I think it would be an annoyance rather than a damage situation. Aids are set to not go above certain levels.
I would literally pose this exact query to the tech support at the hearing aid manufacturing company. Tell them what year/model of microwave you have at home, the physical layout, and the event that triggers the interference. They should either have an answer for you or keep your query on file for future research! It could be your microwave is old/defective, there is some kind of electrical impedence, the aids have a hardware problem, etc., In fact, a better test would be to try out the exact brand of aid and see if you can replicate this interference. If your aids are an older model, that would be a challenge, but if they are Costco, p’haps you could “trial” a pair and figure out where the problem is. Very intriguing!
Microwaves have frequencies between 300 MHz and 300 GHz… Thats not using x-rays or gamma rays and not radioactive. but it ll be problematic for using long time with opening oven hud . But i dont think its causing your Hearing problem , as you told it may b from bluetooth or wifi . coz they r producing a noise when you keep them near to TV or radio .
Sitting here at my computer, I’m no more than 10 feet from the back of my microwave with only a hollow sheetrock wall in between. I’ve never had any interference from it.
New user with new experience today: buzzing when leaning too close (10 - 14") to older Dell CRT computer monitor. Just finding this thread, checked both of our microwaves; both buzz at 8 - 12". Checked one LCD tv and no buzz. [This seems a little different from OP’s observation.]
I think you’re heaing noises that are really there, but you couldn’t hear them without your hearing aids. My microwave certainly buzzes,
It is likely 60 cycle hum. Not that unusual for ageing electronics.
First guess would be a defective fan.
I seem to think that microwaves run at 2.4ghz…the same as our modern digital HA’s communicating with each other. And many other consumer devices like wifi. I suspect Um_bongo from way back in January is on to the problem.
Ok, we spent ages at Knowles incorporating RF suppression in hearing aid mics.
Basically the process involves grounding the case to the negative terminal and fitting a low pass R/C filter. The original idea was to kill off the rfi signal from mobile phones in the 800/900 MHz, 1.6/1.8GHz and circa 2.4Ghz bands; you could hear the harmonics as a ‘motorboat’ sound.
There are limits though, if the RFi signal is too great, you’ll start to detect it with the various lengths of metalwork within the mic matching the wavelengths of the signal.
Which means only one thing in my book, persistent noticeable interference when the microwave is running, means the field density of microwave radiation is enough to overcome the RFi suppression.
The faraday cage is leaking, or the magnetron is pumping some RF out the wrong direction through its shielding.
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Specifically Microwave Ovens operate at 2.45 Ghz.
Early on in my use of hearing aids while in the AF I would detect radar in the S Band as it scanned over me. I have never had a problem with Microwave Oven interference. I was a radar technician in the AF for my first 10 of 24 years. I was issued hearing aids in the AF at the 21 year point.
Bonaprof; There may be a problem with the seal on the microwave oven door. Does this happen around other operating microwave ovens? If not I would discontinue use of your oven at home.
Hi,
I wear Oticon Spirit Zest hearing aids. Whenever I have the bluetooth mode on to listen to music or watch a film with my headphones, and walk in the room next door behind the microwave or in the kitchen next to the microwave, my hearing aids pick up a really bad buzzing sound, like a drill or loud traffic.
Does this mean our microwave is broken and letting radiation out into the house? does it need replaced or is this normal and nothing to be concerned about?
Thanks!
I experienced this only when my HA was in tcoil mode. This happened with my analog aids. I haven’t tested if that would have in tcoil on my digital aids. Also with analog would happen going though metal detectors and some other electronic devices.
I’d say yes, as it needs to hit quite a threshold to be audible, if part of the Faraday has rusted out then you’re sending ionising radiation around your kitchen. For the £50-100 to replace it, it’s not worth messing with, just change it.
Fwiw, spend the extra £20 and get a Panasonic one, of all the consumer durables I’ve ever owned, these have lasted the longest.
I agree on the Panasonic point. I have never had interference from my Panasonic microwave oven into my Resound hearing aids. But I did once stay in a rental place where the induction hob interfered badly with my LINX Quattros and so when I cooked that week, I left my hearing aids in another room.
Re: Microwave and other loud noise interference.
I too have noticed interruption of BT streaming with my KS10’s by close proximity to an old Panasonic microwave. In addition I find that the HA’s change sensitivity when close to the noise of a running faucet against a steel sink. The sensation is similar to the eustachian tube click encountered with altitude changes.
My theory is that the HA’s automatically switch from the program they are in, to a preset program, in my aids designated “Noise.” This is also momentarily the default program when I switch my aids on while simultaneously monitoring them with the cell phone App.
Speaking against this theory is the absence of the musical tones associated with invocation of a new pre-programmed setting from the Remote Control state.
I’ve noticed interference with streaming when using and standing next to my Panasonic microwave, but don’t believe I’ve ever had an aid damaged as such from microwave use.
This is a very intriguing thread! Way back in the '90s when I had my first pair of Starkeys, they’d go BONKERS going into the ladies restroom at work. There’d be a very noticeable, "CHA! CHA! CHA! … CHA! CHA! CHA! That also happened to a lesser degree when I’d go to a certain coffee shop. My audi even called Starkey to ask if they had any answers? I figured it was electronic interference of some kind. Perhaps a microwave in the coffee shop would set it off. But in the ladies room? Well, there was NO microwave in there, I assure you.
I always experience skipping and stuttering during streaming when the microwave is on. Never experience this with regular bluetooth headphones. Could be a low energy bluetooth issue.
I’ve gotten interference before in some buildings that I thought was related to motion sensors. Not sure though.