How to Combat
Background Noise, the Screeching of
Feedback and that “Talking in a Barrel”
Feeling
Background
interference got you down?
To improve your ability to hear and understand in background
noise, try using some basic communication strategies. For example, ask to be seated away from the kitchen if you
are going to a noisy restaurant, or choose an eatery that has good acoustics.
(Carpeting on the floor goes a long way in absorbing some of the sounds.)
Technology
Tip: Advances in hearing aidtechnology have recognized that two microphones work better than one. Adaptive Dual Microphone technology
recognizes the origin of background noise and automatically reduces it while
focusing on sounds you want to hear.
Does your
own voice sound odd?
If you are new to wearing hearing aids, your own
voice may sound strange…like you are talking in a hollow barrel. Even your own chewing can sound loud!
This effect is called
occlusion and is caused by the ear mold completely filling the ear canal.
Vibrations made by the sound waves of your voice are trapped, making it sound
louder. In most
cases, creating a vent through the hearing aid to unblock the ear solves the
problem by allowing the vibrations of your voice to escape. Some hearing aids come with a pressure
relief vent to equalize the air pressure in the ear, but these vents are often
too small to reduce the occlusion effect. Thus, it may be necessary to have
your Audiologist create a larger passage in the hearing aid.
Technology Tip: Open
Fit technology can effectively eliminate occlusion. This type of hearing aid keeps the ear canal open by using a
small tube with a speaker instead of a traditional ear mold.
Does your
hearing aid squeal?
Everyone has heard
it. That “fingernails-on-a-blackboard
screech” coming from your hearing aid when you place it near a phone or take it
out of your ear. It’s called
feedback and is the result of amplified sound leaking from the ear canal into
the hearing aid microphone. It happens when there is a crack in the hearing aid
venting, a loose fit or an accumulation of earwax in your ear canal.
Don’t try to
fix your hearing aid yourself by tapping it on a hard surface. You are likely
to cause damage with that method!
Instead, schedule an appointment with your Audiologist to see if your
hearing aid needs to be repaired, refitted or if earwax needs to be
removed.
Technology Tip: Many
of today’s digital hearing aids feature “feedback management” systems that
automatically identify feedback before it occurs and cancel it automatically.