Feedback from Hearing Devices

05/15/2017 | Hearing Aids, Patient Resources

People who wear hearing aids sometimes complain of a whistling noise that they hear as a result of feedback emitting from the hearing aids. While most of the times it is perfectly normal to hear this type of noise, at other times this type of feedback may be an indication that something is not quite right with your hearing aids.

Feedback caused by hearing aids results from sounds that are exiting from your ear which might be picked up by the microphone and amplified once more, creating a whistling noise. This type of sound is commonly heard when you put in or take out your hearing aid, when you hug someone, or place your hand over your ear. Sometimes hearing aids reflect back the sounds that bounce off from objects located very close to your ear.

Digital hearing aids often possess a feature that eliminates feedback and lessens background noise. However, even with these technologically advanced hearing aids you may occasionally experience some amount of feedback.

You can easily rectify feedback by removing your hearing aid and then placing it back into your ear. This mostly works especially if you are experiencing feedback due to poor fitting, caused by sounds passing through the gap between your ear and the hearing aid.

On the other hand, if you constantly experience feedback from your hearing aids there might be a malfunction with your hearing device. Pay close attention to whistling sounds that you may hear when you make movements with your jaw such as when you are talking or chewing. If feedback occurs when you make certain movements of the head such as turning your face from side to side, visit your audiologist.

Various causes can lead to feedback in hearing aids, such as accumulation of cerumen (or earwax), damaged tubing, dislocated microphones, or concentrated volumes at particular frequency settings. Most feedback issues can usually be fixed with a single visit to your audiologist so the next time you have issues with feedback, talk to your audiologist so that you can rectify it and get back to leading your active life.

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Dr. Julie Hubik, Au.D., CCC-A - Doctor of Audiology & CEO

Dr. Hubik is the owner and founder of one of West Texas' most trusted and professional hearing providers, Cornerstone Audiology. She received her bachelor of science degree in communication disorders as well as her doctorate of audiology from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC). In her youth, Dr. Hubik became interested in helping people with a hearing loss to communicate more effectively and therefore pursued a degree in this field. Dr. Hubik was born and raised in Anton, Texas, and appreciates working with the people of West Texas. She and her team are proud to serve the hearing needs of their community.