Dear Anna,
Sometimes when I cup my hand over my hearing aids I hear a whistling sound. Is this supposed to happen? It doesn’t bother me when I’m wearing them, but I wonder if other people also hear it. Why does a hearing aid squeal? Do new hearing aids whistle? – Susan in California
Whistling or squealing is referred to in the hearing aid industry as feedback and it is essentially when amplified sound gets fed back into the hearing aid microphone. One of the most common causes of feedback is when the ear canal gets blocked with wax so a good thing to do if your hearing aid starts whistling is to get your ear checked for wax.
Another cause is when the earpiece is loose or does not fit well so that sound can leak out of the ear. If you think this could be the problem visit your hearing care professional and ask them to check the fit and condition of the hearing aid earpiece. Normally this is solved by replacing the dome or making a new earmold.
“Whistling or squealing is referred to in the hearing aid industry as feedback and it is essentially when amplified sound gets fed back into the hearing aid microphone.”
Other commonly reported problems like buzzing, bubbling or crackling noises could mean there is a problem with the internal electronics of the hearing so it is always a good idea to get your hearing care professional to check but sometimes it can be buzzing that is being picked up by another electrical device nearby so make a note of when it happens if it is an intermittent buzzing and see if there is a pattern. Bubbling or crackling sounds can be because small water droplets or wax in the tube that fits into the earpiece moving around in the tube, so take a look and see if this is the case. Tapping the tube or blowing air through the tube with a hearing aid puffer can help.
If the hearing aid continues to make unusual noises then the best thing to do is to get your hearing care professional to check the hearing aid. They will have equipment called a test box that can check if the hearing aid is performing as it should to standardized readings.
Hopefully now you have a little more insight into why and what is making that strange noise in your hearing aids and what you can do about it.
Do you have a question for Anna? Email: feedback@hearinglikeme.com
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
Strictly Necessary Cookies | 11 months | These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable information. |