I was diagnosed with SSNHL recently and have permanent hearing loss in one ear. I’m on some basic trialnhearing aids but I’d like to if anyone have any experience with getting hearing aids or if they have any brand recommendations.
I also was unsure about getting any assistance from the gov’t for hearing aids. I’m not eligible for disability so I was checking the fine print for subsidy in Tokyo and was unsure with the wording if I’m eligible or not. I’m still pretty young, so definitely don’t qualify for being over 70, but the wording of the other conditions are a bit confusing.
I’m meeting with an audiologist next month to figure everything out, so I know I’ll get all the details then, but if anyone has any advice or could share their experience in general, it would really help narrow down my options and understand what I’m getting into. Thanks in advance!
2 comments
I have partial hearing on one side, and I use an A&M hearing aid I got at Bic Camera in Yurakucho. They have a free testing booth there as well. Note that prices for decent hearing aids are high but you shouldn’t have to buy them more than once if you’re careful. Be sure the one(s) you buy have replaceable ear canal pads.
i think meeting with an audiologist is a good step as they will know how to work with the local conditions.
in general, if you want gov’t subsidy, it will depend on where you live and you’ll need to inquire at the city or ward office where you live. most municipalities will probably require that you have a 障害者手帳 (which is also can be a long process to apply for). some may require that you have below certain income requirements. the process is usually that you first go to the municipality and apply, when approved, they’ll give you a coupon that you can bring to certain designated stores which are authorized to deal with it. the models that you can purchase might be limited (usually only the most basic models) and the subsidy amount may vary as well as how often you can apply.
if you are used to working with audiologists in North America or Europe, etc, who normally have university degrees or specializations in audiology or speech sciences etc, you’ll find their counterparts in Japan lacking (most will have some kind of hearing aid dealer training etc only, and very rarely higher education in the field). some shops might sell hearing aids alongside eyeglasses, personal electronics etc.
generally the most advanced aids are phonak, widex, resound, siemens etc. if you’re not looking for subsidy, and you have membership etc, costco can be a good place to get a hearing aid (their aids are usually rebranded siemens or resound aids etc). for a mild hearing loss and if you’re looking to cut costs, something generic could work maybe. but it’s nice to have quality of life improvements like Bluetooth features etc, which usually cost a little more.
also if you spend a lot, you may be able to use the expenses towards your medical expenses deduction in your taxes