Hearing aids are designed to help compensate 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 cause headaches or any other kind of pain, there is an answer.
A correctly adjusted hearing aid will fit comfortably in your ear and provide the quality of amplification that meets your individual requirements. If this is not the case, you should make sure you have the correct type of hearing aid and that it’s been precisely adjusted.
Signs your hearing aid needs to an adjustment
If your hearing aids are not properly fitted, they can trigger headaches. Usually, inadequate adjustment or improper use is the reason. Here are a few problems that may occur if you’re having this problem:
- Feedback noise. Your hearing aid might pick up and amplify background noise, like wind, which can also result in annoying, high-pitched feedback sounds.
- Headaches and tinnitus. Loud noises that get amplified further can also cause headaches and even tinnitus. Typically, this means the settings are too high.
- Inadequate sound quality. Hearing aids that aren’t adjusted well can boost high-intensity sounds, creating a loud screeching sound that is bothersome and causes injury to your ears. And low level sound can get lost with hearing aids in this condition.
Over-the-counter hearing aids
While over-the-counter hearing aids, typically called personal sound amplification devices, are available at your local drug store, and cost less than prescription hearing aids, they won’t be customized to meet your distinct hearing loss needs.
Improving your hearing requires more than merely amplifying sounds because hearing loss is unique to the individual. Often, distinct frequencies of sound are lost when a person loses their hearing. Hearing aid settings have to be programmed to allow the individual to be able to hear effectively in different settings.
Professional hearing aid adjustment
One of the best ways to ensure your hearing aid is fitted correctly is to have your individualized hearing aid fitted and adjusted. Custom-fitted hearing aids will be fabricated just for you using molds of your ears. The settings will be adjusted to target your specific hearing loss situation after the correct fit is attained.
Your hearing aid should also make automatic adjustments, which will allow you to hear background noises in a variety of environments without interference. In order to make sure you get the right hearing aids for your individual needs, you may need to come in more than once. If you have significant hearing impairment, the adjustments to your hearing aid will be completed in stages to allow your brain time to adjust to louder sounds.
Give us a call for an appointment if you think your hearing aid might need a tune-up.
References
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hearing-loss/symptoms-causes/syc-20373072
https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/hearing-aids#hearingaid_08