Hearing aids (1 Viewer)

John P

Usually on a different wavelength

• Sep 14, 2008

• #1

Does anybody use a hearing aid just for birding?

My hearing is not what it was (what is after nearly 60 years?) and I really can't hear the high pitched stuff, funnily enough my wife can't hear the lower tones, so a bit like Jack Spratt it all comes good in the end, but I've wondered if one of these little hearing aid jobbies that I regularly see advertised in the Sunday papers would be a worthwhile investment just for birding.

They're only about £20 top whack so it won't be too painful to find out.

My hearing is not particularly bad, I just need a couple more notches on the telly volume than I used to and like I said before the higher pitched bird sounds escape me. So, would a hearing aid help?

 

KnockerNorton

Well-known member

• Sep 14, 2008

• #2

Depends. Go get a hearing test and see what your range is. Most people can hear up to about 16 kHz, but many bird calls go well beyond 20kHz. You're not going to miss much if you can still hear up to 10kHz, as you'll still hear parts of the calls.

 

totaljohn

man-e-faces

• Sep 14, 2008

• #3

funny you should mention that.. went to a particularly loud gig last night. was watching a goldcrest earlier; it opened it's bill, heard nothing. darn threshold shift.

apologies, i know nothing about hearing aids, but like KN said, it's worth getting a test done.

 

KnockerNorton

Well-known member

• Sep 15, 2008

• #4

worth remembering that high frequency sounds travel further than low frequency sounds too. So over distance, low pitch elements of a call can be lost, just leaving the high bits that you might not be able to hear. the answer, I suppose, is to get closer so that you can hear the low frequency elements. Few birds have all of their call up in the higher reaches, but it means you're less likely to pick up birds calling high overhead.

 

John P

Usually on a different wavelength

• Sep 15, 2008

• #5

but it means you're less likely to pick up birds calling high overhead.

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I certainly miss some of those on occasions. It can be very frustrating.

Go get a hearing test

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I never thought of that, (no, really I didn't). |:$|

I try and stay away from medical practitioners of all descriptions, but I noticed a place on the way to work this morning that offered hearing tests so I may have to make the effort.

 

John P

Usually on a different wavelength

• Sep 23, 2008

• #6

Had a hearing test today, the high frequency sounds above 20Khz (or is it 2000?) are the problem, but not by much apparently.

They would like to relieve me of over £1k (for one ear) to put it right. :eek!:

 

kmonty1950

Well-known member

• Sep 23, 2008

• #7

Hi John,

My hearing has been deteriorating for some years now - it's hereditary, my mother's side of the family all suffered too. I've used a hearing aid (a national health one - can't comment on the digital jobbies) but find that it amplifies all sound, so the frequencies that I have trouble with are still drowned out. My biggest frustration is when someone in a hide or seawatching for example, calls a bird and I don't know about it till it's too late! I have learned to accept that I'll never be able to ID some of the fly-overs I see.

Good birding

Ken.

 

John P

Usually on a different wavelength

• Sep 24, 2008

• #8

Thanks for your input Ken, it all helps, I'm a bit surprised there haven't been more responses considering how common it is for hearing to deteriorate with age.

kmonty1950 said:

Hi John,

I've used a hearing aid (a national health one - can't comment on the digital jobbies) but find that it amplifies all sound, so the frequencies that I have trouble with are still drowned out.
Ken.

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The digital aids are programmed to only boost the sounds you need help with, and can be re-programmed as necessary.