Understanding the Occlusion Effect in Hearing Aids
If you’ve ever worn hearing aids and felt like your own voice sounds strangely loud, echoey, or “boomy,” you're not alone. This common experience is known as the occlusion effect, and it’s something many new hearing aid users notice—especially in the early days of wearing their devices.
What Is the Occlusion Effect?
The occlusion effect occurs when the ear canal is blocked, typically by a hearing aid or earmold. When you speak, vibrations from your voice travel through your skull and into your ear canal. Normally, these low-frequency vibrations escape out of the open ear canal. But when the canal is sealed—such as with a hearing aid—the sound waves get trapped and bounce back toward the eardrum. This makes your voice sound louder and deeper to you, even though others don’t hear a difference.
What Does It Feel Like?
Common descriptions include:
“My voice sounds like I’m talking in a barrel.”
“I can hear myself chewing.”
“It sounds like I’m underwater.”
This can be off-putting, particularly for first-time users, and it can discourage people from wearing their hearing aids consistently.
What Causes It?
The occlusion effect is more likely to occur when:
A hearing aid or mold completely blocks the ear canal.
The individual has good low-frequency (bass) hearing.
The fitting isn’t quite right, creating extra resonance in the canal.
How Audiologists Can Help
The good news is: the occlusion effect is manageable. Audiologists can use several techniques to reduce or eliminate the issue:
Open-fit hearing aids: These have vents or small openings that allow natural sound to pass through, reducing the “plugged-up” sensation.
Deeper ear mold fittings: Placing the hearing aid further into the ear canal can bypass the part of the canal where sound resonates most.
Smaller domes or venting: Creating more airflow in the ear canal allows bone-conducted sounds to escape.
Programming adjustments: Some hearing aids can be adjusted to minimise the perception of the user's own voice.
Technology: Some hearing aids are capable of recognising the users voice and therefore won’t amplify it as much as everyone else’s
Will It Go Away?
In many cases, yes—or at least it becomes less noticeable. This is where neural plasticity comes in (something we’ve blogged about before). Your brain begins to adjust to the new soundscape and learns to filter out the unnatural perception of your own voice. But that can take time and patience.
Final Thoughts
The occlusion effect can be frustrating, but it doesn’t have to be a barrier to better hearing. A well-fitted hearing aid and the right professional support can make all the difference.
If you’re experiencing this issue, talk to your audiologist—we're here to help you feel comfortable and confident with your hearing aids. Every ear is unique, and so is every solution!
