Body level hearing aids produce noise because of rubbing of cloth and other factors, and less clarity for speech. Is there any solution for this? (Back to Top) A Body Aid is worn in the shirt pocket. You have touched upon one of the few drawbacks of this style aid. When your arm or clothes rub across the microphone (located at the top of the aid as it sits in the pocket) it is annoying and noisy. The best solution (and it's only a partial solution) is to use the clip that's mounted on the body aid to clip it to your shirt pocket. This will keep the "box" portion raised up and not sitting so deep in the pocket where it's more susceptible to the rubbing noise. The other thing some people do is install a thin foam rubber guard over the microphone opening.....kind of like what a TV reporter does in a windstorm.
I woul like to know if the stock ihear mini canal works with induction equipment and if so, what level of quality can I expect? (Back to Top) Mr. Sanchez, The question you are asking is whether this aid has a T-coil in it. This is the part of a hearing aid that senses electro-magnetic-force (EMF) signals from outside sources. Sorry, the mini-canal aid does not offer this feature. T-coils can only be installed in larger sized hearing aids. The canal, half-shell and full-shell sized instruments can be equipped with this. Also, on most of our custom in-the-ear offerings, the T-coil is an added option ($50). It is standard on virtually all Behind-the-Ear aids. Incidentally, we do offer it free in any Triano digital aid (size permitting).
The quality of performance of an induction coil depends on a few things - the physical size of the coil inside the aid, whether it is wired with a pre-amp to boost its power, and whether the aid is programmable (and if so, is the T-coil able to be programmed separately). With today's improved technology, the T-coils should work extremely well.
Thanks for the email. Let us know if we can be of any further help. Sincerely, Customer Service, LLOYD HEARING AID CORP.
Do you sell the Horizon III R-1/R-2 BTE aid? (Back to Top) Hi Linda,
Sorry, the Horizon III series has been discontinued by Rexton. This was their very successful computer-programmable analog series of aids. We sold these over the past 6 or 7 years and dispensed thousands upon thousands of these aids. There were really great!
But Rexton, like all of the mfgrs, has been moving quite rapidly into the world of manufacturing only digital instruments. I predict that in just a couple more years, it will be nearly impossible to find an analog hearing aid anymore!
We work very closely with Rexton (they are a 100% owned division of Siemans). Rexton did replace the Horizon III R1/R2 aids with a model called the Targa (they currently produce Targa 1, 2 & 3's). As a company, we purchase primarily the Targa2P BTE instrument because it is the closest to the old Horizon III aids and it features the volume control. It is a bit more expensive than the standard Targa2, but that's okay. We provide what we know our customers want and gives the best value. The cost is just $125 more than the Horizon III BTE aids ($675), so it's not up that crazy stratsophere of pricing that is so prevelant at other hearing aid locations.
Our customers are having extremely good success with the Targa2P instruments. It is a very suitable successor to the excellent service we saw from the R1 or R2. You can order it via the website or else throught our new catalog that is just coming out. Thanks much for the email and we hope you'll try the Targa2P on our free trial basis to see for yourself.
Sincerely, Customer Service, LLOYDS
Does the Spectra-PP come in dark brown? (Back to Top) Hello, Thanks for the email. Yes, the Spectra-PP does come in a dark brown color. It is a special order, so if this is what you will be ordering, I suggest you either email us at the time you place the order or else give our customer service center a call @ 1-800-323-4212 and tell them you are placing an order to be sure that we fill it with the dark brown model.....absolutely no problem. Thanks very much for your email question. We appreciate your interest in Lloyd's.
What are vented canal tips versus non-vented canal tips? (Back to Top) Hello Jo,
I believe you are referring to the Comply soft Canal Tips made by Hearing Components, right? These are a soft, cushy foam earpiece that you squeeze down and insert into your ear. They are meant to be worn with Behind-the-Ear hearing aids as they mount onto a special adaptor that connects via tubing to a BTE aid.
Vented canal tips have a "channel" or groove cut into them that allows for the fitting of the tip to "breathe" a bit. This is nice in helping to reduce any possible feeling of occlusion (feeling "stuffed up" or like you are talking in a barrel). The only thing to watch out for is that when the fitting of the earpiece has this breathing ability, sound of the hearing aid can also leak out of the venting. And if the volume of the hearing aid gets up too high, it can cause feedback (whistling or squealing of the aid).
I hope this answers your question. Thanks for your interest in Lloyds. Give us a call @ 1-800-323-4212 if you have further questions or if you wish to order directly over the phone. Otherwise you can order directly via the website.
