Is that a teapot or is it just your hearing aids? A very common problem with hearing aids which can probably be corrected is feedback. Understanding how hearing aids work and what is behind that constant high pitched whistling noise will get you one step closer to eliminating it. What can be done about hearing aid feedback?
What Exactly Are The Functions of Your Hearing Aids?
A simple microphone and a speaker are the basics of hearing aid technology. The microphone picks up the sound and the speaker plays it in your ear. When the microphone picks the sound up but before it is played back by the speaker, there are some complicated functions that happen.
Once a sound wave is picked up by the microphone it is translated into an analog signal for processing. A cutting edge digital processing chip then changes the analog signal to a digital one. The device’s advanced properties and settings activate to amplify and clean up the sound.
The processor then changes the signal back to analog and transmits it to a receiver. At this stage, what was once a sound wave becomes an analog electrical signal and that isn’t something you can hear. The receiver converts the signal back into sound waves and transmits them through your ears. Elements in the cochlea translate it back into an electrical signal that the brain can understand.
It all sounds quite complex but it occurs in a nanosecond. So if your hearing aid is so advanced why does it still feedback?
Feedback Loops And How They Happen
Feedback doesn’t only happen in hearing aids. You hear that same whistle in most sound systems which utilize a microphone. Basically, the microphone is collecting sound that is produced by the receiver and re-amplifying it. After coming into the microphone and being processed, the receiver then converts the signal back into a sound wave. The sound is re-amplified after the microphone picks it up again which creates a loop of feedback. Put simply, the hearing aid is listening to itself and it doesn’t like it.
What Causes Hearing Aid Feedback?
A feedback loop can be caused by several issues. A very common cause is turning the hearing aid on while it’s still in your hand and then putting it into your ear. As soon as you press the on switch, your hearing aid starts to process sound. The sound coming from the receiver bounces off your hand back into the microphone producing the feedback. Before you turn your hearing aid on put it inside of your ear and you will eliminate this source of feedback.
Feedback can also be caused when your hearing aid isn’t fitting properly. If you have lost some weight since you had your hearing aids fitted, or possibly if your hearing aids a bit older, you might have a loose fit. If that’s the case, you should go back to where you got it and have the piece re-adjusted to fit your ear properly again.
Earwax And Feedback
Earwax isn’t a friend of hearing aids. One of the major explanations for why hearing aids don’t fit properly is because of the accumulation of earwax on the casing. And we are already aware that a loose fitting device will be the cause of feedback. If you ask your retailer or perhaps if you study the manual, you will learn how to safely clean this earwax off.
Maybe It’s Simply Broken
When you’ve tried everything else but the whistling continues, this is where you head next. A damaged hearing aid will certainly cause feedback. For example, the outer casing might be cracked. It’s unwise to try and fix the unit yourself. Make an appointment with a hearing aid expert to get a repair.
Occasionally What Sounds Like Feedback is Actually Something Else Altogether
Hearing aids will make other noises that you may think sound like feedback but are in fact something else. A low battery or perhaps other possible problems can cause a warning sound in many devices. The sound should be carefully listened to. Is it a tone or a beep, or does it actually sound like feedback? Consult the users-manual to see if your device comes with this feature and what other warnings you should listen for in the future.
It doesn’t make a difference what brand or style you own. Most hearing aids are going to produce it and the cause is typically pretty clear.
