I really like my custom ear molds! They were set up with real ear measures. Because they are always in the same place in my ear canal every time I get very consistent hearing. Plus, they never fall out.
I just got my first aids. Phonak audeo life. I'm loving the quality and I think the auto venting is super helpful. The back corner rubs on my small canals, super painful. I really appreciate this video. It's giving me the confidence to advocate for customs. My Audiologist has been giving me some push back on it. I may go to someone else.
Yup, I would. As long as you understand that you will most likely hear your own voice a little more (occlusion effect). But it will be the best fit and most comfortable.
I have the Phonak life as well with custom ear molds. My audiologist had to buff it down on a hot spot inside one ear. After that they are comfortable.
Great videos, very informative. I don’t use hearing aids, but my wife does. I’m technical, she’s not. So I’ll try to check out whats best fir her. At the moment she has a Signia RIC hearing aid. Pure C&G 5AX she purchased from our local Hear USA. I wasn’t happy with their service, several times she had a bad battery and they didn’t have loaners. One time the charger failed, they did give her a loaner, but I was surprised they didn’t have a replacement available, so she had to go back a return the loaner for a the warranty replacement. One time I went in with her and complained about flaky Bluetooth connection and the poor quality of the app. The technician did do a SW upgrade, I’m sure only because I was tech savvy and highlighted the Bluetooth connection issue. I noticed the SW upgrade was nearly a year old release and asked why in all the previous visits and replacements they still had not upgraded the old SW version as a normal first approach. No answer. I’m very tech savvy on this as for many was a service manager for Motorola for many years and got the impression he just didn’t care and this wasn’t a normal procedure for them.
I used to fot hearing aids for Hear USA folks. Thats a manage care company that sends you to one of "THEIR" providers. This was when I was at beltone. Those are the same hearing aids as our costco rexton brand. I'm just not a huge fan. But they will definitely get the job done. The reason they don't care is becausenormally, they probably make thousands on a set of hearing aids. But when a manage care patient comes in, "your wife" they get pennies on the dollar. Instead of making 2 or 3 grand, they get a $300-$500 payment.
Hey! Awesome Video! I had a 3 tests done at school failed all 3. 2 of tjem we're done by professionals. And i have a chart and i have moderate sensorneural hearing loss. And i got my appointment at the end of april. Since i alright have results papers ill bring will i possibly get fitted for hearing aids? What hearinf aid is best. I also can NOT stand anythjnf in my ears thst don't have a outside. I cant even stand eearing wireless headpvones. I really looking at behinde the ear
I really enjoyed your video on custom molds. I have been wearing hearing aids for about one year now and custom molds for about three months. I do have a question that I forgot to ask at my Costco and maybe you can help me with. My receiver seems to be embedded deep into my mold. There is no part of the receiver that I can grab to separate it from the mold to replace the wax guard. Is it common practice to just pull using the wire to get to the wax guard. I have KS10s. Thanks!
You might have a custom UP receiver mold or encased receiver. The filter would be at the end of mold for you to change. Don’t pull on wire, that’s how you can break them.
This was great, thank you. Liked and subscribed. I've found domes on my Phonak Audeos to be problematic. Power domes create too much occlusion. 'Closed' domes work very similarly in terms of seal, but the two tiny holes go a surprisingly long way toward eliminating occlusion. I'll be going to Costco for new HA soon and will order silicone molds. Can they include similarly small holes? I need amplification in the low to low mid frequencies and larger vents would not work for me. Thank you again.
Which custom mold is better full or skeleton for my BTE? I just had my pressure. I had both before but I think I’m going to try skeleton for ventilation for dry skin and sweat.
I only use skeleton molds if the patient has retention issues, the mold not staying in or moving around too much. There is no right or wrong answer here, whatever you are more comfortable with. And there is nothing wrong with trying out different styles until you find something that works well for you.
Nice breakdown on the mold..custom mold. So with the mold only fitting how adaptable are they to types of BTE..receiver in canal. Would one mold work for different types/brands of RIC's? TIA
Not really, you will always have some occlusion with molds. They can make a certain type of mold with a very large stepped back vent or an iros vent. The bigger the vent, the less occlusion you will have.
Costco claimed they don’t have an on-site stock of Rextons, Philips and Jabras. Every customer has to order the brand new hearing aids, pay for them on the spot, and wait at least 10 days for them to arrive and be fitted. I think Costco is afraid of robbers stealing all of their stock.
