most likely). That way you won't have to worry about buds falling out.

I use them a lot if it takes some of the frustration away from inserting an open fit device into the ear from the patient's point of view.

Just make sure the venting is large enough... else you can take away from the "open" feel.

Ask about those.

[EnglishDispenser]

Originally Posted by Hear-Ring

Some open fit devices have an option for a custom mold (RITE aids have that ability too - most likely). That way you won't have to worry about buds falling out.

I use them a lot if it takes some of the frustration away from inserting an open fit device into the ear from the patient's point of view.

Just make sure the venting is large enough... else you can take away from the "open" feel.

Ask about those.

That is certainly an option ... however I tend not to fit custom moulded speaker-in-the-ear aids.

If you want custom moulds then perhaps you should be looking at ITEs or traditional BTEs. It just seems silly to me to have a BTE with a CIC sized mould hanging from it on a wire.

Also, a lot of people have retention problems with custom mould tips. CICs are bad enough ... but tie a wire onto them and the tendency to 'walk out' can become a real nuisance.

[DAMurphy]

I have read the discussion about the dome coming off in your ear canal. I note that this was originally written in 2008. I am experiencing the exact same problem. It started with the right one and my audiologist made up a molded ear piece. It
alleviates the "lost" dome problem but I don't like the feel of it and it has the habit of walking out of my ear. Now just the other day I had the problem come up with my left ear. I was wondering that after all this time if you have found a good solution?

[Neilk]

Originally Posted by EnglishDispenser

That is certainly an option ... however I tend not to fit custom moulded speaker-in-the-ear aids.

If you want custom moulds then perhaps you should be looking at ITEs or traditional BTEs. It just seems silly to me to have a BTE with a CIC sized mould hanging from it on a wire.

Also, a lot of people have retention problems with custom mould tips. CICs are bad enough ... but tie a wire onto them and the tendency to 'walk out' can become a real nuisance.

I have custom moulds that resemble my old CIC's on the ends of my YES IX's. My audi used them as she could not stop feedback with the domes. They have a decent sized vent in them, and they are comfortable and solved the whistling. Actually, the problem was with the Siemens Pures that I trialed first, so she just carried them over to the YES. I have no problem with the moulds at all. I would have to say they are a valid option as they allow me to partake of the benefits of the BTE/RIC.