Well, the bad news is the hearing loss in my right ear is permanent.  If my
hearing range were to be represented by 88 piano keys, I could say the lower
44 are no longer working.  I have intermittent tinnitus that ranges from a
hissing noise to a high pitched whine with an occasional "electronic tone."

My ENT says a virus inflamation killed off the hairs that process the lower
register sounds.  This follows a hearing test and an eight week course with
a steroid spray and saline solution to open the eustachean tubes.
Apparently, they opened ok, but to no good effect in terms of hearing loss.
The hearing test shows the left ear is fine and has a hearing range
consistent with a male age 55 which I am.

My ENT has recommended a digital hearing aide which he says will cost
$2,500.  Cripes, if I had that kind of money I'd use it as a down payment on
a new car.  What's the deal here?  Why are the digital hearing aides so
expensive? If I really felt I needed one where would I start to evaluate my
choices?  What features should I look for and why?

I've been explicitly told an analog hearing aide will not do any good and
that buying one is a waste of money.

Pointers to useful websites posted to this news group would be helpful.

Thanks.