[RonWilson]

I assume that when your hearing starts deteriorating the idea of hearing aids is to amplify the frequencies that has deteriorated by excessive loudness in your past. 
 
Does hearing aids actually further hurt (deteriorate) the areas of frequency loss.  In other words, is the cure actually imparing further the problem?  It seems to me strange that you increase the SPL in the ear drum to compensate for a loss in that area.  Thus, further damaging the ear.  Am I missing something? 
 
Also, with an understanding of the frequency deviations in each ear, can one compensate with an audio equalizer to give you flat hearing once again without the use of hearing aids?  Also, are there any headphone audiophiles that also wear hearing aids?

 

[Magedark]

I used to, long time ago, wear heaing aids. Think 2000-2002. From what I remember, it was very possible to me to turn it up too loud, and became very painful at time. I'm not entirely sure how they operate or are now, so I can't answer the other questions.

 

[FullCircle]

A lot of questions there:
 
Hearing aids do not cure hearing loss.
 
Hearing aids, are (or at least should be) acoustically tuned to match you hearing loss in the regions of where your hearing is not "normal."
 
Even so, in most cases, this exact tunning, will not bring your hearing back to normal hearing levels in the reigion of your hearing loss.
 
Compression, where by the hearing aids automatically turned themselves down, helps to decrease exposure to loud sounds, and yes the compression in the hearing aids is set with SPL thresholds and effects frequency band withs differently.
 
Theoretically, one could adjust their own EQ to help adjust for a hearing loss when listening to their music.
 
Theoretically, one could run their music through the hearing aid through the use of a Telecoil (not going in to that) or blue tooth connection. (You Tube Siemens TEK if you want)
 
That said, you should understand that "damaged hair cells" do not respond to stimulation normally, so you would have a loss in "fidelity" even if you turned up the frequency region that your hearing loss lays in.
I think Dr Mead Killion, founder of ER and an audiologist, did some research on fidelity of music and hearing loss. I believe his findings showed that even though folks had a hearing loss, they still appreciated quailtiy sound....  to a certain degree.
 
 

 

[FullCircle]

I found this article, you may like it:
 
http://www.audiologyonline.com/askexpert/display_question.asp?question_id=761