Sincerely,
Customer Service,
LLOYDS
I was wondering how many channels your CIC mini is capable of programming. I am looking at this product locally and they are offering a series A with 7 to 15 channels. Is yours the same product? (Back to Top) Hi Jerry,
Thanks for the email. The designation C.I.C. (completely-in-the-canal) refers to only the size of a hearing aid.....other sizes of hearing aids are full-shell, half-shell, canal, etc. This is a universal designation throughout the industry with all mfgrs. Explaining this a step more, within any of the above referred to sizes, there are many different electronic circuits that can be installed in the different sized hearing aids. The mfgrs all have lines/series of circuitry of varying technological levels.
We offer C.I.C. digital circuits ranging from one channel to 16 channels. It all depends upon how technologically advanced of a hearing instrument a person wishes to purchase. We work with all the major manufacturers, and I have never heard of anything from any of them called a "Series A." I suspect it is some sort of designation of a hearing aid that is being used just in-house by your local practitioner. What mfgr is it and what is the name of the circuitry inside the aid? If you get me that information I can give you an exact price quote to compare for the exact same product. I am 100% certain we will be substantially below whatever price you are being quoted locally. Thanks for your email and for your interest in Lloyd's. We look forward to hearing back from you.
Sincerely, Customer Service, LLOYDS
My daughter has had her Triano aids (one per ear) since November. They're wonderful! However, she has gone to a couple of school dances and commented that she can't hear the music at the dance (she can hear it fine at home and in the car.) Is there a reason for this? Thanks. (Back to Top) Hi Kelli,
I don't see where Lloyds was the dispenser of these aids.....did you get these locally? Yes, the Triano instruments are truly wonderful. What I think is happening in your daughter's situation is that the person who programmed the aids installed too much compression into her listening programs. But understand that the goal of Siemen's engineers and the local audiologist or dispenser who programmed the aids is to bring up and amplify soft sounds (speech) while keeping loud sounds from becoming too loud for the listener's ears.....i.e. keep things in a "comfort zone."
That works well for most people. BUT, as a general statement, kids like their sounds louder and can tolerate it MUCH differently that older people. What we do in these situations is give the user three separate listening programs - one of which would be called the "music" program. In this program the compression of the aid is minimized and the performance of the aids extends our more for a very rich, fullness of sounds with more low tones and extended highs. The Triano is capable of four listening programs....we usually have one of those programs reserved for the telephone coil (program) of the aid.
So, quick answer is that the cause of this phenomena is a bit too much compression. I'd suggest going back to the person who originally programmed this for you and explain things.....if you need our help in getting it reprogrammed, we'll be glad to do this for you at a very modest charge. Thanks for the email. Let us know if we can be of further help.
Sincerely, Customer Service, LLOYDS
What is the battery shelf life of the Energizer Zinc Air 675 Battery? Some of the unused batteries may be over 2 yrs.old,and when I use them they have a much shorter life than before.Do the battery packages have "use before" dates on them? I used to receive Duracell 675 batteries in the past. Have you changed suppliers? I've always purchased my batteries from you. (Back to Top) Hello William,
Zinc-Air hearing aid batteries have a pretty good shelf life compared to many other batteries in general. The sticky tab on the back of a zinc-air battery is the key to shelf life. However, two years is getting to the end of the period of time where you can expect the batteries to perform like new. You will still get life out of them, but probably not as much as if they were just fresh.
What happens is that after a couple years the sticky tab seal of the hearing aid battery starts getting old and compromised. When air molecules start getting into the interior of the battery cell, that starts it up and then it's just a matter of time until it goes dead - whether you have used it or not. That's why you should never take the sticky tab off the back of the hearing aid battery until you are ready to use it. It starts a clock ticking.
The mfgrs do not put dates on their packages anymore.....they did away with that a couple years ago. Just know that we order our hearing aid batteries frequently from Energizer and you are getting factory fresh products here at Lloyd's. That is definitely not the case if you buy hearing aid batteries at many drug stores and even the big discount box stores.
Thanks for the email. Hope this answers your questions. Sincerely, Customer Service, LLOYDS
Do you carry Widex or Oticon body aids? (Back to Top) Yes we do. We work with both of these companies and can order up their Body Aid products. At Widex, they are phasing out of their S20, S21 & S22 Body Aids. As of this date they only have a handful of a couple of these models left, so in the long run, Widex will not be a good source for these instruments. Oticon, on the other hand, is still producing their Body Aid with no signs of discontinuing production. If you are interested, just email back and we can get you an exact price quote. I am quite certain it will be about 1/2 of what the exact same instrument would run you at a local office. Thanks for the email. We look forward to hearing back from you.