That is true Costco doesn’t carry them on stock. It wouldn’t be robbers more like Costco own inventory. Purchase hearing aids and manufacture will ship it to Costco directly just keep both Costco and manufacture inventory and logistics to run smooth. I don’t think they’re afraid of robbers stealing their stock.
@@HearingClub Hearing aids places other than Costco have supplies inside their store so a new customer can come in, have a hearing test done right away (or through an appointment), have the selected hearing aids fitted, payment, and then they leave the premises with their hearing aids.
I have Widex Moment they are awesome my audiologist suggested custom moulds, I have tinnitus 8000hz 66 db in one ear and 6000 hz 55db in the other ear, can moulds be good for tinnitus I thought open and airy would be best... thoughts?
I personally don't think there will be much of a difference between molds or domes. What masks or distracts from the tinnitus is the sound the hearing aid produces, not the type of dome/mold. But you can certainly try molds out and find out for sure.
My wifes Signia have RIC. They never offered her custom molds, just the standard in ear gel domes. How much would the custom mold cost? I assume once you have the original mold, its yours and you can have further RIC molds made as you change brands? Is this a service you can get done stand alone by a hearing aid technician without purchasing a hearing aid?
Great questions. The molds are made exclusively for your brand and are made for certain brands. Once you have a mold, yes its yours. This only applies to RIC aids. You cannot use a signia RIC mold on a Jabra RIC. If you have a BTE hearing aid mold, those ARE universal and you can use them on any BTE. BTE is "Behind the Ear" they are bigger hearing aids usually with more power and they have hollow rubber tubes instead of a small thin wire. Hope this helps! Oh and certain hearing aid dispensers will make molds for you, some won't unless you buy or use their hearing aids. It depends. I would call around. At costco, as long as you are a member and use a hearing aid that uses the same manufacturer that we use, like signia, they are the same as our rexton, i would make you a mold, I just did it in fact, for a patient of ours.
@@HearingClub Thanks, great answer. Yep we’re both members of Costco, so I’ll go with my wife when she needs her next next hearing aids. Thanks to your excellent explanations, we’ll be better prepared to ask the right questions when choosing a suitable hearing aid for her and save at least 60%, with better service. Thank you so much.❤️
In a future video can you comment on how to best deal with cell phone apps not supporting older phones? Currently my 5 year old hearing aides won't work with my cell phone that was introduced 7 years ago. (I bought the cell phone 4 years ago).
its time to update the phone. The only way you can get it to work depending on the hearing aid, is by buying a $300 accessory called a phone clip. Not worth it, see if you can just get a newer phone or any old iphone.
Fantastic video! Thank you! So clear and detailed. My Kaiser audiologist is having custom molds made for my Oticon Real 2's. While I think custom's are the best choice for me, I'm concerned about the boomy occlusion effect. If that is a problem, can they modify the molds (drill vent holes) after they're finished or do the molds have to be re-made?
I saw you said custom molds can’t be used for M&RIE, but what is the best dome to try with the M&RIE for mild to moderate high frequency SNHL. I think I might just stay with the regular receiver and try something custom. The open domes just keep migrating out. Sounds best to me when I push domes back in and cover ear canal opening with my fingers.
Well it really depends on how well the fitters can calibrate them. That's when they run that test where you hear a very loud buzzing noise and the hearing aids are checking the acoustics of your ears. With a high frequency loss, open would be the best IF and that's a big if with these m&rie receivers, of you cam get a good calibration. If the open domes migrate out, make sure you use the sport lock (that little tail thing) and try going one size up on the dome size. And the custom mold with the m&rie, im gonna have to go back and edit that comment. You MIGHT be able to use a custom mold. I'm going to check with jabra tomorrow.
Hey man! This video was super informative! I recently picked up the Philips 9040s RIC to treat my profound high-frequency loss. I'm currently utilizing closed bass domes but am still experiencing feedback at my prescription level of amplification; I'm planning on picking up a pair of the power domes soon, however, I recognize that the level of occlusion will likely be uncomfortable. I happen to have really great low-frequency hearing, so I naturally questioned my Costco provider about custom molds. Both providers I've talked to wrote off the idea of standard molds (because of complete occlusion) almost entirely without bringing up the concept of VENTED ones. Are custom molds with custom vents still something you all provide 9 months later, and for the 9040s? Any information online about custom vented molds related to the KS hearing aids specifically.
