Echo Hearing Aids: Get Rid of Reverberating Voice

Do you get frustrated when you’re speaking, and you hear an echo? Hearing aids attempt to replicate the natural hearing experience as closely as possible, but even experienced hearing aid wearers sometimes experience hearing echo in ears.

For hearing aid wearers, an echo in ears when talking can make it sound like you are speaking in a tunnel, have a head cold, or that your voice is booming.

But occasionally, even those who don’t wear hearing aids suffer from this phenomenon. Let’s explore what you need to know about what causes echo in ear effects.

First-time hearing aid wearers are often surprised by the sounds of an echo. Hearing aids can do this when they aren’t properly adjusted. Thankfully, you can take actions to limit this effect.

You may be asking the question, “Why does my ear echo when wearing hearing aids?” It is all down to a phenomenon known as the occlusion effect.

The occlusion effect occurs when an object, such as a hearing aid, fills the outer part of the ear canal. The object in the ear causes vibrations of sound. The increase in acoustic pressure at low frequencies leads to the feeling that the person’s voice is booming or echoing when they speak.

Figuring out how to get rid of echo in ear can take time because you must consult an audiologist, like Echo Hearing Systems. Generally, a specialist will just need to make a few adjustments to your hearing aid. Depending on your provider, this may take a few weeks.

Here is how an audiologist will work to eliminate voice echo in ear:

• Reprogram Your Hearing Aids – The simplest fix is to have your hearing aids reprogrammed. Audiologists can reduce the low-frequency gain to largely negate the occlusion effect.
• Increase Vent Sizes – Having trouble with an echo? Hearing aids often come with vents if they are in the Behind-the-Ear (BTE), In-the-Ear (ITE), or Receiver-in-Canal (RIC) styles. Widening the diameter of the event reduces the occlusion effect.
• Shorten the Earmold Canal – The canal of the earmold sits at the deepest point in your ear. Try pulling your hearing aids slightly out of your ears and speaking. If the echo decreases, shortening the length of the canal may be the solution.
• Get a New Earmold – Often the last resort, remaking the whole earmold may be beneficial if you are having trouble with echo when speaking.

Depending on the potential solution, your hearing aid could be adjusted in the office of your audiologist. For significant changes, such as a new earmold, you may need to wait for the manufacturer to send you a new one.

What if you don’t wear hearing aids and you still hear an echo? Hearing loss signs can sometimes manifest themselves in the form of diplacusis, otherwise known as double hearing.

It means both ears hear sounds differently, so sufferers live with a two-sound experience. Sometimes, double hearing appears in just a single ear, but most sufferers experience it in both ears, known as diplacusis binauralis.

Those who experience this condition report a sudden change in their hearing. This occurs due to trauma to the head, significant exposure to loud noises, and taking certain medications. It can also occur due to age or the onset of autoimmune disorders.

Double hearing may also be caused due to an obstruction, such as an ear infection, tumors, earwax, or clogged sinuses.

What can you do about the echo in your ears if you suffer from diplacusis binauralis?

It depends entirely on the extent of your double hearing and the cause of it. If your double hearing results from an obstruction, removal of the obstruction will usually resolve the problem.

On the other hand, if sensorineural hearing loss is the cause, this effect is permanent. Your audiologist may recommend hearing aids, cochlear implants, and auditory rehabilitation treatment options.

While double hearing can be extremely distressing if you don’t wear hearing aids, modern hearing devices are more advanced than ever. Intelligent programming can resolve most of the symptoms of diplacusis binauralis.

Whether you wear hearing aids or not, you should contact your audiologist immediately if you suffer from an echo in your ears. It may take a few weeks to provide you with the tools you need to adapt to your condition, but you don’t need to prolong your suffering.

Confront this unnerving condition and begin your journey to better hearing today with EarPros. To schedule your free hearing test, contact EarPros, and let’s get started.