I am interested in a digital CIC with a custom volume control. Which manufacturers would be willing to fit a CIC with a volume control or just a on/off switch? I have a digital CIC and the sliding action of the battery against the contacts (opening the battery compartment to shut off)wears down the contacts in one year or less. The contacts have to be replaced at the factory. (Back to Top) The only manufacturer who regularly supplies a true CIC with a volume control (which also has a bottom-end click for off) is Starkey. We can supply you with one of these instruments for $995. Due to the fact that the aid sits so deeply in the ear canal, it can be tricky to operate the tiny volume control wheel while it's in your ear.....some people can do it easily, others not. But it can be quickly and easily taken out for v/c wheel adjustment and then reinserted. Starkey is an excellent American manufacturer and one of their specialties is CIC production.
I am totally deaf in my right hear with a little hearing loss (mainly related to high frequency) in my left ear. Do you have any products whereby sound can be transferred from my right side to my left side? (Back to Top) The system you are referring to is called a BiCros hearing system. Most mfrs have the capacity to produce such a system utilizing one of their regular products in the ear that can hear and a pick-up transmitter unit for the bad ear. The transmitter on the bad side then sends sound signals over to the good ear so you can hear things (in your good ear) happening on the opposite (bad ear) side.
All mfrs have a system wher the two aids are connected via a short cord that runs behind a person's head. The cost of these sytems vary, but can start around $600. There is only one company that specializes in a wireless system which sends sounds via FM signal over to the good ear. This is the Phonak mfgr who took over this specialization from a company called Telex. The cost of an analog system is $1,000 for BTE to BTE (behind-the-ear). Add $150 for a BTE to ITE (in-the-ear) configuration. Going with a digital BiCros system approximately doubles the cost. The ITE system is only offered in the full-shell (larger) sized instrument.
What is the difference between the two Dri and Store products other than their price? Is the more expensive one sized for I-T-C and the other one fits larger aids? Also, we have always been told to keep our hearing aids away from heat, but this product claims that it blows 95 degree heat at the aid. How can that be good? (Back to Top) You have brought up some very good questions. The Professional model and the Global model perform the same conditioning function, with a combination of heat, moving air, a charged desiccant bar, and a germicidal lamp. It's mostly a matter of personal preference.
The Global is basically designed for portability and versatility. While its smaller than the Professional model, a person with arthritis or limited manual dexterity would find the Global more difficult to use. Thats because the Global has a hinged lid, and the sides of the tray inside the unit are at right angles in order to accommodate body-worn processors. The Professional model, on the other hand, has a drawer, with sloped sides, so to open it and to remove hearing aids requires no grasping function. The Professional is a bit heavier and more stable.
The Professional model has two compartments in the tray, ideal for families with more than one person wearing hearing aids.
The Global model will accommodate the can-type rechargeable desiccants in addition to the custom-formulated Dry-Brik which is designed for the Professional model. (We recommend the Dry-Brik for consistency of results, and keep in mind that a can-type desiccant will not have the deodorizing function that the Dry-Brik provides.)
The Global model has a detachable power supply (AC adapter) which can be changed out for an international power supply for users who travel overseas.
The temperature inside the unit is close to your body temperature. It is controlled by a sophisticated electronic thermal control system, so you can safely place everything in the tray - hearing aids, earmolds, tubing, even the batteries. The temperature is a controlled warmth it's not "cooking" anything. Let me tell you how it works...
Heat weakens the surface tension of the water molecules. Surface tension is what causes moisture molecules to lock onto one another like magnets and ultimately to form droplets. Surface tension is also what binds water molecules to the inside of the hearing aid like glue. As the temperature is raised, the surface tension decreases.
Caution: The heat must be gentle. Too much heat can be harmful. Thats why hair dryers and microwave ovens should never be used to dry a hearing aid.
Moving air helps the moisture escape from inside the hearing aid. Once the moisture molecules are "unglued" from the hearing aid by virtue of controlled heat, they won't leave the hearing aid on their own. Moving air is the motivator to get them into the air stream where they can be circulated past the desiccant. (Imagine drying laundry on a clothesline. Laundry dries faster on a warm day than a cool one, and it dries even better and faster when there's a breeze. Same thing with removing moisture from hearing aids.) Caution: Again, the air inside Dry & Store is not "hot," and it does not blow air directly at or through the aids. Instead, it draws air down around the aids.
Desiccant captures the moisture so it won't re-settle in or on the hearing aid. A desiccant is a substance that has a high affinity for water and is used to absorb moisture. In a process known as "diffusion," moisture will move from wet areas to dry areas. Aided by the continuous flow of warm air inside Dry & Store, moisture will move from the hearing aid to the dry air outside of the aid. The desiccant is positioned in the midst of the air flow, so it can permanently remove the moisture from the air.
Caution: Dry & Store should never be operated without a desiccant. If it weren't for the desiccant, the moisture released during conditioning would simply re-settle on and in the hearing aid.
