Stop Whistling: 3 Common Causes Of Hearing Aid Feedback

If you've been fitted with a new hearing aid, you might not be prepared for the unexpected sound effects. People who wear hearing aids often experience an unexplained whistling sound in their ears. This sound, which is referred to as feedback, can be quite annoying, especially when you don't know why it's happening. Luckily, the whistling sound doesn't mean that there's anything wrong with the hearing aids. If you experience a whistling sound when wearing your new hearing aid, use this troubleshooting guide to identify the cause.

Ear Wax

Dirt and wax buildup inside the ears can interfere with reception. When that happens, you can end up with a high-pitched whistling sound in your ears. If it's been a while since you had your ears cleaned, you should make an appointment with your audiologist. Your doctor will be able to safely remove the waxy buildup that's causing your hearing aids to whistle. It's important to note that you shouldn't try to clean your ears by yourself, since you could damage your ear drum.

Improper Adjustment

For your hearing aids to work properly, they need to be adjusted to fit your ears. If your hearing aids don't fit properly, you could begin to hear high-pitched whistling in your ears. Two common ways that ill-fitting hearing aids lead to whistling include gaps and jostling.

Gaps

When your hearing aids don't fit properly, you may have gaps between the ear piece and your inner ear. If that happens, air can get caught in your ear, causing your hearing aid to whistle.

Jostling

 If your hearing aids don't fit snugly in your ears, they can be jostled by things such as putting a hat on or brushing your hair. As soon as your ears are jostled, the hearing aids will shift and you'll experience a high-pitched whistle.

Dirty Microphone

Your hearing aids have small microphones attached to the portion that fits into your ear. Dirt and wax can get trapped inside the microphone, which can cause a variety of problems including sound disturbances and whistling. To prevent wax buildup, you should clean the microphones at least once a week. Dip a cotton swab in a small amount of saline solution and carefully wipe the microphone tips.

Now that you're going to be wearing hearing aids, you'll want your hearing to be as clear as possible. The tips provided here will help you avoid the annoying feedback that can lead to high-pitched whistling. 


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