Can Hearing Aids Cause Headaches?

A distraught senior man sitting on his couch suffering from a headache because his hearing aids were not properly adjusted.

Everybody’s hearing loss condition is unique and hearing aids are manufactured to compensate for those individual conditions. Whether you are new to wearing hearing aids or have been using them for years, if your hearing aids give you headaches or any other kind of pain, there is an answer.

If your hearing aid is adjusted properly it will meet your individual needs and fit in your ear comfortably. If you’re encountering any pain or discomfort you should make sure your hearing aid is adjusted properly and that it’s the right device for you.

Signs your hearing aid needs to be adjusted

If your hearing aids are not precisely fitted, they can trigger headaches. Usually, inadequate adjustment or improper use is the reason. If this is the case, the following problems may arise:

Inadequate sound quality. Hearing aids that aren’t adjusted properly can amplify high-intensity sounds, generating a loud screeching sound that’s bothersome and causes injury to your ears. And low level sound can get lost with hearing aids in this condition.
Headaches and tinnitus. Hearing aids that are picking up loud sounds and amplifying them further can be painful to your ears and can lead to not only headaches but tinnitus as well. Normally, this means the settings are too loud.
Feedback noise. Your hearing aid may pick up and amplify background noise, such as wind, which can also trigger irritating, high-pitched feedback sounds.

Over-the-counter hearing aids

Even though you can go to a local Pharmacy and get a less pricey personal amplification device (over the counter hearing aid), these devices won’t be customized for your personal hearing loss requirements.

Improving your hearing demands more than just amplifying sounds because hearing loss is specific to each person. There are lots of instances of hearing loss where individuals lose the ability to hear a certain frequency. In order for a hearing aid help people hear clearly in different environments, they will need precise adjustment.

Getting your hearing aid professionally adjusted

Having your hearing aid professionally adjusted is the best way to be certain that your device is correctly fitted. We will take molds of your ears and use them to make a custom-fitted hearing aid device just for you. Once the proper fit is obtained, it will be necessary to adjust the hearing aid settings so you can distinguish between unwanted noise and the sounds you want to amplify.

Your hearing aid should also make automatic adjustments, which will let you hear background noises in different environments without interference. This might require a few visits to ensure you obtain the hearing aid that’s best for you and in tune with your lifestyle. And with significant hearing loss, your brain will need to become accustomed to hearing again in stages, so your hearing aid will need to be programmed in stages.