If you have hearing aids, you may notice a whistling sound coming from them from time to time. This can be frustrating and can impact your ability to hear properly. If this happens to you, it is important to know why and what you can do to prevent the sound. Here is some information you need to know about why your hearing aids are whistling:

Hearing Aids May Fit Poorly

As you age, your ears will change shape, including the interior area. When this happens, the interior of the ear will no longer be perfectly shaped to your hearing aid. When the hearing aid is not snugly fit inside the ear canal, the sound going into the ear will rebound into the hearing aid. This results in feedback, which may sound like a whistling sound. The way to fix this issue is to have your ear refitted for new hearing aids that better fit inside the ear.

The Hearing Aid Is Too High

If you cannot hear well enough with hearing aids, you can adjust the volume when necessary. However, the high volume can force the sound to go back into the hearing aids, which can cause the whistling noise. All you need to do is adjust the volume of the hearing aids until you no longer experience the feedback noise.

You Have Earwax Buildup

Hearing aids work by helping the sound be better delivered to your ears. If your ears have too much earwax buildup, the sound is not able to properly get through. This can cause the sound to reverberate back into the hearing aids. This causes a whistling feedback sound. Excess earwax not only interferes with your hearing aids but can also cause ear pain. To remedy this issue, visit your audiologist or your doctor for a thorough ear cleanout.

The Hearing Aid Microphone Might be Loose

Over time, the microphones inside the hearing aids may become damaged or loose. This can cause irregular feedback that sounds like a whistling noise. Your audiologist can repair for you to fix the problem.

The Hearing Aid Tubing May be Damaged

Hearing aids include a tube that connects to the mold that sits in the ear canal. As you wear hearing aids, the tubing can become stretched or damaged. This causes the tubing to pull and prevents the hearing aids from fitting properly. Your audiologist can fix this by replacing the tubing.

If none of these issues stop the whistling noise, you might need a brand new set of hearing aids. Be sure to bring any irregular noise or feedback to the attention of your audiologist.

To learn more information about owning hearing aids, reach out to a professional near you.