It may be a surprise to many that approximately 20% of all ear infections happen to adults. The common idea is that ear infections are something that usually impact children. Ear infections are definitely more common in children but adults do get them too.
Ear infections can be particularly uncomfortable for people who have hearing loss because they can interact with their hearing aids. Hearing aids can also harbor germs that could lead to an ear infection if they are not properly cleaned and maintained.
So, you might be wondering: Can I use hearing aids while I have an ear infection? You can, but it might not be something you want to do. Hearing aids could intensify the discomfort and inflammation caused by an ear infection. But individuals who use hearing aids can take a few steps to manage and possibly prevent ear infections.
Do hearing aids cause ear infections?
If you’re an adult with hearing loss and you start to notice the symptoms of an ear infection, you might begin to wonder: did my hearing aids cause my ear infection? Technically, the answer is no. But more detail is required to understand the whole story.
Almost all ear infections are caused by bacteria or a virus that gets into the ear. There are a wide range of vectors that can result in infection. Sometimes, an earlier illness, such as a cold or sinus infection, will lead to an infection of the inner ear. An infection might be caused by fluid accumulation in other situations. And it’s also definitely possible for viruses and bacteria to infect the inner ear via simple transmission.
This can occur with some frequency to individuals who use hearing aids. Your hearing aid collects this bacteria or virus and then gets inserted directly into your ear. That’s why it is crucial for people who have hearing impairments to correctly maintain and clean their devices. So the virus or bacteria is actually the cause of the infection, not the hearing aid itself. But your hearing aid is involved in this transmission.
Interactions between hearing aids and ear infections
So what is the degree of interaction between hearing aids and ear infections? The best way to anticipate what to expect is to examine the most common ear infection symptoms. Here are some of the most common symptoms of ear infections:
- Ear pain
- Temporary loss of hearing in some cases
- Ear pressure or a feeling of fullness
- Swelling and inflammation
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Discharge of fluid from the ear
Not everyone will suffer from every symptom, of course. Typically, you will have obvious swelling of the inner ear and ear pain in the infected ear. For people with hearing loss, these symptoms can interact unfavorably with your hearing aids. That’s because the hearing aid goes inside the infected ear (at least some of it). Because the ear canal is inflamed and tender, your hearing aids may cause additional discomfort.
Additionally, any in-the-canal hearing aid can prevent drainage. When fluids cannot drain, your discomfort might become prolonged. The pain and pressure in your ears will be increased as a result of this. This pressure can be even more pronounced when you’re wearing your hearing aid.
This increased moisture can also impair the operation of your hearing aid. So your ears are in more pain and your hearing aid doesn’t really work as well as it should. This means that you will have a terrible time wearing your hearing aid while you have an ear infection.
Ear infection & hearing aid strategies
You may now be thinking: my hearing aids annoy me when I have an ear infection… but what can I do? There are several steps you can take to reduce your risk of getting ear infections and to address the discomfort that an ear infection might cause. Here are a few of those steps:
- Practice good ear hygiene: It’s essential to keep your ears clean and dry and regularly clean your outer ear. Do not try to stick any object in your ear, however, including cotton swabs. With a cotton swabs, your risk of developing an ear infection increases because you could push earwax and debris further up into your ear canal. This is the exact opposite of what you’re likely trying to do.
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: You can take a break from your hearing aids for a while if you have significant or persistent pain. During this time off, you can adopt other ways of communicating with your loved ones (such as texting or writing messages on a piece of paper, and so on).
- Talk to your healthcare provider: You should talk to your doctor sooner than later if you think you might be developing an ear infection. Treating a hearing aid as soon as possible will decrease the risk of it becoming severe or prolonged.
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Keeping your device clean can reduce the risk of transferring bacteria or viruses to your ears. Ask us for assistance if you’re not certain how to correctly clean and disinfect your hearing aids.
- Talk to your hearing specialist: If your ears begin to feel better, but the discomfort from your hearing aids doesn’t recede, consider talking to us to see if you can get a better fit on your devices.
You most likely depend heavily on your hearing aid every day. They help you navigate your world more easily and have better communication with your family and friends. Which means that these little devices can often be difficult to give up, even for a short time. However, you will have a faster recovery from your ear infection if you take a break from wearing them until you heal up. That means you can get back to enjoying what you hear faster.
Ear infections are relatively common. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek out treatment or try to prevent them. Contact us if you’re wondering how your hearing aid use will be affected by an ear infection.