Absolutely! There are several types of custom molds and vent options. For no low frequency loss where it’s all in the highs, they have specific vents called IROS and semi IROS vents that will provide a good amount of “openness” that will help. It really depends on the experience level of the fitter. It takes a long time to accumulate the knowledge to properly fit hearing aids for the more obscure issues etc…
Oticon Real 1 issues: I'm new to hearing aids and just got my first pair 2 weeks ago for moderate hearing loss. I've had one adjustment done by the audiologist because I didn't really notice any improvement when it comes to hearing people with soft voices and even when I stream audio or take a phone call. Still no noticeable improvement. I noticed if I press on my ears I can hear more clearly. I'm wondering if a custom ear mold or another type of dome would be the solution or maybe just inserting them differently would help?
you can try a more occluding dome like a closed or power dome. When you press on your ears, you are sealing up all that sound and none of it is leaking out. You can try a more occluding dome but you will also get more of the occlusion effect.
Hi Brian, me again, lol... I picked up my one Bernafon RIE hearing aid yesterday. I have 30 days to try it and now that I've seen some of your videos, I don't intend to keep it, but I thought it would be worthwhile to try it. Just a brief reminder, I have otosclerosis in my right ear. The fitter told me I have tiny ear canals and that she gave me the smallest dome she could get but that if there was a smaller one, she would have tried that. She didn't suggest a custom mold. 20 years ago, I did have a fully in the ear canal custom hearing aid, but it drove me crazy because it always felt like it was sliding around. Now that I have the RIC aid, the receiver/dome always feels like it's tickling the inside of my ear! I have very itchy ears already, and this is making me a bit nuts. I know it's only been 2 days and I'm hoping I will get used to it, but I'm wondering if a custom mold might be a better choice for me. Does it go as far into the canal as the RIC? Do you think it would be less irritating to my sensitive ear canal? I asked for a copy of my audiograph, but they wanted $100 for it so I took a pass. I have an appointment at COSTCO to start the process there at the beginning of November. My second question is about my mother. She also picked up her new RIC hearing aids yesterday. She has molds for hers but she is still having a VERY difficult time putting them in. She's 90 and I honestly don't think she's going to be able to get the hang of it. Are there any tricks that might make it easier for her?? She keeps getting confused about the direction they should go in. She's overwhelmed and frustrated :( Thanks so much! Suzanne
I really like molds and I think if you have ANY problems at all with these "domes" you should most definitely try molds. $100.00 for YOUR audiogram is sooooo scammy and such a bad look for a company, I would run and never come back. Nobody should keep your records behind a financial gate. That is just sooooo downright awful. They are your records. They want to deter you from going somewhere else so they charge you!!?? That should be a huge red flag for you. Costco would never charge you for an agram. And if you go to Costco, They won't use that audiogram even if you have it. They will use their own.
The custom mold will go in as far as a custom hearing aid. They usually don't go super deep unless we request one. My canals started off really itchy but it got better over the first couple of weeks.
If she's 90 amd doesn't have much dexterity, it can be very difficult. I don't know how "with it" she is but it sounds like she may need help. Are they marked red and blue, does she know blue is left, etc.... I always tell my patients, make sure when you hold the mold, the writing is facing directly away from you.
I'm a new HA patient and have moderate high frequency loss, my low frequency is OK. I returned my first pair of Phonak RICs and am going to give it another try. I was not bothered by the amplified high frequency sounds around the house and car. In addition to typical problems with conversation, etc, I am quite bothered by traffic noise as I walk along streets. I really like the idea of In the Canal or In the Ear types but the dispensers keep twisting my arm to go with a RIC. Do you think it is reasonable to follow their (lazy) "advice", or should I insist on trying what I suspect I may prefer?
You probably won't like it and if you don't like it, it's a huge waste of time for everyone. But I am a huge advocate of, if you don't try it, you will never know. Can i ask why you want a custom? Do you think this will make the street noise better? It won't.
Thanks SO MUCH for your reply. Are you saying I will probably not like the custom? Yes, I hoped a custom with a small vent could reduce street noise. You have a great channel - thanks again!!! @@HearingClub
Does anybody find their custom mold too snug fitting that you feel it all the time? Sounds silly , I need to take the custom mold out periodically to give my ear canal a rest . Also is sweat a problem that you need to take it out to wipe with cloth?
For some, the custom molds can be too snug. When this happens, you can take your custom molds where you got them from, have them grind down the spots on the molds that bother you.
Could it be an improperly made silicone mold to begin with? Too much silicone was injected into ear canal which was jammed larger , subsequently the hearing aid made from the mold is bigger , which caused a jammed sensation in the ear canal . Again my theory only .