What aid do you have that is comparable to the Fidelity 188? (Back to Top) The Fidelity F-188 is no longer being made. In fact, Fidelity Hearing Instruments is no longer in business. They were a very good manufacturer and we used their products for decades. But to answer your question, the Spectra-S is the hearing aid we offer that has the closest comparable specs to the F-188. The Spectra-S is a medium powered, basic analog BTE hearing instrument and comes from the Rexton manufacturing facility. We offer this aid at only $279.50. It can be found on our website if you'd like to order direct. Thanks for the email.
Considering different sizes of the hearing aids, CIC, Canal, Half Shell and Full Shell, which will wear out the soonest? I have heard some people complain that ear wax is the main cause for the malfunction of the CIC and Canal hearing aids. Are half shell and full shell aids more durable? (Back to Top) Hello Shirley,
Very good question. In reality, all of these models should be equal in terms of their durability. You are exactly correct in your statement about earwax being the mail problem for aids that are worn in-the-ear. But this is true regardless of the size of the instrument. If you make a habit of cleaning the aid daily with the cleaning tools we provide with each aid, in the morning before you put it in, that is the magical ounce of prevention that will go a long way towards keeping any hearing aid in good working order. Being that a C.I.C. aid is usually worn a bit farther down the ear canal, with some people it can tend to pick up earwax more readily. But if you keep it cleaned out as spelled out above, it should be every bit as reliable as any other sized aid. Thanks for the question. Hope this helps.
Is the mini-canal build your own hearing aid customized to your hearing loss, what kind of battery does it use, and do you need a mold for that model? (Back to Top) A mini-canal sized aid will use the size #10 battery. With the build-it-yourself aid, yes, it is definitely customized to your hearing loss. We always like our customers to provide us a copy of an audiogram or any hearing loss information (even info through our simple hearing loss questionnaire will work). This helps us do the very best job we can in getting appropriate hearing aids for our clients. And finally, yes, since this is a custom built hearing aid, it would require impressions of your ears. We would send you that material free of charge so you can do this right at home. I can't emphasize enough how simple and how safe this process is. Tens of thousands of our customers have successfully done this over the past 40 years with absolutely no problems whatsoever. Thanks for your questions.
Is the Dri-Aid kit big enough for two aids? (Back to Top) Both versions of the Dri-Aid kit are large enough to handle two ITE aids at a time. We offer a cannister container as well as the plastic pouch version. The regular, smaller cannister container may not be large enough to contain two larger behind-the-ear (BTE) aids. For that, a person should either order the pouch or else the larger version of the cannister (which is called the Super Dri-Aid). If you need the Super Dri-Aid cannister, you will have to email us with the order since it is not a part currently listed on our website.
How do I find information about remote pocket controls for volume and other adjustments? (Back to Top) Hello Winfred,
Thanks for your email. You might find some information about remote controls on Siemen's website at www.siemens-hearing.com. You need to be aware that not all hearing aids can be used with remote control devices...it's limited to only ones that were originally designed for that function. In the Siemens line, that limits it to either the Acuris circuit or the Artis e2e family of aids. Bernafon has a remote control circuit as well as Phonak which offers several circuits compatable with remotes. If you let us know what make and model of hearing aid you have, we can tell you if it is remote-compatible. If so, we can give you a price quote for purchasing one if you want. Thanks for the email. Hope this helps.
Will the ear hook for an Acuris Life, also fit an Acuris P ? (Back to Top) Sorry, these two aids use completely different ear hooks. Usually the Acuris Life is outfitted with one of the very tiny, almost wire-like, tubes that is barely seen as it comes around the front of the ear. That wire tubing is integrated into a very specialized ear hook so they are purchased as one item. This is, of course, completely different from a standard ear hook and tubing used in traditional BTE aids. But the Acuris Life can also be fitted with a regular type of ear hook for use if a person desires to utilize a custom ear mold (with standard, larger, curved tubing that attaches to an ear hook). However, that alternate Acuris Life ear hook is also different than the Acuris P ear hook. We have all variations of Siemens ear hooks, so if you need any of then just let us know. We will be glad to help in any way we can.
Are the Comply Snap Tips, Canal Tips, and related adapters compatible with Siemens Phoenix 213 mini BTEs? (Back to Top) Yes they are. The mini BTE's still use the traditional sized tubing that runs from the ear hook of the aid to whatever type of ear piece you might utilize. The ear piece can be any of the Hearing Components products you mention as well as a custom ear mold. The only BTE's that are not compatible with the Snap-Tips or Canal Tips from Hearing Components would be the new open-ear type of BTE's (NOT the Phoenix) that have the extremely fine wire-like tubing and special open vented mushroom style earpieces (these are supplied by the manufacturers and are included along with the instruments). Trust this clears things up for you. Thanks for the email.
