Hearing aids are intended to help make up for your unique hearing loss condition. Whether you are new to wearing hearing aids or have been using them for years, if your hearing aids give you headaches or any other type of pain, there is an answer.
A properly adjusted hearing aid will fit comfortably in your ear and give you the quality of amplification that meets your individual needs. If you’re suffering from any pain or discomfort you should make sure your hearing aid is adjusted precisely and that it’s the correct device for you.
Signs your hearing aid needs to be adjusted
If your hearing aids are not properly fitted, they can cause headaches. Reasons being, they are not being used properly, or haven’t been adjusted for a while. If this is the case, the following issues might arise:
- Inadequate sound quality. Hearing aids that are not adjusted properly can amplify high-intensity sounds, creating a loud screeching sound that is aggravating and causes injury to your ears. Hearing aids in this state can also make low intensity sounds disappear.
- Feedback noise. Wind and other background sound can be picked up and amplified by your hearing aid, also generating screeching annoying feedback.
- Headaches and tinnitus. Hearing aids that are picking up loud sounds and further amplifying them can be painful to your ears and can lead to not only headaches but tinnitus as well. This usually occurs in hearing aids with internal control settings that have been set too high.
Over-the-counter hearing aids
While over-the-counter hearing aids, commonly referred to as personal sound amplification devices, are available at your local pharmacy, and cost less than prescription hearing aids, they won’t be tailored to meet your unique hearing loss requirements.
Improving your hearing requires more than just amplifying sounds because hearing loss is unique to each person. Typically, specific wavelengths of sound are lost when somebody loses their hearing. Hearing aid settings have to be programmed to allow the individual to be able to hear adequately in different settings.
Getting your hearing aid professionally adjusted
Having your hearing aid professionally adjusted is the best way to make sure your device is correctly fitted. Custom-fitted hearing aids will be designed just for you utilizing molds of your ears. Once the right fit is attained, it will be necessary to adjust the hearing aid settings so you can differentiate unwanted noise and the sounds you want to hear.
You should also be capable of hearing sound in many different environments with automated adjustments made by your hearing aids. This might require a few visits to ensure you obtain the hearing aid that’s best for you and correct for your lifestyle. And with severe hearing loss, your brain will need to become accustomed to hearing again in stages, so your hearing aid will need to be programmed in stages.
If you think you may be dealing with an out of tune hearing aid, contact us today and schedule an appointment to have it assessed.
References
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/symptoms-causes/syc-20373072
https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing-aids#hearingaid_08