squealing
Hearing Aid Feedback – Diagnosis and Fixes (ITE)
When your hearing aid whistles it can not only degrade the quality and clarity of your instruments sound, but it can be very embarrassing!
Before we talk about how to fix feedback, let me quickly go over a few things that might cause your hearing aid to whistle:
Causes of Feedback
- Wax – a blockage of earwax in the ear canal can reflect the sound back to the mic, causing feedback
- Aid is Pointed Wrong – If the mold is pointed incorrectly the sound can bounce back to the mic
- Broken Speaker Tubing – The speaker tube is damaged or disconnected from the mold
- Loose Fit – Hearing aid mold is too loose allowing excessive sound to escape from the ear to the mic
- Improper Component Placement – Speaker or microphone is touching another internal component
- Hearing Aid Style – Amplification needs for hearing loss are outside your hearing aids fitting range
Diagnosing the Problem
Step 1 – Wax
The first step is check with your audiologist or hearing aid dispenser for earwax that may be causing the feedback. If not, then we can start diagnosing
Step 2 – Speaker Tube Check
Begin by examining the end of the hearing aid closely to see if the speaker tubing has been dislodged from the mold.
If the speaker tubing has fallen inside the hearing aid mold, then it should be taken to your local dealer for repair, or sent to the hearing aid repair shop of your choice.
If everything looks okay, then move on to step 3.
Step 3 – Internal Feedback Check
This step may require someone without a hearing loss.
Hold the hearing aid turned on with the volume up, being careful not to cover the microphone. Place your finger over the speaker (at the tip that is inserted into your ear). Push tightly for a good seal. If you or a helper can hear the aid whistling with the speaker covered, then there is probably an issue inside the hearing aid causing internal feedback. This could be two internal components touching, a whole in the vent, or the speaker could have fallen off of the tubing inside the aid.
Again, this should be taken in for repair.
If everything checks out fine, continue to step 4.
Step 4 – Fit Check
Now it’s time to test for a fit issue, which is something that many times can be fixed at home.
Test for a fit problem by pushing on the hearing aid with your finger or a pencil eraser while it is in your ear. Make sure you don’t cover the microphone when you do this.
If the feedback stops and you can still hear with your aid while the whistling is gone, then it is most likely a fit issue.
Fixing The Issue – Fit Problem
The Vent Plug Fix
If it is a minor fit issue, plugging the vent with putty or tape will sometimes stop the whistling. The vent is the air tube that runs from the outside of the hearing aid all the way through to the tip. You should see one vent hole at the bottom near the battery compartment (not the mic!) and the other side comes out on the tip, right beside the speaker hole.
Place some sticky tack or tape over the outside end of the vent. You should avoid placing on the side by the speaker as the plug could come off the aid in your ear.
If this does the trick, then you’re done, although it could again become an issue as your ear continues to change.
Note: although most hearing aids have a vent, some do not.
Comply Soft Wraps
There are foam wraps for hearing aids that can stop feed back from a loose fitting mold. Just go to google.com and search for “comply soft wraps” to find an online retailer, or click this link that will automatically search Google for Comply Soft Wraps.
Just wrap the foam around the hearing aid and you’re done. The wraps should come with detailed instructions.
Polishing Things Up – The Fingernail Polish Fix
If the hearing aid is loose, a coat of clear (or colorful!) fingernail polish can tighten it up enough to stop the feedback.
Start by cleaning the hearing aid with a dry tissue, or a tissue slightly dampened with rubbing alcohol to remove and dirt or oils from the hearing aid.
After cleaning the hearing aid, apply a thin coat of fingernail polish around the canal (Make sure you stay away from the components like the speaker, mic, volume control, and battery door!). Start with a very light coat – it usually doesn’t take much.
Once the fingernail polish has completely dried give the hearing a try. If the feedback has stopped, you just repaired your hearing aid! If feedback is still present, repeat with another thin coat of fingernail polish.
Taking a Bite Out of Feedback – The Denture Strip Fix
One not-so-pretty, but effective feedback fix is denture adhesive strips. Simply take a piece of the strip and mold it around the aid for an extra seal. They can be easily removed later.
Starting Fresh – The New Mold Fix
If none of these work for you, or you just aren’t comfortable making some of these modifications to your hearing aids, the best option may just be to start fresh. Have your local audiologist or hearing aid dispenser take a new impression of your ears and put a new shell on your hearing aid.
If they tell you that your hearing aids are too old and try to sell you new ones, you can find your own hearing aid repair shop that is willing to work on all hearing aids. We recommend Hearing Haven for hearing aid repairs and re-casing, but you can also go to Google and search for “hearing aid repair”.