Is the WaxPick-Brush-Magnet Multi-Use Tool for use if a person is wearing a behind-the-ear aid? (Back to Top) Not usually. The wax pick is more specifically designed for cleaning out the little sound outlet hole (called the receiver tube) in any of the different sized in-the-ear aids. For people wearing BTE aids, you can clean them by wiping them down with a Kleenex with just a couple drops of alcohol on it. To clean your custom earmold, disconnect it from the aid, then place it in a cup of hot, soapy water for about 5 or 10 minutes. This will melt and dissolve any earwax that may have accumulated in the earpiece. Be sure to rinse off the custom earmold very thoroughly and let it dry before reattaching it back onto the aid's earhook. You can use a pipecleaner to clean out the vent hole in a custom mold as well. Hope this answers your questions.
Is it true that increasing the vent diameter can negatively affect speech discrimination scores? (Back to Top) The operative word here is CAN. Yes, it's possible that it can. The situation where this would be true is if, by opening up the vent hole diameter, the user loses the volume that may be necessary to compensate for the person's hearing loss. Having an open vent hole lessens the pressure that the aid's amplified sound makes upon the eardrum. Plugging up a vent hole makes an aid sound louder. More pressure is applied to the ear durm, thus more perceived volume. If, by opening up the vent hole, it makes the aid's volume less than you need, then certainly that will affect speech discrimination.
The flip-side (and downside) of reducing the vent hole diameter is that it CAN (but doesn't necessarily HAVE TO) make a person feel more plugged up, or a sensation like they're "talking in a barrel." Many times this sensation can be remedied through reprogramming an aid and changing frequency emphasis of the instrument.
The last factor that plays into this answer is the type of hearing loss a person has.........whether it's moderate, severe or high-frequency. Generally, a high-frequency hearing loss is successfully fit with much more open venting than flat losses. Trust this helps shed some light on your question. It is a good one.
Does the Siemens Acuris Life BTE open-ear hearing aid with remote need to be computer programmed? (Back to Top) Yes it does. This is one of the most sophisticated digital programmable instruments on the market. It has 16 bands ("slices" of the sound spectrum) to adjust, and many different things get adjusted within each of those bands.
We certainly prefer to have a current copy of a person's hearing test to work from. This allows us to do the best job possible in setting up the hearing instrument to best match your individual hearing needs. If you do not have a copy of one or access to getting an audiogram, you can take our free online hearing test. Our free online test is a very proven and accurate method of quantifying a person's hearing loss and is very convenient to do from the comfort of your home. It also offers you a way to obtain a hearing test without the normal high-pressure sales pitch that usually comes in local offices or clinics that test people's hearing and sell hearing aids as well.
I currently wear analog BTEs in both ears. I am interested in trying digital aids. What is the difference? (Back to Top) A lot of people ask the question, "What difference can I expect between an analog aid and a digital one?" First, let's be clear that both types of aids do a good job of "doing their job".....that is amplifying the sounds of the world around you. It is well accepted by most hearing aid users that digital aids do amplify sounds more clearly and accurately as compared to older, analog models. A good comparison would be between CD quality sound in music compared to cassette tapes (analog technology). Both formats reproduce sound well and we all enjoyed listening to cassette tapes when that was in its heyday. But CD quality sound has now become today's standard for listening to music.
But as an experienced user, do not expect a breathtaking difference....like night and day when it comes to digital vs. analog. Digital should definitely provide noticeably better performance. Digital does allow us (audiologists and dispensers) to program the instrument to a much higher degree of accuracy in matching a person's hearing loss. And the new digital aids have many other desirable features that are unable to be integrated into analog instruments. Some of these things include a built-in ability to discern between many background sounds and human voice pattern of sound. The aid will subdue background sounds while allowing speech to be amplified. Additionally, you now get low battery "beeps" and multi-listening programs in most digital aids. The better, newer models also have automatic anti-feedback cancellation capability........that's a very big deal to many users who have fought feedback problems for years.
I live in Minnesota and would like to know if you have a company near me that sells the Electone behind the ear Aurora aids. I would like to check them out before I order. (Back to Top) We don't have a chain of Lloyd stores across the country to send you to for fitting. However, we do carry the Aurora hearing aids from Electone and can provide them to you via our standard mail-order method. We have been dispensing hearing aids directly by mail for over 40 years and this fitting certainly can be done very successfully. Electone has several different BTE models of the Aurora circuit.....do you know which one you're interested in? The ballpark cost for these aids is about $700/ea (dependent upon which exact model). If you can get us the specific model of Aurora, we will be happy to give you an exact price quote. We have several on hand for immediate delivery. We would, of course, need to have some information about your hearing loss in order to program the aid to best meet your hearing needs. If you have a copy of your hearing test you can fax it in to us (815-964-8378) for a no-obligation review. Thanks for your interest in Lloyd's.
