Hearing aids sometimes whistle. Just like your phone when it is too close to the radio. Here is the reason and what you can do about it.
If you wear hearing aids, sometimes they may whistle. This can happen simply when you put on a sweater. Whistling is called Larsen of the hearing aid.
Why does the Larsen occur?
The hearing of a hearing aid occurs when the amplified sound enters your ear canal and leaves your ear by passing through the microphone of the hearing aid. The sound is then re-amplified, causing the whistling of your hearing aids.
This feedback can occur in a variety of settings, especially when you put your hearing aids in the morning and remove them at night or when someone is hugging you. This is perfectly normal because the hearing aids react to the sound that bounces on your environment.
The hearing aid hearing may also reflect a malfunction of your hearing aids or the need to clean them. In this case, it is best to consult your hearing care professional .
Understand why my hearing aids whistle and what you can do about it?
Many hearing aids provide feedback correction, but this does not completely protect you from this noise.
Several factors can cause the whistling of your hearing aids. Here are the most common reasons for understanding and resolving the situation.
A fit to revisit: just like the rest of your body, your ears change over time. They can even change their shape. If this is the case, the ear tips are no longer properly maintained. This means that the sound escapes from your ear and returns to your hearing aids. And that causes feedback. The solution is to make new ear tips better adapted to your ear. Weight gain and weight loss can also interact with your ears and hold ear tips.In general, if your hearing aidsare not correctly positioned in your ear, the Larsen phenomenon may occur. Make sure that they adhere well to your ear. You can always ask someone to check if it sounds right or to consult your hearing care professional.
- Volume too high: It can sometimes be tempting to increase the volume of your hearing aids. But if you raise it too much, the Larsen may be heard. Reduce the volume of your hearing aid and avoid the point where the sound becomes so loud that it creates feedback.
- Damaged fine tubes: For BTE devices, the tube, connected to the earmould, can harden and retract, sometimes pushing the earmold out, causing it to not fit properly. That means it’s time to change the tube.
- Too much earwax: Your hearing aids help you hear by making sounds in your ear canal. But if the ear canal is obstructed by too much earwax, the sound can not pass. So the sound goes back into your hearing aids – and they start whistling. If you produce too much ear wax, it can also clog your ear canal and, in addition to causing hearing problems, give you earaches or damage your hearing. Have your ears washed by a professional and, at the same time, make sure that neither the receiver nor the vent are blocked.
- Removed microphones : The feedback from a hearing aid can also be caused by loose or moved microphones. Your hearing care professional can help you.
If you continue to have problems with hearing aid If this problem persists and you can not find the reason, ask your hearing care professional for help.
