This post was written in 2010, when I was a hearing aid user. As with almost everything concerning hearing loss remains current. My name is Paula Pfeifer and I lead the largest digital community of people with hearing loss in Brazil and Latin America. I also have part of my work in English: The Hearing Loss Club on Substack.

How to choose a hearing aid? Since 2002…

Incredibly, I’ve been wearing the same hearing aids since 2002 (I bought the first ones in 1998). It’s been almost ten years with them.

We had a troubled start, although this little duo became extremely important in my life. I remember the pain I felt in the first month! I could hardly turn to the side without squirming.

Little by little, the ears adapted. The best thing about them, compared to the first ones I had, is that they didn’t beep – only those who have witnessed a deaf person changing the battery and the device beeping frantically know how frightening it can be. In fact, this is called microphonics and means that your mold is poorly made or your device is poorly adjusted.

The evolution of hearings aids technology

Technology has come a long way since 2002. The terms
wireless
e bluetooth have come into vogue.

To give you an idea, the only thing different about my current device is that it has a little button that is supposed to adjust the sound so that I can talk on the phone – something that has never happened.

People think that people who wear braces can talk normally on the phone. Well, I never did. Apart from the echo, the sound is weird, people talk fast and my brain can’ t keep up.

My deafness is bilateral and moderately severe, which means that whether I like it or not, I need hearing aids.

Every time I have to change them (no, they don’t last forever, and as deafness progresses and technology advances, you have to change models) there’s stress. For three main reasons…

Hearing aids aren’t cheap

These ‘VW Beetles’ that I use today cost R$5,500.00 each in 2002. In 2002! (PS: this post was written in 2010). It’s now 2021 and a pair of hearing aids can cost up to R$35,000! I strongly advise you to read all the posts on this blog about
Hearing aids before making any purchase.

Find a speech therapist you can trust

I know countless people who, like me, have had bad experiences with bad professionals, who aren’t interested in adapting the prostheses calmly (this takes time and patience), only in selling you the device.

Finding a great professional is the path to happiness in this matter. Ask our group members for recommendations.

The expectation that generates frustration

I think I’m in for a surprise this time. The other times, there was a lot of frustration. I was promised worlds and depths, but when it came down to it, the devices beeped horribly, popped out of my ear, hurt me, stopped working just like that and the sound wasn’t as incredible as they told me.

In fact, they are neither a solution nor a new ear. They are a great help. It’s good to keep that in mind.

Thinking that as soon as you put on a pair of braces your life willclick and change forever is not true.

Not to mention the unbearable annoyance of having to put up with everyone around you asking non-stop,“Hey, can you hear me?”, “Did youhear that I called you?”,“Can you talk on the phone now?”.

And finally

In 2021, you have full access to information and to other people who have already traveled this path. At the time I wrote this post, all I could do was make the sign of the cross and pray that it would work out.

Align your expectations, find an ENT specialist who specializes in deafness, ask other people with hearing loss to refer you to a hearing care professional they trust, test at least 3 brands and models of hearing aids and then focus completely on your adaptation.

To make it work, you have to get involved in the process and understand that it takes time.

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A shared publication of Paula Pfeifer – SurdosQueOuvem (@cronicasdasurdez)