In today’s technology, people who are losing their hearing can get devices like hearing aids to listen to their favorite music and converse naturally. Whether trying to listen to the voices and laughter of their loved ones or concentrate on nature’s melody, these devices are going to have an amazing impact on the rest of one’s life.
However, some of these technological wonders are not living up to their hype. Know that they are made differently, and no two hearing aids are identical to each other. It’s always best to invest in the high-quality ones and there are a lot of them like Audien Hearing that offers durable devices that will last for a long time. Blue Angels Hearing is another company that has been providing reliable and affordable hearing aids that are rechargeable.
Unfortunately, some devices produce feedback that can be irritating to the ears. It can come in the form of whistling sounds or high-pitch squeals. These factors can impede treatments and can even contribute to the severity of one’s hearing loss. Luckily, many devices don’t get as much feedback as in the previous decades. But when you encounter ones that do, here are some fixes that may help solve the problem.
About the Feedback
The feedback is often a sound wave or acoustic signal that escapes the ears and hits your devices’ microphones. This can be a continuous hiss, loud buzz, whistle, screech, or squeal. Since hearing aids are essential today, the more severe the loss, the greater the possibility of experiencing feedback. This is because the size and power of the sound waves can also affect the level of hearing.
The Feedback will Decrease with Newer Device
As long as you got your device from a legitimate manufacturer, you can rest assured that there will be lesser chances of you getting feedback. Technology today has been beneficial in addressing these problems. As long as the hearing aid is working correctly and it fits well, the sound waves won’t affect the eardrums. You can read more about them on this page here.
Causes of Feedback
Today, two main types of feedback exist. They are mechanical and acoustical.
Mechanical: This can happen when the vibrations in the device come in contact with a casing. The speaker may cause vibrations, and this can be addressed by adjusting the device.
Acoustical: Acoustical feedback may happen when the speaker amplifies the sounds that are picked up by the microphone. When this happens, this can be a case of a significant wax build-up or the device was not fitted properly.
Tips in Troubleshooting Hearing Aid Feedback
Although the noise is not as harmful as it may sound, it can still be embarrassing and annoying. If the ones that you’re getting are acoustical, you can do a few things to address this issue.
Reinsert
One of the most common reasons you’re getting buzzing sounds is that the hearing aid may not be inserted appropriately. You may not have thought about this before, but you can be amazed at the regularity of this problem. Check with the audiologist that can confirm whether the placement is correct.
If there are sudden whistles, there’s a good chance that taking the hearing aids out and reinserting them again will immensely help. You can try to pull your earlobes a bit farther while inserting the device so that it properly fits the ear canal. Also, it can help if you adjust the volume of the device to a level that’s more comfortable for you.
Earwax Removal
Some of the problems aren’t usually all of the hearing aid’s fault. When the device is inserted into the canal, it can come in contact with the wax, and this is where the problem lies.
Earwax naturally occurs, and it’s a part of life. It protects the ears as well, but when the build-up is causing a blockage, you may naturally want to clean this before it goes too far. The blockage can naturally impact the amplification provided by the hearing aids that cause buzzes. The whistling can be due to the wax that’s also heard by people who don’t wear hearing aids.
You can clean the outer part with a clean cloth. Other experts may do irrigation to flush out the way with the help of a syringe. However, the syringe method is something that one shouldn’t try at home when they are unsupervised. Learn more about earwax here: https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/earwax.html.
One way to check if the earwax is the problem is to rub a small amount of petroleum jelly into your hearing aids. They will serve as a barrier that will protect your device from earwax between the gaps. Another thing is that pushing the device deeper into the ear can close and plug the gaps. If you notice that you do not hear as much feedback afterward, you may request a snug fit with an expert. A re-shaping or re-cased can also be a solution.
Repairs
The devices are exceptionally delicate, and even if your audiologist gave you a more durable product, you might find out in time that they are prone to wear and tear. The feedback is one of the most common indications that your hearing aids may need repairs because something may have been broken.
It might be tempting to repair the mishaps, bents, and visible damages yourself. However, the untrained eye and inexperience with these kinds of things may make the feedback worse. Even if you could minimize the problem, you may find out that it will return in a few days, and the deterioration will soon follow.
It’s best if you can get a professional who can repair the devices for you. This way, you can save time, money, and effort, and you can be assured that you won’t have to experience the same problem again for a long time.
It’s important not to allow the fear of getting feedback to prevent you from asking for help from your physician. Loss of hearing is a serious problem, and if you left this untreated, you could be at risk with various issues. You can still socialize and live a better life with the right hearing aids that don’t have feedback.