Unlikely, but you can always get your impressions re done again. The custom molds were made based on size of your ear. You could request for remake or make it smaller.
Ooh that's a great question. It cannot. The special and different property of the Marie receiver is the 3rd microphone. The picriphone is build into the receiver and since the receiver is "inside" the mold, it just couldn't and wouldn't make sense.
I wouldn't say everyone but anyone can use molds. When it comes to hearing aids, whatever works best for you is what you should be using. If domes work, use domes. If domes don't work, try molds.
When I worked at beltone, we charged 120.00 for molds and at costco only 80.00. Sometimes, the molds will be included with the hearing aids. It all depends on where you go.
Why does Costco shy away from Rexton’s? I’ve tried the Jabra’s and the Phillips. Both were inferior in sound quality and with their apps. The Rexton’s battery life and sound quality combined with the Rexton Assistant is far superior to either of the other brands. It’s perplexing to me. 🤷♂️ P.S. I like the hat!
Haha thanks man! I'll tell you what... we didn't sell Rexton, Jabra or Philips much at all while we had the Phonak (KS10). But once we lost that, something crazy happened. We were forced to explore the other options. We have had (as fitters) a lot of issues with the Rexton programming In the fitting software. People have been returning A LOT of rextons. Charging issues, entire programming being reset, like we never saved the fitting but we did so people would come in saying, I had all these programs (noise, tv, outdoor) and now they are all gone! If they could fix these issues, we would sell a lot more. As fitters, the last thing we want to do is give someone a bad experience, we need them to be successful and right now, its hard with rexton. Great question, I may add this one to the next Q&A video.
@@HearingClub Hear me out on this (pun intended)! I realize the older KS problems were an issue when Rexton was the manufacturer but these newer models based on the shared AX design are the bomb diggity. Add in the OVP combined with the control through the app, you have a solid HA. I’ve tried Phonak/Unitron, Oticon/Phillips, Resound/Jabra and Signia/Rexton’s. In all of these, only Unitron’s had better sound quality for me based on my Audiogram which in the typical moderate loss especially in higher frequencies (65-70 db). I believe Rexton’s may be getting the short end of the stick and at least deserve a shot. 😀
@@HearingClub I have them in from when i get up in the morning until I go to bed at night. My ears get wet with sweat and my ears start to itch. I've had a couple of bacterial infections in both ears(not at the same time). I have a perforated eardrum in my left ear, my right eardrum is okay. I'm very fastidious in keeping my molds clean so don't think the infections are from that. So hopefully somebody can help me. Are there only acrylic and silicone custom ear molds?
I appreciate that you are young and like wearing hats, but your hat is shading half of your face and is kind of off-putting. Just my opinion. BTW, I always have custom molds or ITE hearing aids.
Lol, well thank you for the feedback my friend. Fortunately for me, I'm me, and I'm going to continue being me and won't change for somebody else. Good thing this isn't a video on how to look while on camera haha. But I do value your feedback and maybe I'll do something with the lighting in the vids so you can see my ugly mug a little better 😉
@@HearingClub I tried using domes with a pair of Oticon RIC devices several years ago, but they didn't work well for me and I have been using custom ear molds ever since. I think they are more comfortable as well.
I have a 110 dB loss at 6000 hz. Custom ear molds made a huge difference and made my hearing aids work so I don't struggle to hear anymore.
Glad the the custom molds helped!
I really like my custom ear molds! They were set up with real ear measures. Because they are always in the same place in my ear canal every time I get very consistent hearing. Plus, they never fall out.
yup! Those are big pros when it comes to customs.
I just got my first aids. Phonak audeo life. I'm loving the quality and I think the auto venting is super helpful. The back corner rubs on my small canals, super painful. I really appreciate this video. It's giving me the confidence to advocate for customs. My Audiologist has been giving me some push back on it. I may go to someone else.
Yup, I would. As long as you understand that you will most likely hear your own voice a little more (occlusion effect). But it will be the best fit and most comfortable.
I have the Phonak life as well with custom ear molds. My audiologist had to buff it down on a hot spot inside one ear. After that they are comfortable.
