Your hearing aid should help to improve your quality of life. However, that’s not always the case. Your hearing device is an advanced, complicated device that can do amazing things, but it’s not always perfect. One of the more frustrating things that some hearing aid wearers experience is feedback. This isn’t a common grievance, especially with newer devices, but if it does happen, you’ll want to fix the problem as soon as possible, purely because it’s annoying to live with.
The good news is that the issue is normally fixable. In this blog, we’ll take a look at everything you need to know about hearing aid feedback, including what it is and how you can fix it.
What is Hearing Aid Feedback?
You’ll know hearing aid feedback when you hear it. It’s a kind of whistle that you can hear in your ear; it’s so close to you that it can only be produced by the hearing aid. It happens when sounds that have been amplified by your device escape your ear and then loop back into the hearing aid. You’ll probably experience it from time to time on a very short basis, such as when you brush your ear with an item of clothing. But if it’s happening when there’s no reason for it, then it’ll be important to take action.
The Causes of Hearing Aid Feedback
There are a number of reasons why you may be experiencing feedback from your hearing aid. Below, we’ll outline the most common reasons.
Poor Fitting
The most common reason for feedback is poor fitting. Your hearing aid should be snug in your ear, which will prevent any sound that enters your ear canal from escaping. While your hearing aid may have once fitted you correctly, it’s important to remember that your ear shape may change over time; for instance, if you lose or gain weight. That could result in a hearing aid that isn’t quite right for your ear.
Earwax
Too much earwax is another common cause of hearing aid feedback for two reasons. First, an excess of earwax could result in your hearing aid not fitting correctly. The other reason is that the earwax prevents the sound from passing through your ear, at which point it turns around and escapes into the air, where it is picked up again by your hearing aid. Removing the buildup of excessive earwax should prevent the problem in the future.
Overly High Volume
It’s important that your hearing aid is set to the correct volume. It’s tempting to turn up hearing aids, especially when feedback is making it more difficult to hear. However, that could be the reason why you’re experiencing feedback in the first place. Try turning it down and see what happens.
Hearing Aid Problems
Hearing aids are brilliant devices. However, they won’t last forever. Just like every other instrument, eventually, they’ll begin to wear down a little. If you’ve checked the volume, fit and earwax solutions and none of them seem to be the cause, then it’s possible that there’s a problem with the inner workings of your hearing aid.
Quick Solutions
No one wants to live with hearing aid feedback. It’s annoying at best and outright inconvenient at worst, as it prevents you from hearing everything that you need to hear. There are a few solutions that you can try as soon as you have the problem. The first solution is to reinsert the hearing aid in your ear to make sure that it’s properly fitted. If that doesn’t work, then deep clean your ears with an earwax kit. You may also change the batteries of the device. If that doesn’t work, then you should make an appointment with your audiologist.
See Your Hearing Aid Provider
Your audiologist doesn’t just perform hearing test evaluations and select the correct hearing aid for you. They’re also there when something goes wrong. Indeed, this is one of the main advantages of working with an audiologist for your hearing aid rather than buying an over-the-counter product. If you experience feedback or have any other issue with your hearing aid, then simply make an appointment and they can help you.
Get in Touch with Professional Hearing Solutions
If you have a problem with your hearing aid, or you’re interested in having one fitted, then don’t hesitate to get in touch with us here at Professional Hearing Solutions. To set up an appointment, simply give us a call at (386) 265-4769 and one of our team will be happy to assist you.