How can you tell which IHear aid goes in which ear? (Back to Top) The iHear aids are color-coded. Ones with a red tinted canal shell are for the right ear - ones with blue tinted shells are for the left ear. Another way to be sure it's in the correct ear is that the volume control wheel (located on the outside faceplate) should always be towards the top of the aid when the hearing aid has been correctly placed in the ear.
Are all hearing aids hypoallergenic? I have an allergy to plastic. (Back to Top) No, not all aids are truly hypoallergenic. If you have a special need for that, please do let us know. The mfgrs all have a special material they can use for casting of the shell portion of the aid that is truly hypoallergenic and is used in these special instances. It's a very small percentage of people who have any sort of negative reaction to the traditional shell material, but for those who do, this is a big deal. We need to know this when you place your order. There is a slight upcharge for hypoallergenic shell fabrication, depending upon which mfgr is used....usually in the range of $50. Thanks for the email. This was a very good question.
Sincerely, Customer Service, LLOYDS
Can you tell me the different names of the models of CIC hearing aids made by Siemens? (Back to Top) Thanks for the email. Siemens makes a CIC model in all their circuit selections. CIC designates only the size of the aid.....the electronics contained within it (whether it be a CIC, canal Full-shell, etc) is the circuit name. They have quite a few selections of different levels of technology in their circuit selections. It ranges from lower level circuitry of the Phoenix, up to Infiniti, then Music, Prisma, Cielo, Triano, Acuris and the top-of-the-line circuit called the Centra. I suggest you go to www.siemens-hearing.com to check out their offerings. We carry it all, and can get you half-price on any products compared to what you would have to pay locally for the exact same aid(s). Thanks for the email. I hope this helps.
Sincerely,
Customer Service,
LLOYDS
What is the best way to use over the ear hearing aids with cell phones? Any ideas on headsets, etc.? (Back to Top) We've had a lot of people ask us about using cell phones and hearing aids, as they experience the same problem you have. Up to this point in time, cell phone manufacturers haven't had to make the phones compatible with hearing aids. There is an interesting article you may want to check out from the SHHH (self help for hard of hearing people) on this topic: http://www.shhh.org/html/qa_for_audiology_online_digita.HTM.
The good news is that some manufacturers are producing special hearing aid-compatible phones. You should check with your local cell phone provider to see if they have models available for you. More good news is that the FCC is requiring the mfgrs to begin making all cell phones hearing aid compatible starting in the next year or so. What is meant by "hearing aid compatible" is that they will interact with any hearing aid that features a T-coil, which I'm quite sure your BTE aid has.
But, for now, there is a device that we can highly recommend that plugs right into your cell phone and has a wire that runs up to a very slim piece that is worn beside your aid behind your ear. This piece looks sort of like a shepherd's crook or question mark. This device is extremely effective in transmitting your cell phone signal into your aid's T-coil. I believe this device runs around $100 or so.
Another device to be considered is called a neck loop. Nokia and Motorola have them, as well as some 3rd party manufacturers.
A neck loop is one type of loop (a loop is used to generate the magnetic signal). It is a necklace-size loop of wire that can be plugged into an ALD or ALS receiver, a radio, TV, some computer speakers and many telephones. It is then worn around the neck of someone who has a hearing aid with a telecoil. The neck loop generates a magnetic signal that can be "heard" by the telecoil and amplified by the hearing aid. A neck loop and telecoil are the interface used by many hearing aid wearers.
A neck loop is convenient because it:
Can drive both hearing aids (not with true stereo, but with a mono signal into both aids). Does not require wires running up the neck to the hearing aid(s), and can even be worn under a shirt or jacket. Also, you may wonder how you'd speak into the phone while wearing this device. It actually has a built in microphone, so you can use your phone hands-free. All you do is flip your hearing aid to the "T" mode, and it will pick up the signal. The neck loop plugs into the handset, which can be carried in a pocket or clipped to a waistband. Some people use the neck loop as back-up in case they get into a noisy environment or just cannot understand a particular person on the phone. For some people, neck loops provide better listening conditions than regular wireline phones! These accessories require batteries, so you will be responsible for the care and feeding of three sets of batteries.
I have bought new hearing aids from Ebay because it was a lot cheaper, and my own audiologist refused to program my hearing aids because I did not buy a hearing aid from them. Their cost is way too high. Would you be able to program my aids if I supply the audiogram? I'm desperate. My old aid is dying. (Back to Top) Hi Debbie,
Yes, we would be happy to program the aids for you. The cost to program your Siemens aids would be $50/unit, and we can have them back out the door within 24 hours. All you need to do is send the aids in with a copy of your most recent audiogram. If you have any specific directions as to what you would like done, I would recommend giving us a call to go over these with the programming dispenser. Be sure to also include a note with your name, address, telephone number, and choice of shipping methods ($9.95 first class mail or DHL Ground 7-10 days for delivery, $13 Priority Mail 2-3 days for delivery **recommended**, $20 overnight service to most areas). You can send your aids to:
Lloyd Hearing Aid Corp. 4435 Manchester Drive Rockford, IL 61109
Feel free to also include a copy of this email in your package. We have quite a few people working here, so any info you enclose of previous correspondence is quite helpful. We hope that we'll be able to be of service. Thank you for your interest in Lloyds.
