An estimated 28.8 million U.S. adults[1] could benefit from the amplified speech hearing aids provide. People new to hearing aids often describe the sound as tinny or metallic. Luckily, that sound is usually temporary.
What Causes a Tinny Sound?
Speech or other noises sounding tinny is often just your ears getting used to the new way of hearing. After the first week or so, the noise should sound more natural. Make sure you’re wearing your devices anytime you’re awake, outside of showering or swimming in one of Nashua’s pools; the more consistently you wear them, the more natural they’ll sound. If they don’t sound better within two weeks or so, it’s possible there are other causes like poor placement, microphone or speaker issues or incorrect programming.
Addressing the Tinny Sound
Try the following home care tips to improve the sound:
- Adjust the placement. Take your devices out and reinsert them according to your hearing specialist’s instructions or device manual.
- Clean your devices. Remove wax and other oils or debris from the microphone, speaker, tubing and casing using your cleaning kit. You should clean your devices nightly to prevent infection and keep the sound clear. Your hearing aid manual will include specific cleaning instructions.
- Schedule a service & repair appointment. When you first get your hearing aids, we’ll double-check the fit to ensure comfort and program the sound settings to match your hearing needs. When you wear your devices in the real world, however, you might find that small adjustments are needed to improve listening in certain situations. During a service & repair appointment, we can use your feedback to adjust the sound and hopefully remove the tinniness.
Your hearing aids bring you closer to the people and sounds you love. If your devices aren’t delivering the results you expected, reach out to our specialists at Massachusetts Hearing Group. We can check your devices for physical signs of damage, deep clean and remove moisture from them and double-check the programming to ensure clearer sound.
[1] National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders. (2024). Quick statistics about hearing. National Institutes of Health. https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/quick-statistics-hearing