Why do hearing aids make my voice sound loud and/or hollow?

Your voice may sound loud and/or hollow due to two different causes:

Loud voice: Your hearing aids amplify speech, including your own voice, making it sound much louder than you're used to hearing. This is normal and most people adjust to this within a short time.

Hollow/booming voice: This is called the "Occlusion Effect." It occurs when sound from your voice travels through bone conduction to your ear canals but gets trapped by your hearing aid, causing vibrations against your eardrum. People describe this as sounding "hollow," "boomy," or like "talking in a barrel."

The Occlusion Effect is more noticeable if you have good low-frequency hearing (below 500 Hz). It can be reduced by:

• Using larger vents or open domes in your hearing aids
• Having your hearing aids fitted deeper in your ear canals

Your hearing care professional can adjust these factors to minimize the hollow sound while maintaining proper amplification and avoiding feedback issues.