How long should a battery last ? My Mom uses them in her hearing aids. Usually, they would last 2 to 3 weeks. She has a new set of hearing aids, now after a week, sometimes 3 days, she has to change the battery . The guy she got the aids from told me she should be leaving the battery door open all night. She never had to do that with her old aids & never had this problem. I told him each night she turns off the battery, so how could that happen? He said it is still working even if it is shut off, because the battery door is shut. Does not make sense to me, I think it sounds crazy. Batteries are expensive enough, can you help me ? (Back to Top) The length of time a battery lasts depends quite a bit on how strong the hearing aid is....how high the volume is set. This is the #1 determinant of battery life. BUT, yes, your mother should open the battery door at night. This is standard, good operating protocol. Not only is the hearing aid definitely shut off, but it also allows air to get into the inner parts of the hearing instrument and dry it out so it's dry and ready to go in the morning. Many of the new hearing aids do not have the traditional on/off switches anymore.....so the aid might well still be on as long as the battery door is closed. Not knowing what make or model hearing aid she has, this is a strong possibility.
Regardless of how long batteries wind up lasting for mom, you should be aware that we do sell batteries at the lowest price you'll find virtually anywhere! We sell a carton of 40 batteries for just $18 (+$2 shipping). These are Energizer brand and are factory fresh. So you could get her at least a year's supply of batteries for this price. It's foolish to pay retail (about twice as much) for batteries at the drugstore or at her dispensing office. Something to think about. Thanks for the email. Hope this helps.
Sincerely, Customer Service, LLOYD HEARING AID www.lloydhearingaid.com
Are custom CIC models soft shelled or hard? (Back to Top) Hello Jo,
CIC hearing aids are made out of a hard Lucite shell material. However, they can be built so that a soft tip could be incorporated to the end of the shell (the part that seats down into the ear canal). But that would be a pretty unusual request. The standard, hard Lucite material is what every one of the major mfgrs use. There is a hearing aid company that makes a soft silicone shell aid, but soft shelled instruments have lots of problems with repairs. We know from experience, thus no longer handle them. And truthfully, a good fitting regular hard-shell instrument will be every bit as comfortable as a silicone molded one. Thanks for the question. Hope this helps.
Sincerely, Customer Service, LLOYD HEARING AID CORP.
I have a pair of hearing aids I would like to have converted to Digital. Is that possible, and at what cost? Bill (Back to Top) Hello Bill,
This request is possible......in a certain way. But first, you need to understand you can't simply convert one hearing aid into another. When you talk about changing analog aids into digital ones, you are really talking about a new set of aids.....there is no simple upgrading or replacing a circuit in an old aid. In whatever manner that set of old aids was built, that's how they are and you cant' change that.
But what we can do is take your old aids and use them as a pattern.......we send them into the factory and they will use the old aids as the physical pattern in order to duplicate the exact same size and shape of your old ones. The factory then will install into the new shells a new digital circuit - whichever circuit choice you select. This is the closest feasible thing to what you are requesting. Our pricing for new digital aid can't be beat anywhere, so you will be saving many hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars utilizing this process and our services. If you have further questions, just give us a call @ 1-800-323-4212. Thanks for your interest in Lloyd's.
Sincerely, Customer Service, LLOYDS
Can a user reprogram the response curve of the digital units? I am an electrical engineer and this would seem to be a handy capability.
Thanks. (Back to Top) Hello Herbert,
Regarding your question about whether there is a way for consumers to program their own hearing aids, you ask a good question. Unfortunately, there is no way currently available for the hearing aid user to be able to do the computer adjusting of these hearing aids, regardless of your level of proficiency with computers. The biggest problem is that there is a required connection box piece of hardware that is used as the intermediate connector between the hearing aid and your computer. This box is very expensive. The software is not too much of a problem, but you do have to know how to use it. With the new, highly technical hearing aids, there are hundreds of different programming parameters that can be adjusted and you do need to have some audiology knowledge in order to work it correctly.
But the biggest factor here is that the industry (from the audiologists and dispensers to the mfgrs) is set up for health care professionals to do the programming of instruments - quite honestly, it is a big part of the justification used by the local guys in charging those outrageous prices for hearing aids nowdays. We don't necessarily agree with this philosophy, but that is the reality of things.
If you were to purchase something from Lloyds, we would pre-set the aid to your hearing needs before shipping it to you. All you'd need to do is fax us a copy of your hearing test (audiogram). We have done tens of thousands of programmable hearing aids very successfully. I'm sure we can help you as well.
