Why Hearing Aids Can Sometimes Ring
While ringing hearing aids can impair your ability to hear properly and even sometimes lead to emotional stress, the cause of annoying feedback is often fixable. Reasons for a hearing aid ringing sound or hearing aid squeal may be due to one or more of the following:
Accumulation of earwax. Earwax blocking your ear canal may cause ringing hearing aids and other noise feedback. This happens when sound waves exhibit pressure as your hearing aid directs sound into your ear canal. If these sound waves strike a block of earwax, the waves disperse in all directions, including out through gaps or vents between your hearing aid's ear mold and ear canal.
Think about what would happen if you put your garden hose nozzle against something solid and turned on the water. This is exactly what occurs when sound waves hit a chunk of ear wax — they spray outward, travel through tiny openings and cause that irritating hearing aid squeal.
Loose-fitting hearing aids. Poorly fitted or loose-fitting in the ear hearing aids will also cause feedback squeaks and squeals. If you've lost ten or 20 pounds recently and are bothered by a hearing aid ringing sound, it could be your hearing aid no longer fits your ear properly. You may need to see about getting a new ear shell or mold to eliminate unwanted noises.
You can try a home test to determine whether your hearing aid no longer fits. While in the ear, press your fingertip against your hearing aid but make sure the microphone isn't covered. If adjusting the angle or location of your hearing aid stops the feedback noise, it may very well be a fit problem.
Incorrectly pointed hearing aid mold or shell. When the original impression of your hearing aid shell is not long enough or too short, the shell may point into your ear canal wall instead of your eardrum. Ear canals have an S-curve bend (two bends) that requires a hearing aid shell to extend just beyond the second curve. This facilitates aiming of sound waves toward the eardrum.
However, if the end of the shell points at the ear canal wall before the second S-curve, sounds are forced back out of your ear. This problem can produce hearing aid whistling or squealing noises.
Older technology and hearing changes. Hearing loss can worsen over time. Your Hearing Care Professional may have to make several volume adjustments to compensate during your wearing period. As older or more basic hearing aids are turned up, they tend to become very sensitive and will react by ringing.
To test this, hover your cupped hand over your hearing aid from about 4-5 inches away. Move your hand closer to the aid while waving it back and forth slowly. If you notice a lot of squealing, this may be your problem.
Some hearing aids
Accumulation of earwax. Earwax blocking your ear canal may cause ringing hearing aids and other noise feedback. This happens when sound waves exhibit pressure as your hearing aid directs sound into your ear canal. If these sound waves strike a block of earwax, the waves disperse in all directions, including out through gaps or vents between your hearing aid's ear mold and ear canal.
Think about what would happen if you put your garden hose nozzle against something solid and turned on the water. This is exactly what occurs when sound waves hit a chunk of ear wax — they spray outward, travel through tiny openings and cause that irritating hearing aid squeal.
Loose-fitting hearing aids. Poorly fitted or loose-fitting in the ear hearing aids will also cause feedback squeaks and squeals. If you've lost ten or 20 pounds recently and are bothered by a hearing aid ringing sound, it could be your hearing aid no longer fits your ear properly. You may need to see about getting a new ear shell or mold to eliminate unwanted noises.
You can try a home test to determine whether your hearing aid no longer fits. While in the ear, press your fingertip against your hearing aid but make sure the microphone isn't covered. If adjusting the angle or location of your hearing aid stops the feedback noise, it may very well be a fit problem.
Incorrectly pointed hearing aid mold or shell. When the original impression of your hearing aid shell is not long enough or too short, the shell may point into your ear canal wall instead of your eardrum. Ear canals have an S-curve bend (two bends) that requires a hearing aid shell to extend just beyond the second curve. This facilitates aiming of sound waves toward the eardrum.
However, if the end of the shell points at the ear canal wall before the second S-curve, sounds are forced back out of your ear. This problem can produce hearing aid whistling or squealing noises.
Older technology and hearing changes. Hearing loss can worsen over time. Your Hearing Care Professional may have to make several volume adjustments to compensate during your wearing period. As older or more basic hearing aids are turned up, they tend to become very sensitive and will react by ringing.
To test this, hover your cupped hand over your hearing aid from about 4-5 inches away. Move your hand closer to the aid while waving it back and forth slowly. If you notice a lot of squealing, this may be your problem.
Some hearing aids
Other Causes of Hearing Aid Ringing Sounds
Customized, in-the-ear hearing aids may have the sound tube pushed in or the tube could have a hole due to over-cleaning of the device. Also, the microphone might be pushed in or the vent wall going through the hearing aid may be cracked. Behind-the-ear hearing aids could also have holes or cracks in the tubing, particularly where tubing enters an ear mold. Certain high-powered, behind-the-ear hearing aids may need thicker-walled tubing to stop leakage.
Trying to find the answer to why hearing aids ring can be aggravating since so many possibilities exist. If you need assistance with hearing aid problems, call Pure Sound Hearing Aids today to speak to a qualified Hearing Aid Specialist who may be able to help you with hearing aid issues.