Great videos, very informative. I don’t use hearing aids, but my wife does. I’m technical, she’s not. So I’ll try to check out whats best fir her. At the moment she has a Signia RIC hearing aid. Pure C&G 5AX she purchased from our local Hear USA. I wasn’t happy with their service, several times she had a bad battery and they didn’t have loaners. One time the charger failed, they did give her a loaner, but I was surprised they didn’t have a replacement available, so she had to go back a return the loaner for a the warranty replacement. One time I went in with her and complained about flaky Bluetooth connection and the poor quality of the app. The technician did do a SW upgrade, I’m sure only because I was tech savvy and highlighted the Bluetooth connection issue. I noticed the SW upgrade was nearly a year old release and asked why in all the previous visits and replacements they still had not upgraded the old SW version as a normal first approach. No answer. I’m very tech savvy on this as for many was a service manager for Motorola for many years and got the impression he just didn’t care and this wasn’t a normal procedure for them.
I used to fot hearing aids for Hear USA folks. Thats a manage care company that sends you to one of "THEIR" providers. This was when I was at beltone. Those are the same hearing aids as our costco rexton brand. I'm just not a huge fan. But they will definitely get the job done. The reason they don't care is becausenormally, they probably make thousands on a set of hearing aids. But when a manage care patient comes in, "your wife" they get pennies on the dollar. Instead of making 2 or 3 grand, they get a $300-$500 payment.
Hey! Awesome Video! I had a 3 tests done at school failed all 3. 2 of tjem we're done by professionals. And i have a chart and i have moderate sensorneural hearing loss. And i got my appointment at the end of april. Since i alright have results papers ill bring will i possibly get fitted for hearing aids? What hearinf aid is best. I also can NOT stand anythjnf in my ears thst don't have a outside. I cant even stand eearing wireless headpvones. I really looking at behinde the ear
You can bring your outside audiogram but Costco still needs to test you and we will use our test to program them
I really enjoyed your video on custom molds. I have been wearing hearing aids for about one year now and custom molds for about three months. I do have a question that I forgot to ask at my Costco and maybe you can help me with. My receiver seems to be embedded deep into my mold. There is no part of the receiver that I can grab to separate it from the mold to replace the wax guard. Is it common practice to just pull using the wire to get to the wax guard. I have KS10s. Thanks!
You might have a custom UP receiver mold or encased receiver. The filter would be at the end of mold for you to change. Don’t pull on wire, that’s how you can break them.
I get fitted at Costco tomorrow. I have a moderate loss. I’ll check on custom molds.
absolutely!
This was great, thank you. Liked and subscribed. I've found domes on my Phonak Audeos to be problematic. Power domes create too much occlusion. 'Closed' domes work very similarly in terms of seal, but the two tiny holes go a surprisingly long way toward eliminating occlusion. I'll be going to Costco for new HA soon and will order silicone molds. Can they include similarly small holes? I need amplification in the low to low mid frequencies and larger vents would not work for me. Thank you again.
No problem and thank you! Yes they can do small vents. Hope you like them!
Your videos are very informative. What’s your opinion on real ear measurements?
Wow, so helpful! Thanks so much.
My pleasure!
Which custom mold is better full or skeleton for my BTE? I just had my pressure. I had both before but I think I’m going to try skeleton for ventilation for dry skin and sweat.
I only use skeleton molds if the patient has retention issues, the mold not staying in or moving around too much. There is no right or wrong answer here, whatever you are more comfortable with. And there is nothing wrong with trying out different styles until you find something that works well for you.
Nice breakdown on the mold..custom mold. So with the mold only fitting how adaptable are they to types of BTE..receiver in canal. Would one mold work for different types/brands of RIC's? TIA
It generally depends on molds but most likely not just because every brand make their receivers differently unfortunately
Does anyone know when the 9040 custom ITEs will be coming out?
Haven’t heard anything yet.
Can custom RIC molds be made that would perform acoustically like open domes but have a better more secure fit, less feedback and no occlusion effect?
Not really, you will always have some occlusion with molds. They can make a certain type of mold with a very large stepped back vent or an iros vent. The bigger the vent, the less occlusion you will have.
Costco claimed they don’t have an on-site stock of Rextons, Philips and Jabras. Every customer has to order the brand new hearing aids, pay for them on the spot, and wait at least 10 days for them to arrive and be fitted. I think Costco is afraid of robbers stealing all of their stock.
That is true Costco doesn’t carry them on stock. It wouldn’t be robbers more like Costco own inventory. Purchase hearing aids and manufacture will ship it to Costco directly just keep both Costco and manufacture inventory and logistics to run smooth. I don’t think they’re afraid of robbers stealing their stock.
