With regards to a hearing assistive device, a the user's speech can be picked up by the microphone and feed through the speaker causing an acoustic feedback effect. The user may have to constantly adjust the volume of the hearing assistive device to achieve a more comfortable volume based on where the speech is coming from. Furthermore, the when the hearing assistive device experiences feedback, the amplification of the feedback can cause damage to the user's hearing. Therefore, mitigating the acoustic feedback effect of assistive hearing devices can generate a more efficient and comfortable hearing device. The acoustic feedback can be mitigated by leveraging a dynamic range controller and a howling detector which comprises a user interface and a status indicator.