Whistling Hearing Aids: Causes and Solutions

Hearing aids are a fantastic invention, right? They are there to help those people who have issues with their hearing health maintain an easier life in which they can still hear. Or, for some people they are used to mask tinnitus and other unwanted sounds. But, hearing aids, like all other technology, can experience its fair share of issues as well and you need to know how to sort that when it arises if you’re going to be wearing hearing aids. In this article, we’re going to be taking a look at whistling hearing aids, the causes and the solutions, so keep reading down below if you would like to find out more.

Volume Too High

The first cause could be that the volume is too high. If your hearing aid is turned up way too high, then it can force the sound backwards, creating a whistling noise. As such, you should try turning down the volume a little and not raising it up past a certain point. Once you know what the point is that you cannot turn it up past, this becomes a lot easier to control. But, if you do continue to turn it up, then whistling might be the least of your problems, as you could end up with something more akin to a shrieking noise in your ears.

If you are finding it difficult to adjust your hearing aid volume yourself and get it to the right level, you should speak to your audiologist. They will be able to help you and get the volume settings correct so that you no longer experience issues.

Buildup of Earwax

This is one of the most common problems that people experience when they have hearing aids. Hearing aids transmit sound straight into your ear canal, but if there are any blockages, then it will bounce straight back, creating a feedback loop that can drive you crazy. A buildup of earwax can obstruct the canal and get in the way of the way that your hearing aid is supposed to work.

The best way to sort this out is to get a professional earwax removal. This should keep the ear canal clean and stop your hearing aid from whistling. Ensure that you check there is no wax in the earpiece before you put it back in though, because if there is the problem may persist without you knowing why. You should be cleaning your hearing aids regularly anyway, so ensure you keep on top of this.

Broken Parts

It’s entirely possible that something in the hearing aid isn’t working properly and that is why you are experiencing the whistling noise. The whistling can be a sign of some kind of malfunction in the device, and this will need to be replaced or at the very least, the part that has the issue does. When looking at the mechanics of hearing aids, they can become faulty through things like warped earmolds and dislodged microphones.

Speak to your audiologist and they will be able to help with this. They can find the issue, and some will be able to fix the problem if it’s a simple one or it might need to be sent off to be fixed. Either way, the broken component won’t be an issue for much longer.

Not Fitted Properly

If you haven’t put your hearing aid on or in properly, then it might start to whistle. Make sure that you have put it in the right way to avoid this, or you could even find that it starts to be painful. Ensure that the device is free from problems such as damage or earwax before you put it in, then put the receiver as far into your ear as it needs to go. If it’s not in far enough, then this can cause the whistling.

If neither of these things work, you need to get your hearing aid fitted by your audiologist, so get an appointment with them as soon as you can. They will be able to find the perfect fit for your hearing aid and adjust it if needed. Don’t forget that things like losing or gaining weight also impacts your ears, and as a result the fit of the earmolds.

If you would like to speak to a professional about hearing health, then you should learn more about Salyer Hearing Center. Get in touch at Sylva: 828-586-7474, Franklin: 828-524-5599 and Murphy: 828-835-1014 today, to speak to an audiologist and get an appointment booked in for your ears.