@@HearingClub Hearing aids places other than Costco have supplies inside their store so a new customer can come in, have a hearing test done right away (or through an appointment), have the selected hearing aids fitted, payment, and then they leave the premises with their hearing aids.
Correct and Costco used to do that but they stopped with the fall out of KS 10 hearing aids and again it’s more inventory reasons.
@@HearingClub24:45
I have Widex Moment they are awesome my audiologist suggested custom moulds, I have tinnitus 8000hz 66 db in one ear and 6000 hz 55db in the other ear, can moulds be good for tinnitus I thought open and airy would be best... thoughts?
I personally don't think there will be much of a difference between molds or domes. What masks or distracts from the tinnitus is the sound the hearing aid produces, not the type of dome/mold. But you can certainly try molds out and find out for sure.
My wifes Signia have RIC. They never offered her custom molds, just the standard in ear gel domes. How much would the custom mold cost? I assume once you have the original mold, its yours and you can have further RIC molds made as you change brands? Is this a service you can get done stand alone by a hearing aid technician without purchasing a hearing aid?
Great questions. The molds are made exclusively for your brand and are made for certain brands. Once you have a mold, yes its yours. This only applies to RIC aids. You cannot use a signia RIC mold on a Jabra RIC. If you have a BTE hearing aid mold, those ARE universal and you can use them on any BTE. BTE is "Behind the Ear" they are bigger hearing aids usually with more power and they have hollow rubber tubes instead of a small thin wire. Hope this helps! Oh and certain hearing aid dispensers will make molds for you, some won't unless you buy or use their hearing aids. It depends. I would call around. At costco, as long as you are a member and use a hearing aid that uses the same manufacturer that we use, like signia, they are the same as our rexton, i would make you a mold, I just did it in fact, for a patient of ours.
@@HearingClub Thanks, great answer. Yep we’re both members of Costco, so I’ll go with my wife when she needs her next next hearing aids. Thanks to your excellent explanations, we’ll be better prepared to ask the right questions when choosing a suitable hearing aid for her and save at least 60%, with better service. Thank you so much.❤️
In a future video can you comment on how to best deal with cell phone apps not supporting older phones? Currently my 5 year old hearing aides won't work with my cell phone that was introduced 7 years ago. (I bought the cell phone 4 years ago).
its time to update the phone. The only way you can get it to work depending on the hearing aid, is by buying a $300 accessory called a phone clip. Not worth it, see if you can just get a newer phone or any old iphone.
Fantastic video! Thank you! So clear and detailed. My Kaiser audiologist is having custom molds made for my Oticon Real 2's. While I think custom's are the best choice for me, I'm concerned about the boomy occlusion effect. If that is a problem, can they modify the molds (drill vent holes) after they're finished or do the molds have to be re-made?
I would request either an iros vent or semi iros or just ask for the largest vent possible.
Thank you for the prompt reply!@@HearingClub
I saw you said custom molds can’t be used for M&RIE, but what is the best dome to try with the M&RIE for mild to moderate high frequency SNHL. I think I might just stay with the regular receiver and try something custom. The open domes just keep migrating out. Sounds best to me when I push domes back in and cover ear canal opening with my fingers.
Well it really depends on how well the fitters can calibrate them. That's when they run that test where you hear a very loud buzzing noise and the hearing aids are checking the acoustics of your ears. With a high frequency loss, open would be the best IF and that's a big if with these m&rie receivers, of you cam get a good calibration. If the open domes migrate out, make sure you use the sport lock (that little tail thing) and try going one size up on the dome size.
And the custom mold with the m&rie, im gonna have to go back and edit that comment. You MIGHT be able to use a custom mold. I'm going to check with jabra tomorrow.
Hey man! This video was super informative! I recently picked up the Philips 9040s RIC to treat my profound high-frequency loss. I'm currently utilizing closed bass domes but am still experiencing feedback at my prescription level of amplification; I'm planning on picking up a pair of the power domes soon, however, I recognize that the level of occlusion will likely be uncomfortable. I happen to have really great low-frequency hearing, so I naturally questioned my Costco provider about custom molds. Both providers I've talked to wrote off the idea of standard molds (because of complete occlusion) almost entirely without bringing up the concept of VENTED ones. Are custom molds with custom vents still something you all provide 9 months later, and for the 9040s? Any information online about custom vented molds related to the KS hearing aids specifically.
