Thread: Hunting With Hearing Aids

Originally Posted by bigbear

So acc pay for claims for loss of hearing . After been in the building trade for twenty years and now on a farm my hearing is not the best and have been thinking about it of late about.
When i started building the air muff quality wasn't there like it is now

Yes and no. They will usually play the aged loss card pretty hard. I suffered substantial hearing loss after being treated for a serious infection (15 days in hospital, 3 months off work) with gentamicin and vancomycin antibiotics. ACC refused to cover my hearing loss even though it is well documented that genamicin has that side effect. I even took my case to an independent tribunal and still lost. It came down to the word of my specialist against the word of theirs.
The main issue was I had no recent years hearing tests ( my company offered regular tests, I didn't bother getting them done) to prove that I had experienced a step change due to the drugs used.
So, the old progressive aged card was played by them, end of story. Maybe if I had lost my hearing in a rugby match.......

Outcome was I finally stumped up $9.5k for hearing aids myself, minus the govt subsidy. I hate them (ah, the aids). I don't wear them to the range. Unfortunately I no longer bush bash but perceive they would be a disaster in that environment. And despite their cost they don't have a sound shutoff feature for gunfire. I'm not sure many aids do. @6x47 ?

Originally Posted by nevereadyfreddy

I would appeal this and maybe get another audiologist.
Am on my 5th set and acc and ministry o health are funding a bit over half the cost.

Putting my retired audiologist hat on, the ACC decision is nothing to so with the audiologist. ACC goes on the "opinion" of an ear specialist in making their decision. Tetawa is dead right- about 10-15yrs ago, ACC put the hard word of specialists to tighten up their decisions and that was roughly the time they also cut back on funding levels. In the early days, specialists would mostly say the vast majority of the loss was industrial noise and ACC at that time were funding 100% of aid costs with no limit! That couldn't last of course and the funding cutbacks were harsh. ACC have subsequently relented to some extent but the -max- current contribution for a pair of aids is just under $5000. Most people will end up in a lower funding band with less contribution, the minimum being $3140. My advice is shop around on costs and make sure you trial aids properly in a range of situations. They can take many weeks to get used to and are only as good as the fine-tuning the audiologist needs to do.

Some comments about aid useability for hunting. You need to know the vast majority of sound delivery couplings are very leaky, especially the micro behind-the-ear (BTE) types with domes. This means that although nothing damaging is getting through the electronics, you're still copping the full natural blast from the report so unsuppressed guns still need hearing protection. The second issue is localisation ( your ability to pick direction) and this is best with "open" plumbing systems like most of the micro BTE aids use. If you have a more severe loss/ middle ear issues/ big diff between loss on each side, your localisation is unlikely to be good. The other issue is wind noise and this varies hugely. Having hair over your ears helps a lot but isn't relevant to many of you.. Better models have some useful noise reduction tech but it varies in effectiveness. Only the super micro deep canal models are free from wind noise but these don't suit most people and have other issues. The final issue is water damage- while most aids are now IP67 rated, they are not fully waterproof so getting them really drowned is not a clever thing.

Sounds about right. Am being funded $3160 on my new ones.

Originally Posted by nevereadyfreddy

I would appeal this and maybe get another audiologist.
Am on my 5th set and acc and ministry o health are funding a bit over half the cost.

I still have the "paperwork" from my original consultations and ACC correspondence, the audiologist on my early 2000 visit didn't want to know. Even with ACC had problems when I disputed the findings, case officer not working today or on "stress leave". May have another go at them but as stated my tinnitus is a big factor.

Originally Posted by tetawa

I still have the "paperwork" from my original consultations and ACC correspondence, the audiologist on my early 2000 visit didn't want to know. Even with ACC had problems when I disputed the findings, case officer not working today or on "stress leave". May have another go at them but as stated my tinnitus is a big factor.

That paperwork may be worth more than gold.
A workmate had a car accident maybe 20 or more yrs ago. The case went thru ACC as it existed in those days and was accepted. Workmate recovered but recently the injury flared up. ACC denied the existence of his case on their records. He produced the original documentation and ACC reluctantly accepted it. His surgery (multiple) ran to something like $200k.

Yeah, been through the case officer away etc, including changing case officers several times.

My biggest gripe years ago with aids was the wind noise outside “that’s what we hear as well....” Bullshit I’d say my wind noise would be electronically amplified. With these new ones it hasn’t bothered me too much but admittedly no doing a lot outside with as I don’t wear them to work cos of machinery/chainsaws etc. Only wear them when not at work. I got mine from Hearo, based in Te Awamutu. Martin is his name, he’s a good bastard.


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Quick question.....do hearing aids alleviate tinnitus?

I don't wear them (it, in my case) when hunting. I find the wind noise to be too distracting.
If you bush hunt it might be different. You'll just have to suck it and see.

Originally Posted by wsm junkie

Quick question.....do hearing aids alleviate tinnitus?

They do for me.

Originally Posted by gilly

They do for me.

Cheers

Originally Posted by wsm junkie

Quick question.....do hearing aids alleviate tinnitus?

Yes, to a degree but not total elimination. Certainly more comfort than the constant ring.

Originally Posted by Mathias

Yes, to a degree but not total elimination. Certainly more comfort than the constant ring.

Forgotten what it's like without the "constant ring".

Phil_H can you pick direction/distance the parries are????? the inability to do so is why I cant wear my mono muffs duckshooting...I know birds are somewhere but cant pick where they are.

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

Phil_H can you pick direction/distance the parries are????? the inability to do so is why I cant wear my mono muffs duckshooting...I know birds are somewhere but cant pick where they are.

Don't you follow where your dogs looking, relied on that for 40 years, when they go deaf ,get a replacement.