Open Ear Hearing Aids

Question: Where to sell my hearing aids? Just last month I bought 2 very good hearing aids. The are the new digital behind the ear, open fit type that anyone can wear without an ear mold. I have used them less than 24 hours. Oddly, I can't stand to hear what I've been missing. I know that I'm never going to use them and would like to sell them while they're still so new. They were $3000 and I'd like to recoup at least some of that money while offering a good opportunity to someone. I'm in Florida. Does anyone know where there may be a selling site for medical type items? I've already listed on craigslist.

Answer: If you just bought them last month you should be able to return them for a small fee to the hearing professional. Most states have a state law of what is called a hearing aid trial period. This allows you to try them for a period of time (usually more than 30 days) and then return them if you are unhappy. You will lose a small amount of the money but they may also let you exchange them or try a different pair. Also you should return to your heairng professional as they can fine tune them so they sound more comfortable and are not as overwhelming for you. It takes time and your brain will get used to hearing what you have been missing. Good luck.

Question: Why my ears remain blocked for some long periods and open some times? I have hearing problem.I do not hear in my left ear even with hearing aid.I have hearing aid in my right ear.I have tinitus.But my question is, should my hearing not improve with hearing aid in my left ear?There is another important issue-sometimes I hear ringtones of telephones in my left ear,but sometimes I do not.It seems to me my throat and nasal area have colds or mucus,but I do not have cough symptoms.How could I improve my position.

Answer: Have you ever had them professionally checked? You might have cotton ( from swabs) trapped! Got to an ear / throat doctor!!

Question: What is involved in an Ossicular Chain Reconstruction? My surgeon would like to perform this surgery on me as he thinks i would be the perfect canditate for it. I have about 50% hearing loss in both ears and wear an in the ear hearing aid in the left. I have already had major reconstructive surgery to open up my left ear canal as it was closed up and had excess wax in my ear causing me all sorts of trouble. What exactly is involved with the surgery and how long will i have to wait to see the results

Answer: The answer about what is involved with the surgery very much depends on whether or not a ossicular prosthesis will be used. If yes, the answer is that part or all of your ossicular chain may be removed and titanium bones put in their place. If not, the answer is that a laser will be used to reshape the bones and detach them if they have become fused (stuck) to places they aren't supposed to be sticking to. You may notice better hearing even on the operating table. My ex-husband had this surgery done, and he previously lived very close to an airport. When I called him a couple of days after the surgery to see how he was doing he said "if I knew these airplanes were so $%#@*$)(#@ loud I would have picked a different place to live" He ended up moving, I think that is indicative that the surgery (from the perspective of restoring his hearing) was a raging success

Question: I lok for the best very best Doctor or Hospital to diagnos my ear problem .I become hard on hearing sometime.? As such I don't need hearing aid but occasionally I am not clear on hearing.When I go to sea shore and do yonning or move my jaws up and down my ears get opened up.One doctor suggest surgery.Is it ncessary?

Answer: Hello; I'm an Audiologist (hearing and balance specialist) First of all, you do not indicate your location (city, state/province/region, and country), so that we might be able to make a specific recommendation for you. Secondly, if your hearing seems to come and go, and feels completely normal after they pop, you may have Eustachian Tube Dysfunction. The Eustachian tubes connect the middle ear cavity behind the eardrum to the back of the throat. When working properly, they will open when we yawn or swallow. This equalizes the pressure behind the eardrum to that of the environment around us, so that the eardrum has optimum mobility for responding to sound vibrations. When they do not open properly, negative pressure builds up which results in muffled hearing and a sensation that the ears are clogged. For immediate relief, try the ValSalva maneuver: holding your nose and mouth closed and GENTLY blowing to force air through the Eustachian tube into the middle ear space. Many people also get relief by applying heat, like a hot water bottle, to the ear. Be careful when blowing your nose - also blow GENTLY then, because you could force too much pressure and even mucous, up into the middle ear, which could then breed infection. Steam/vapor to moisten and loosen up the mucous might also help it drain. You could also try antihistamines and/or decongestants to open up and dry out the sinuses. Of course this depends on your health and medical history, and should be supervised by a physician. Start with your primary doctor, who may also prescribe antibiotics, as there may be infection since it's been an ongoing problem. If it persists following that treatment, ask for a referral to consult an otolaryngologist (Ear, Nose and Throat - ENT). They will probably check your hearing and middle ear pressure to verify the diagnosis, and may want to get a CT scan of your sinuses, if that is a related symptom. Typically, if medication is not able to clear the pressure and congestion in the middle ear, the surgical treatment is to cut an incision in the eardrum (myringotomy) to relieve the pressure, and suction out any fluid that might be in the middle ear space. If there is fluid build-up which remains untreated, it can erode the middle ear bones (ossicles); and if infected, the infection can spread to other areas around the ear. In the case of chronic/recurrent ear infections, a tiny rubbery grommet "tube" is placed in the incision to hold if open and prevent the pressure and fluid from building up again. Most adults can have this procedure done in the otolaryngologist's office with a local anesthetic. In children it's performed under general anesthesia because it is so important for them to be totally still when working with such small structures. This is one of the most common surgical procedures performed in the U.S. (second only to circumcision, last I heard); and the tube falls out on it's own while the eardrum heals itself. In a few patients, there can be scarring of the eardrum, but typically that only becomes problematic if the patient has several surgeries. If you have pain, fever, sudden significant hearing loss, or spinning dizziness (vertigo) - these could be symptoms of more serious complications and you should see a doctor promptly. I hope this helps, and that you feel better soon!

