When your hearing aid speaker produces an irritating, high-pitched sound, it’s likely due to feedback. Hearing aid feedback can sound like whistling, ringing, humming, buzzing or squealing. It happens when the sound produced by the hearing aid speaker escapes the ear canal, where it is then picked up by the hearing aid microphone and reamplified into the hearing aid speaker. This same phenomenon occurs when a person holds a microphone too close to the speaker, amplifying their voice, and a loud squeal occurs.
Feedback can occur when you put your hearing aids in or take them out, or put a scarf on and it brushes your ear. If it only happens in contexts like these, it may not be an issue. However, feedback can also indicate that your hearing aids need to be adjusted in some way. This is a more likely scenario if you get feedback when the hearing aid is already in position in your ear and it isn’t being actively touched or moved. Let’s discuss some of the common fixes.
Check That the Hearing Aid Is Positioned Properly
An improperly positioned hearing aid is the most common reason for feedback. You want your hearing aid to fit snugly so the earmold seals. If it doesn’t seal, it’s easy for sound to leak out and back through the microphone. Gently adjust the position of your hearing aid, feeling for that seal, and if you’re still experiencing feedback, it may be time for new earmolds.
Remove Excess Earwax
Earwax build-up obstructs the ear canal, blocking the sound waves from getting through and reflecting the sound back out to the microphone. Safely remove earwax from your ear canal and, while you’re at it, give your hearing aids a good cleaning to make sure they’re free of wax.
Turn The Volume Down
If you have the volume up too loud, sound can leak out of your ear canal and back into the microphone, causing feedback. This can be solved by simply turning your volume down. If you feel you need to turn the volume up that high for your hearing aids to be effective, you may need new settings, so talk to your audiologist.
Talk To Your Provider
If you’ve tried all the above and are still experiencing feedback issues, see your provider. It could be a mechanical problem, such as broken tubing or a dislodged microphone. Wear and tear is natural, and hearing aids need regular maintenance. Our team at Southwestern Hearing & Balance can help you fix or replace your hearing aids.