How do I handle feedback sounds from my hearing aids?

No matter how stylish or advanced your hearing aids are, you are bound to hear whirring sounds when you use them. While sometimes these sounds are normal, sometimes it indicates that something is wrong with your device. Although the quality of sound you experience in your hearing aid device may be very good, these whirring sounds (called feedback sounds) may affect your hearing experience in some way.

There are many newer digital hearing aids available today that come with feedback reduction. When sound is returned to the microphone from the receiver, it creates a feedback sound and therefore re-amplifies, causing a whirring sound. It creates headache-inducing screeching or squealing sounds, and those sounds are annoying!

Causes of feedback sound

●Excessive accumulation of ear wax

●Poorly fitted or improperly installed hearing aid tubes

●Cracked or broken tubes

●Deformed sound disassembled microphone

●Excessive volume at certain frequencies

Types of Feedback Sounds

Hearing aid devices emit three types of feedback sounds.

●Acoustic feedback – When the amplified sound from the hearing aid speaker is picked up again by the microphone, it makes a louder, harsher sound that is unsettling to the user.

●Mechanical feedback – Even though it may be really hard to deal with it, it is easy to fix. It is caused by the vibrations that occur when the hearing aid speaker comes into contact with the device housing.

●Electronic feedback- This happens when there is a problem with the circuitry of the hearing aid.

How do I handle feedback sounds?

Don’t hit the device hard, for example on the desktop, thinking it will stop the noise. No, it won’t. Instead, it may damage the internal parts of your headset.

Never try to fix it yourself just because you have mechanical knowledge, unless you repair hearing aids for a living. You may not be able to diagnose and fix the problem. Take it to your audiologist without a second thought!

Don’t throw away your device out of frustration. Your hearing aid machine only needs a few minor adjustments.

Switch to a digital hearing aid. You have many reasons to do so. Not only will you have an enhanced hearing experience, but modern digital hearing aid devices also feature feedback suppression. However, if you are already a digital hearing aid user and you can still hear these disturbing sounds, then you may have some problems with your device.

Check the fit of the device. Push the device as deep into the ear canal as possible to create a tighter seal. Improperly fitted hearing aids may allow amplified sound waves to escape and return to the microphone. This can cause sounds to be re-amplified while they appear to be distorted. Ask your audiologist to fit the hearing aid properly and make sure the machine has the correct size ear tips that fit and don’t just lie loosely in the ear canal.

Check for earwax buildup. If sounds hit hard lumps of earwax, they may bounce out of the ear and re-amplify, creating an annoying sound.

It is recommended that a professional audiologist be consulted to analyze the problem that is causing the feedback sound. If there is a problem with the device, he or she will make fine adjustments or adjustments. He or she may also recommend that you use a digital hearing aid with feedback suppression