Why do some hearing aids give feedback or whistling?
Acoustic feedback (whistling) occurs when amplified sound from the hearing instrument leaks out of the ear canal and is picked up by the hearing instrument microphone, creating a “feedback loop”. Something as simple as an accumulation of earwax can be the cause. Amplified sound leaving the hearing instrument bounces off the wax then leaks out of the ear and feeds back into the microphone. Wax removal by a qualified health care practitioner will solve the problem. Patients should never insert objects into their ears to remove earwax. Feedback can also occur if the hearing instrument case or earmold is not tight enough, allowing sound to leak out. A hearing care professional must uate the fitting to determine if a re-casing of the hearing instrument shell or earmold is necessary. A second type of feedback, electronic feedback, can be caused by a loose part vibrating inside the hearing instrument. Since any or all of these conditions can cause feedback any patient experiencing feedback sh