Thanks again for your email. Get back with us if you have further questions.
Sincerely,
Customer Service,
LLOYDS
What is the smallest CIC hearing aid? (Back to Top) Hello,
The CIC is the smallest sized hearing aid that any mfgr produces. It is a custom built product, so the resulting exact size and shape is dependent upon the user's individual ear size. No mfgr makes their CIC's smaller than any other mfgr. I hope this answers your question. If you are really concerned about size, it's always best to let us know this before we place the order with the factory. We can get them to keep the size absolutely as small as possible if this is one of your main concerns. The link between the dispensing practice (Lloyds) and the mfgr is very important in these matters, and we have very close relations with the mfgrs. Thanks for your interest in Lloyds. I hope we'll have a chance to serve your hearing needs.
Sincerely, Customer Service, LLOYDS
I have a moderate hearing loss in my left ear that is genetic. I'm interested in the "In stock" aid but wondering about fit. I am a very small adult.......think 10 - 12 year old child size. Would that hearing aid fit in my ear canal? (Back to Top) We have found the stock mini-canal aid (the model iHear) to physically fit about 80% of the people who try it. It is a very small instrument, so the chances would be pretty good that it would fit you, even with your very small ear canal. It is impossible to 100% accurately predict the fit for any client. The only way to know for sure is to try it. Remember that we do offer a 45 day free trial on this aid, so if it doesn't fit you, you can return it for 100% credit/refund (less just the $9.95 for shipping). Another alternative is to give it a try and if it doesn't fit, you might want to consider getting a similar one, but one that is customized to the exact size and shape of your individual ear. That process costs $200, but you would have a custom aid that way. It's virtually assured that this way you will receive a perfect fit. If you try the stock one first, it will certainly give you a very good idea of what the aid sounds like and how much help you would receive from wearing a hearing aid. Just a thought. Thanks for your interest in Lloyd's. We look forward to working with you.
Hi. My hearing is very distorted at concerts and functions like it. Can't make out speech a lot. Do you have a generic aid that is inexpensive? I also want to use it for lectures. I don't want it to be that visible, if possible. Thanks. (Back to Top) The best bet would be for you to try one of our iHear hearing aids. They are excellent for a moderate degree of hearing loss. Many people use this instruments sort of like "reading glasses" for their ears. It is very small and is a ready-to-wear instrument. It is considered a mini-canal aid. It uses the small #10 battery. It's size and shape will fit the vast majority of people who try it. We have it in the standard analog version ($279.50) or else a digital circuit model($499.50). The digital version has an automatic anti-feedback cancellation capacity to it, so if the generic fit allows sound to escape out the ear, the hearing aid will cancel out feedback so it won't whistle or squeal. Both are very good aids and have helped thousands of people in situations similar to yours. And do remember that if you try it out and it doesn't work for you, you can return it for full money back......it is a free 45 day trial. Check out the website and look for either the regular iHear or else the Digital iHear. Thanks for your email. We look forward to working with you.
Your website only mentions ITE and BTE. Do you sell any other type? (Back to Top) Yes, we sell virtually all types and kinds of the hearing aids that are on the market today. The general catagories of ITE (In-the-ear) and BTE (behind-the-ear) hearing aids constitute almost all hearing instruments sold in today's world. However we also carry Body aids (the ones that you wear in your pocket which has a cord that runs up to a speaker in your ear). There are a couple other types (like bone conduction hearing aids and eyeglass hearing aids) that are specialty use instruments which we also dispense. It all depends upon a person's needs and desires. For clients wishing or needing specialty hearing instruments, you need to contact us @ 1-800-323-4212 to speak with one of our professional dispensers. I hope this answers your questions. Thanks for contacting Lloyds.
Sincerely,
Customer Service,
LLOYDS
Are the Sonic Adessos with the foam shell still available? Is there an upgrade model? (Back to Top) No, sorry......Sonic Innovations discontinued production of the Adesso stock CIC hearing aid several years ago. Lloyd's did carry the last inventory of new instruments in the country. We bought a large quantity of them at their close-out, but they are all gone now and have been for quite some time. Sonic will still repair them if you have one, but it is impossible to get any new ones or even refurbished ones. We've tried on behalf of several customers who inquired about this. The soft foam sleeves are still available and will be for years to come, but not the actual instruments themselves. Again, sorry. We can only sell products that are available from the manufacturers.
Regarding a substitute model, we do offer the digital iHear aid. It is a very small, stock mini-canal instrument. Our customers have had great success with this hearing aid. This aid is featured on our website at www.lloydhearingaid.com and is available for immediate shipment. We do offer a 45 day free trial on this aid if you're interested. Thanks for the email. I hope we'll have a chance to serve your hearing needs.
