#1

Hi all, I am new to the forum I have a question about my new Starkey IIC’s when I eat or move my jaw, I can hear myself chew it’s very hard to describe the sound. It is very annoying has anyone experienced this or have an answer if this is normal. Thanks very much

#2

This is called the occlusion effect. It occurs when an earmold or hearing aid blocks the opening of the ear canal and prevents bone-conducted sounds from naturally escaping. Your own voice will sound hollow or boomy, and chewing crunchy food will be very loud.

#3

Thanks for your reply. So is there no fix for this? It’s very disconcerting. Thanks

#4

You can try for a deeper fit with a new impression. Getting a good seal in the bony portion of the ear canal will reduce sound vibrations.

#5

It depends on whether the occluded fitting is necessary to have your HAs work more effectively or not. If yes, then there’s not much you can do but get used to it. And while this is very annoying, people have learn to get used to it or at least live with it.

Talk with your HIS/audi. If they think you can be fitted with a more open/vented fitting and still have your HAs work effectively, then a more open/vented fitting will help reduce the occlusion effect.

#6

Why wouldn’t there be a fix? Molds can be remade. Others can try a different style dome. Will that work for you? None of us can say. You haven’t published your test data. You’ve got a difficult aid concerning occlusion; but, there can be fixes even for inside the canal aids. Next time you are replacing aids think about RIC aids which have a lot more options in overcoming occlusion. But, you aids do have some options.

#7

Typical IICs have relatively little vent room.
There’s a skeletal transmission of sound that vibrates the pieces of soft cartilage in the ear canal.
In an unoccluded ear that sound energy would be dissipated.
In an occluded ear the energy is ‘heard’ by the Cochlea.

Small vent changes are unlikely to work - there usually isn’t enough space to create an opening/resonant cavity big enough to emulate the open ear.
Making the IIC deeper and shorter may work better by moving it beyond the soft/vibrating part of the TMJ area.
Getting the audiologist to increase the gain around 750 Hz might also provide inverted damping to the undesired signal.

#8

Thanks I’m going tomorrow and will discuss with my audi