Helmet and Hearing Aids

Message

pintnight · #1 Unread post by **pintnight** » Sun Nov 18, 2007 9:42 am

Does anybody here wear hearing aids? I'm wondering how comfortable wearing a helmet with hearing aids?

My issues if I have anything close to my hearing aids (headphones, paintball mask, etc) I get a lot of feedback from the hearing aids and I have to either turn the hearing aids off or turn them way down.

Bluebabe · #2 Unread post by **Bluebabe** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 12:29 pm

My husband may be getting some soon, too many years in a power plant. I have a girlfriend who rides with some and another friend. They shut them off or take them out and put in ear plugs. So, don't think they ride with them on and a helmet.

You MAY be able to trade up and get some that don't have the feedback, but not sure how you acquired them, if they were covered under insurance, etc. I will ask around for you though in our chapter and get back to you....

Oh, and :welcome3:

to the site! Lot's of good information and people!

Patrick · #3 Unread post by **Patrick** » Tue Nov 20, 2007 1:21 pm

When my wife gets home I will ask her. She does not drive but rides with me and she has a very expensive hearing aid that does have feed back problems if anything is very close to he ear. I will ask her if she gets feed back or if she turns them off. I think she paid 1500 and insurance paid another 1500 USD as well but I will ask. We are waiting on the other ear as it is a lot of money.

Patrick

Nibblet99 · #4 Unread post by **Nibblet99** » Wed Nov 21, 2007 7:05 am

To be honest, when riding, I usually wear earplugs to protect my ears from noise damage (wind gets rather loud at 60mph+). Please do re-educate me if necessary, but wouldn't it be better to take the hearing aid off when riding?

Meanie · #5 Unread post by **Meanie** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 1:21 am

Nibblet99 wrote:To be honest, when riding, I usually wear earplugs to protect my ears from noise damage (wind gets rather loud at 60mph+). Please do re-educate me if necessary, but wouldn't it be better to take the hearing aid off when riding?

It depends on the hearing aids.

Hearing aids have become very sophisticated in the last few years. Many of them offer various levels of technology such as wind reduction mode, background noise reduction mode and so on. This depends on the hearing loss of the wearer.

The style of hearing aids plays a key role also. The bigger the aid the more it protrudes out of the ear and chances of feedback increase with nearer objects. The In-the-ear aids will have feedback when the ear is covered such as with a telephone but may not produce feedback with a helmet. Since the helmet ear piece area has an opening (for speakers and such) this provides distance from an in the ear aid and may not produce that feedback.

Also, today's hearing aids have features which can mute, cell phone function, sound level functions, etc. all with the touch of a small button. This could also help while wearing with a helmet. As for the concern about wind noise, a hearing aid with wind reduction noise automatically reduces the wind if it exceeds a set decibel. The same can be done for ANY sound over a specific decibel. This, obviously helps reduce the chance of the wearing to suffer anymore hearing loss.

The only way to determine what will work is to discuss the hearing aid options with an audiologist. They will know what hearing aid is the best option for the wearer.

Patrick · #6 Unread post by **Patrick** » Thu Nov 22, 2007 4:11 am

I did talk to my wife Val and she does wear her hearing aid when riding and said she get very little feed back, but from time to time she does. Now mind you, when I ride with her on the back I do not go much over 70-75 and I have a windshield.

Patrick