Why are my hearing aids whistling? What is causing that noise?
Are your hearing aids whistling? What is causing that noise? Acoustic feedback in current hearing aids The whistling noise hearing aids may make is called acoustic feedback (often
The post Why are my hearing aids whistling? What is causing that noise? appeared first on Auckland Hearing.
]]>Are your hearing aids whistling? What is causing that noise?
The whistling noise hearing aids may make is called acoustic feedback (often known as feedback). Feedback can sound like a squeal, buzzing, ringing, or a whistle. This sound may be annoying to you, or others around you.
Acoustic feedback or whistling was a common problem in hearing aids until fairly recently. Current hearing aids rarely have issues with acoustic feedback. A lot of innovation has gone into developing programs that manage feedback in hearing aids.
There are just a few special occasions where feedback may become an issue.
Feedback occurs when sound enters the hearing aid microphone, gets amplified and comes out of the receiver (loudspeaker) into your ear. If the sound leaks out of your ear and back in the microphone it creates the feedback loop – reamplifying the same sound and causes acoustic feedback – a whistling sound.
It is unlikely that your hearing aids will whistle when they are first fitted for you. Your Audiologist will check there is no feedback in your hearing aids, many hearing aids have feedback tests and calibrations as part of the setup process. All hearing aids have systems that are designed to remove feedback, many using active feedback cancellation.
Sometimes hearing aids start to whistle over time. Here the reasons that feedback may occur:
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]]>Tinnitus is the name given to sound or noise heard in the head that does not come from an external source. Tinnitus comes from the Latin word tinnire which means “to ring”, but not everybody will hear their tinnitus as a ringing sound. Some people describe a buzzing, hissing, humming, or chirping sound, while others may even hear it as music! Tinnitus can range in volume and pitch and can be heard in one or both ears or in the head. Some people describe more that one sound and the sound can come and go or vary in intensity.
Tinnitus is a symptom and not a disease, and there are various underlying causes. Common causes are hearing loss or earwax build-up; tinnitus can also be due to head injuries or can even originate in the jaw or neck.
The most common type of tinnitus is Subjective Tinnitus. This is awareness of sound in the head or ears in the absence of any corresponding external sound. Objective Tinnitus – is when sounds are generated from within the body and can be heard by an external examiner. These sound may be generated by blood flow or muscle movement, or the opening and closing of the eustation tube, they are also known as Somatosounds.
Most people will experience tinnitus at some time in their lives, in fact, it has been said that nearly everyone hears tinnitus if they are in an anechoic chamber (very quiet room). If the tinnitus lasts for less than 5 minutes and shows no particular pattern, then it may not be significant clinically. Think of it as a one-off twitch in your eyes.
Tinnitus may seem like it is coming from your ears, but it usually originates in the brain. Tinnitus can be influenced by attention, emotions, and stress.
Tinnitus can be heard by at least 98% of people in a quiet room. People with no detectable hearing loss may experience tinnitus; although it is most common when some temporary or permanent hearing loss is present. About 20% of the population report experiencing tinnitus on occasion with around 1% experiencing significant annoyance from their tinnitus.
What Causes Tinnitus?
Awareness of tinnitus often follows a change in the function of the regions of the brain associated with attention or emotion, or it may occur after a change in the hearing system. Here are some common causes of tinnitus:
Some details of how tinnitus occurs are still unclear, but we do know why it occurs when there is a hearing loss. Current research suggests the phantom sound is not generated in the ear but from neurons and the brain. Your brain has a memory of what things should sound like (called auditory memory).
When the brain notices a reduced or degraded input of sound due to hearing loss, it tells the nerves that send the signal from the ear to the brain to work a bit harder. It is believed that this generates the phantom sound.
If a person focuses on their tinnitus and thinks of it in a negative way, then a strong emotional association can occur. This may make the tinnitus more debilitating. So focusing and worrying about the tinnitus makes it more likely it is to become an overwhelming problem.
In the past, some tinnitus sufferers have been told “there is nothing you can do”, or you just have to live with it”, that is not true. There are strategies to help you manage your tinnitus and reduce the level of intrusiveness.
Tinnitus is a common symptom that can occur with and without hearing loss. The best way to manage tinnitus is to give it a very low priority, attending to it as little as possible. When you first notice tinnitus, it is worth seeing your Audiologist to get a better understanding of your tinnitus and to rule out any underlying causes that may need a further referral. If you have hearing loss, hearing aids may help to restore the internal volume in your brain and reduce the tinnitus. Otherwise, reducing stress and calming your autonomic nervous system with medication as well as avoiding very quiet environments may help you live in harmony with your tinnitus.
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