Question: About my ear deformity: Microtia. I need answers and help1? I grew up with microtia. Now I really don’t know what to do about making my ear as normal as everyone that I see around me because I don’t know any microtia doctors in Connecticut. When I was 5 years old they done very little surgery done on my ear but no difference at all, it still looked the same that I am born with except scaring because the doctor made it a bit worse. They said that they cant do anything more with my ears and I felt that as a big lie because I know ear can be fix because is not so bad and I have to deal with people that made fun of me in school, or even looking at me in a strange way where I felt like a monster in public places which had me feel like a non-human creature and the feeling of it just so horrible. I’m now 19 years old who wears a vibrated hearing aid (turning 20 this october) and I never gotten used to this look of my ears. When I was little I'm always told that I will have an ear like everyone else around me and I kept that faith ever since just waiting for my dream ear to come to me. I am now hurt by these lies and have to live with a horrible life because of my deformed ear. The only information that I know is my left ear that can not be opened and I always wonder if my left ear still be done while having the hole being shut. They told me that if they were to open that one ear I can get paralyzed on that left face. They also said that they can still do the right ear (I wonder if my ear been changed since my last X-ray when I was 12 years old). Right now I’m thinking of calling Yale Hospital (not sure yet since I live 45 mins away from New Haven, CT) and see if they have anything for people that have microtia. Is not much to find in Connecticut so I am asking where I can find a doctor that can help me because I cant live like this with my ear forever, looking different or feel different from everyone else with wasting of my youthful life where I just want to be happy and be free from what I feel and how people see me. Please help me because I dont have any answer on here and I feel hopeless and hope someone here helps me because I will keep asking till I find the answers that I need. :(

Answer: My son has the same condition as you. There is a Yahoo group under "Health Groups"of parents with children with microtia as well as young adults like yourself as well as adults with this condition. There are two different surgeries to create an ear. One is rib graft (natural, because, rib cartilage is taken from patient to create an ear) and the other is medpor (synthetic material is used to make an ear). And I believe there are surgeons on the East Coast near you who do these surgeries. There is more information on these surgeries in the group below. There are also before and after pictures as well. The community there is very helpful and supportive. Yahoo Group URL: http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/AtresiaMicrotia/ I hope this helps! Good luck!

Question: medicaid/medicare will not cover for my dads hearing aid he is very depressed need help!? Hi im wanting ideas of what i can do. My dad is disabled he is completley deaf from one ear and pretty deaf from the other one.He just had open heart surgery which has affected his hearing even more. Now the hearing aid that he got a little over a year ago and which medicaid/medicare paid for is not working for him at all anymore. We took him to the ear doctor and they tested him and showed the results in paper. We went to the medicaid and medicare office and they said they only cover one every 5-6 years. My dad is very depressed and Im wanting to know if anybody know where I can look for help, or if there is anyway to appeal this. Its not like he is trying to get a new one he really needs it. Hes 54. Please any ideas are welcomed. Thankyou

Answer: well,it seems that he is disabled, so you can get disability and that brings in money, and medicare probabley wont help because you have to be 62-65 to be able to get medicare. You can try with medicaid again and if hes not retired he can apply for unemployment. I hope the best for you and your family.

Question: Headache,ringing in ear,dizziness? I need answer what is the ringing in ear,headaches and dizziness means and what can i do about it? my ears are hurting and ringing also. I also have a Eye crustyness can't open them in the morning. I can hear few times with my hearing aid but i need help. also it happenes when i have a cold,runny nose and swelling tounsels(throat) I will get it checked my my doctor tomorrow they are closed and im hard of hearing. after visitong doctor's office yesterday, i found out that i had a mucus in my system and gave me mucudex dx and some med and then today im feeling well and my ear is not ringing and hurting.

Answer: You need to get that checked its probibly something with your inner ear and you could lose your hearing if you dont get it checked by the doctor, you really need to get it checked

Question: I might need a hearing aid? My left ear has swelled shut, to the point where I cannot hear a thing out of it. It has been this way for a few days now, but I've always had problems with it. It feels like a cork is blocking the opening, but nothings there. Should I see a doctor?

Answer: Yes, see a doctor as soon as you can!