Meet Ken – From OTC Hearing Aids to Real Tinnitus Relief
I’ve lived in this area since 1992 and now live about 10 minutes away, which makes coming here easy. I’ve worked in purchasing and procurement my entire career, so I’m used to analyzing decisions carefully before moving forward.
My tinnitus experience has been a long time coming. Growing up, I worked in a cabinet shop around saw blades and table saws. I also listened to loud music and played in a rock band in high school. Looking back, I wasn’t very kind to my ears in my early years.
Being Told Nothing Could Be Done
Around age 50, during a routine physical, I mentioned the ringing in my ears to my doctor. His response was, “That’s just what happens when you get older.” I had heard that so many times that I simply accepted it. When someone tells you there’s nothing you can do, you tend to block it out and move on.
The ringing was always there, but I learned to live with it.
I Tried The Cheaper Hearing Devices First
It was actually my son who finally pushed me to take action. He said, “Dad, you’ve got to do something. You keep saying ‘What?’ and ‘Huh?’ You can’t hear.” Before that conversation, I had tried hearing aids that I bought online. I even took the hearing test sitting in my car with headphones on. They cost about $300 each.
They amplified sound, but everything felt very digital and computerized. I could wear them at work, but at home they didn’t sound natural. My wife and my family didn’t sound right. Because of that, I eventually stopped wearing them.
A Decision I Didn’t Overanalyze
When I decided to look again, this was the first place I called because it was close by. Given my background in procurement, I normally wouldn’t buy anything without getting three or four bids. I analyze everything thoroughly, then analyze it again, and usually wait before making a final decision. That’s just how I operate.
After my assessment, Dr. Jackson asked a lot of questions and was right on target. She said, “It looks like you have trouble hearing women’s voices,” which was absolutely correct. She went through everything carefully and then said, “We’re going to put these in and see what you think.”
When she placed the devices in my ears, the difference was immediate. She had me turn around so we were facing opposite directions and asked, “Can you hear me?” I said, “Yes, perfectly. You sound completely normal.”
That was it for me.
I didn’t ask how much they cost. I didn’t ask any other questions. I just told her to box them up. That’s how natural they sounded, and I hardly ever take them out now. It’s been a game changer.
How the Devices Help with My Tinnitus and Everyday Life
My tinnitus is a constant ringing, like a cricket that never stops. With these devices, they added an ocean wave sound in the background. Even while we’re sitting here, there’s a soft ocean wave playing. It’s turned down so low that I don’t really notice it unless things get quiet.
That sound offsets the ringing. When someone asks me about it, I can notice the ringing again, but otherwise it fades into the background. I don’t know exactly what it’s doing, but it keeps the ringing from being bothersome. It’s only been about six months, but it feels like it goes away because I’m not paying attention to it anymore.
The only time I really adjust the devices is at the gym or in a loud restaurant. If it’s too noisy, I can turn them down. If I’m watching TV, I can almost turn them off. It’s amazing that you can actually reduce the sounds you don’t want to hear.
Most people don’t even know I’m wearing them. One funny moment was after my first appointment, when I was walking to my car and my phone rang. I was looking around wondering whose phone was ringing—until I realized it was mine. No one had told me they were Bluetooth enabled.
The Difference Between Buying Online and Seeing a Professional
I think a lot of people see cheaper devices online and assume they’re basically the same. You don’t know the difference until you actually put them in your ears. It’s a completely different technology. I’ve owned both, and even someone with less hearing loss than I have would benefit from these devices.
My Experience Beyond the Devices
From the very first phone call, everything was easygoing. No one pressured me. This isn’t a one-time transaction. Even today, I called about 30 minutes before coming in and they said, “Come on in.”
The doctors I’ve worked with, including Dr. Jackson, have all been pleasant and genuinely interested in what’s going on with me. She asked me, “Do you find yourself not saying anything because you don’t want to keep saying ‘Huh?’” I said yes, because that was exactly what I was doing.
One time when Dr. Jackson was unavailable, another doctor helped me. She had the same approach: “What are you after? What do you need? Tell me what you’re hearing.” There was no pushing a specific product, just genuine concern.
The administrative staff always greets me by name. They take an interest in you and your family. I think part of what they’re really treating is your overall quality of life, not just your hearing.
I would say this: stop telling yourself that the more expensive devices can’t be that much better… because they are. But you won’t know until you try. It doesn’t cost anything to come in for an evaluation and have them put the devices in your ears.
Once you hear the difference, you’ll understand.
