A lot of feedback suddenly

Hearing Aids
1

When I got my first aids on August 26th, I had some feedback when I got back home, but mainly around when I put them in each day.

Now, 6 1/2 weeks later, I am getting it a lot, mainly when my hand comes near the aids, or I am close to any other object, like a window shade.

I am inserting the aids as far in my ears as possible. If I try to push them in more, mostly they won’t go in any further, but also that creates more feedback.

Is it because the tulip domes are not creating enough of a seal?
I do see our Costco fitter this Saturday.

Thank you!

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Yes, feedback occurs when sound escapes the ear canal and reaches the microphones. You might need a different size or type of dome. Alternatively, the technician could reduce the gain, which is not an option I prefer.

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Thank you, @ OcramSagev. The odd thing is that, other than when I’m putting them on, that wasn’t happening before.

Perhaps, it is because I am trying extra hard to push them all of the way in, as someone had suggested for not having trouble with feedback. As a result, it is worse, maybe because they are too far in? Or that the dome is a little squashed now? Or, as you said, maybe I need another size of dome, or a different kind of dome.

As a newbie to aids (which I needed long ago), there are endless things to tweak, learn, try, etc.!

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Likely to be wax in your canal.

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@Um_bongo, thank you.

I don’t see any on the aids or the brush, and I clean my ears pretty well. But I can’t see into my ears! In spite of having an otoscope.

After I wrote the post, they were squealing even when nothing was near them. I did push them in a bit; there seems to be a sweet spot between in too far and not in far enough.

When I made some calls today, the sound was horrible, but not only does that seem to be an on-going problem with the aids, but, the phone line at the hospital system I was calling was basically out all morning. Yikes, landlines were better than VOIP, or whatever they have now. Oh, well, water under the bridge.

Also, when calling, I noticed that I wasn’t getting sound into my left ear. I had to push it back in again. I think when I chew, it works its way out a bit on that side.

It’s amazing how much there is to learn and deal with! But they’re amazingly powerful.

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@OcramSagev

Thank you. Yes, I think that you are right. I have been trying to push them in more, which is only a little possible sometimes. But I notice that the tulip dome on the left aid is kind of squashed in from doing that. And I have more trouble with that one, as it seems to work its way out a bit when I chew. That must be a common problem.

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To me, your loss is borderline for tulip molds, especially in the high frequencies. You’re likely to get feedback. What hearing aids are you using?

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I agree, borderline molds? The low frequency 40-50 db rule of thumb. It’s all about getting the prescription gain with given acoustics.

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Maybe the domes have weakened with use and no longer as tight as they were when new? Maybe replace them, or try a bigger size? My choice was molds. I’d go with molds from the beginning now, having experience with 20/20 hindsight! :wink:

WH

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35-40dB at 500Hz, so perhaps 10-12dB of gain. Tulip/Closed dome all day long.

Don’t forget the Articulation Index and the weighting of the 250-500Hz area.

if you want a pile of extra vowel sounds….yay.

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Yep. I don’t have a lot of gain in my left aid, it’s fitted with a non-vented soft silicone earmold, and my Oticon Reals have pretty good feedback control, so left ear feedback is a non-issue for me. Unless the canal gets clogged with wax, in which case I get feedback just from standing near a wall.

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@PeterH

Thank you, I’m using the Jabra 30’s.

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Thank you, WhiteHat

Yes, on the left side the tulip dome is squashed in, as opposed to how it was in the beginning. Probably especially since that side seems to migrate out a little when I chew.

I don’t know whether to lobby for molds when I see the fitter tomorrow or try a different or new dome. I doubt that he has scheduled enough time to take a mold, although I think that we are the last people of the day. I have a few other issues, too, although this is the most important one.

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Wow, @ Um_bongo,

I don’t have a clue what any of that means!! Except the extra vowel sounds. I hope that my fitter does. Thank you!

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@x475aws

I’ll have him look in my ears to see if wax is the problem. Thank you. And we definitely will have to look at which way to go with domes or molds.

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(Sorry this is so long!)

I had my appointment with the fitter at Costco on Saturday..
I gave him my feedback re getting feedback, HAs were regularly popping out, Sports Locks needed, and that although the sound on phone calls was better, it still wasn’t very good. I used all of your excellent feedback on all of these issues, and that I either needed different domes, or molds.

My fitter is perhaps a little less experienced that I would prefer, but he is very eager to learn and to help. We like him a lot.

He was very impressed with the info that you guys provided that I cut and pasted onto my written feedback for him (minus your handles/names). He wanted to know what the “40-50 db Rule of Thumb” was! I gave him the hearing tracker info. He was going to go on the website that night!

He looked In my ears and said there was no wax or any other impediment.

He gave me closed domes with vents, and Sports Locks, although I wonder if he cut them too short. One aid popped out right after I left! I also bought and received the Deaf Metal devices with earrings, that I will clearly need to use. I also bought new masks, but the N95s that I bought are really small, and the around the head thing broke the first time I tried to put it on!! And I have a relatively small head.

He also called Jabra during out appt, and got their advice re the phone call issues, and whether the domes he put in were good. Also, he asked about frequency lowering, which the Jabras have, and implemented that with Mild settings to start.

Right afterward I went to a performance and gathering for a wonderful folk, R & B singer/songwriter, who is fairly well-known. I didn’t notice it while out, but when I came home, I realized that I was getting a lot of feedback, although not super loud.I guess the dome isn’t big enough, or I need molds. Arggh! To be continued . . . But today I don’t have feedback, maybe they had worked their way out a bit?

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18

Try power domes in proper size. Which power of receivers do you use? Should be probably P.

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@Bimodal_user

@Bimodal_user,

I don’t know, my fitter would know, it will be awhile before I see him. I’m new at this; these are my first aids. I just got them September 26th. Thank you.

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It should usually just be written on the receiver housing.

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@Bimodal_user

Nothing is written on the receiver; it’s tiny! Thank you.