Absolutely! There are several types of custom molds and vent options. For no low frequency loss where it’s all in the highs, they have specific vents called IROS and semi IROS vents that will provide a good amount of “openness” that will help. It really depends on the experience level of the fitter. It takes a long time to accumulate the knowledge to properly fit hearing aids for the more obscure issues etc…
Oticon Real 1 issues:
I'm new to hearing aids and just got my first pair 2 weeks ago for moderate hearing loss.
I've had one adjustment done by the audiologist because I didn't really notice any improvement when it comes to hearing people with soft voices and even when I stream audio or take a phone call. Still no noticeable improvement. I noticed if I press on my ears I can hear more clearly. I'm wondering if a custom ear mold or another type of dome would be the solution or maybe just inserting them differently would help?
you can try a more occluding dome like a closed or power dome. When you press on your ears, you are sealing up all that sound and none of it is leaking out. You can try a more occluding dome but you will also get more of the occlusion effect.
Hi Brian, me again, lol...
I picked up my one Bernafon RIE hearing aid yesterday. I have 30 days to try it and now that I've seen some of your videos, I don't intend to keep it, but I thought it would be worthwhile to try it. Just a brief reminder, I have otosclerosis in my right ear. The fitter told me I have tiny ear canals and that she gave me the smallest dome she could get but that if there was a smaller one, she would have tried that. She didn't suggest a custom mold. 20 years ago, I did have a fully in the ear canal custom hearing aid, but it drove me crazy because it always felt like it was sliding around. Now that I have the RIC aid, the receiver/dome always feels like it's tickling the inside of my ear! I have very itchy ears already, and this is making me a bit nuts. I know it's only been 2 days and I'm hoping I will get used to it, but I'm wondering if a custom mold might be a better choice for me. Does it go as far into the canal as the RIC? Do you think it would be less irritating to my sensitive ear canal? I asked for a copy of my audiograph, but they wanted $100 for it so I took a pass. I have an appointment at COSTCO to start the process there at the beginning of November.
My second question is about my mother. She also picked up her new RIC hearing aids yesterday. She has molds for hers but she is still having a VERY difficult time putting them in. She's 90 and I honestly don't think she's going to be able to get the hang of it. Are there any tricks that might make it easier for her?? She keeps getting confused about the direction they should go in. She's overwhelmed and frustrated :(
Thanks so much! Suzanne
I really like molds and I think if you have ANY problems at all with these "domes" you should most definitely try molds. $100.00 for YOUR audiogram is sooooo scammy and such a bad look for a company, I would run and never come back. Nobody should keep your records behind a financial gate. That is just sooooo downright awful. They are your records. They want to deter you from going somewhere else so they charge you!!?? That should be a huge red flag for you. Costco would never charge you for an agram. And if you go to Costco, They won't use that audiogram even if you have it. They will use their own.
The custom mold will go in as far as a custom hearing aid. They usually don't go super deep unless we request one. My canals started off really itchy but it got better over the first couple of weeks.
If she's 90 amd doesn't have much dexterity, it can be very difficult. I don't know how "with it" she is but it sounds like she may need help. Are they marked red and blue, does she know blue is left, etc.... I always tell my patients, make sure when you hold the mold, the writing is facing directly away from you.
@@HearingClub Ya, I wasn't impressed!
@@HearingClub She's "mostly" with it..but I agree that she will need some help. Getting old is not easy!
Does Costco still "lock" their hearing aids ? Can you go to another hearing aid service provider with costco aids and get them adjusted ?
Far as I know, the hearing aids aren’t locked. So yes you can go to another place.
I'm a new HA patient and have moderate high frequency loss, my low frequency is OK. I returned my first pair of Phonak RICs and am going to give it another try. I was not bothered by the amplified high frequency sounds around the house and car. In addition to typical problems with conversation, etc, I am quite bothered by traffic noise as I walk along streets. I really like the idea of In the Canal or In the Ear types but the dispensers keep twisting my arm to go with a RIC. Do you think it is reasonable to follow their (lazy) "advice", or should I insist on trying what I suspect I may prefer?
You probably won't like it and if you don't like it, it's a huge waste of time for everyone. But I am a huge advocate of, if you don't try it, you will never know. Can i ask why you want a custom? Do you think this will make the street noise better? It won't.
Thanks SO MUCH for your reply. Are you saying I will probably not like the custom? Yes, I hoped a custom with a small vent could reduce street noise. You have a great channel - thanks again!!! @@HearingClub
Does anybody find their custom mold too snug fitting that you feel it all the time? Sounds silly , I need to take the custom mold out periodically to give my ear canal a rest . Also is sweat a problem that you need to take it out to wipe with cloth?
For some, the custom molds can be too snug. When this happens, you can take your custom molds where you got them from, have them grind down the spots on the molds that bother you.
Could it be an improperly made silicone mold to begin with? Too much silicone was injected into ear canal which was jammed larger , subsequently the hearing aid made from the mold is bigger , which caused a jammed sensation in the ear canal . Again my theory only .
Unlikely, but you can always get your impressions re done again. The custom molds were made based on size of your ear. You could request for remake or make it smaller.
I have Costco Jabra Enhnace Pro10 with MARIE receiver. Can a custom ear mold be made for the MARIE receiver? If not, why?
Ooh that's a great question. It cannot. The special and different property of the Marie receiver is the 3rd microphone. The picriphone is build into the receiver and since the receiver is "inside" the mold, it just couldn't and wouldn't make sense.
thank you
actually, now you are making me think. I may be wrong, let me call jabra tomorrow and find out 100%. I'll get back to you tomorrow
what did you find?
So, should molds be for everyone?
I wouldn't say everyone but anyone can use molds. When it comes to hearing aids, whatever works best for you is what you should be using. If domes work, use domes. If domes don't work, try molds.
What is the average cost for custom molds?
When I worked at beltone, we charged 120.00 for molds and at costco only 80.00. Sometimes, the molds will be included with the hearing aids. It all depends on where you go.
Are custom molds covered by insurance?
Why does Costco shy away from Rexton’s? I’ve tried the Jabra’s and the Phillips. Both were inferior in sound quality and with their apps. The Rexton’s battery life and sound quality combined with the Rexton Assistant is far superior to either of the other brands. It’s perplexing to me. 🤷♂️
P.S. I like the hat!
Haha thanks man! I'll tell you what... we didn't sell Rexton, Jabra or Philips much at all while we had the Phonak (KS10). But once we lost that, something crazy happened. We were forced to explore the other options. We have had (as fitters) a lot of issues with the Rexton programming In the fitting software. People have been returning A LOT of rextons. Charging issues, entire programming being reset, like we never saved the fitting but we did so people would come in saying, I had all these programs (noise, tv, outdoor) and now they are all gone! If they could fix these issues, we would sell a lot more. As fitters, the last thing we want to do is give someone a bad experience, we need them to be successful and right now, its hard with rexton. Great question, I may add this one to the next Q&A video.
@@HearingClub Hear me out on this (pun intended)! I realize the older KS problems were an issue when Rexton was the manufacturer but these newer models based on the shared AX design are the bomb diggity. Add in the OVP combined with the control through the app, you have a solid HA. I’ve tried Phonak/Unitron, Oticon/Phillips, Resound/Jabra and Signia/Rexton’s. In all of these, only Unitron’s had better sound quality for me based on my Audiogram which in the typical moderate loss especially in higher frequencies (65-70 db). I believe Rexton’s may be getting the short end of the stick and at least deserve a shot. 😀
They do have a shot, just they are coming short when it comes to durability, again they haven’t resolve the Bluetooth and charging issues yet.
Does anybody have problems with sweating in your ears while wearing custom molds. Mine are silicone molds.
What issues does the sweat cause?
@@HearingClub I have them in from when i get up in the morning until I go to bed at night. My ears get wet with sweat and my ears start to itch. I've had a couple of bacterial infections in both ears(not at the same time). I have a perforated eardrum in my left ear, my right eardrum is okay. I'm very fastidious in keeping my molds clean so don't think the infections are from that. So hopefully somebody can help me. Are there only acrylic and silicone custom ear molds?
I appreciate that you are young and like wearing hats, but your hat is shading half of your face and is kind of off-putting. Just my opinion. BTW, I always have custom molds or ITE hearing aids.
Lol, well thank you for the feedback my friend. Fortunately for me, I'm me, and I'm going to continue being me and won't change for somebody else. Good thing this isn't a video on how to look while on camera haha. But I do value your feedback and maybe I'll do something with the lighting in the vids so you can see my ugly mug a little better 😉
So what reasons do you have a custom mold? Is it comfort, you need more volume? Talk to me brother!!!
@@HearingClub I tried using domes with a pair of Oticon RIC devices several years ago, but they didn't work well for me and I have been using custom ear molds ever since. I think they are more comfortable as well.
@@HearingClub A change in lighting would help I think. It didn't stop me from appreciating the video at all.
ya for sure, they are definitely the way to go if you have any fit/comfort issues.