Surprisingly, around 20% of all ear infections afflict adults. Most individuals think of ear infections as a childhood ailment, something that impacts primarily young kids. Ear infections are definitely more common in children but adults do get them too.
For adults with hearing impairments or hearing loss, ear infections can be particularly inconvenient, as they can interact with hearing aids in some unpleasant ways. Hearing aids can also shelter germs that could lead to an ear infection if they are not correctly cleaned and maintained.
So is it a bad idea to use hearing aids with an ear infection? You can, but it may not be something you want to do. Ear infections can cause significant swelling and discomfort in the ear, and your hearing aids may worsen those symptoms. But people who use hearing aids can take a few steps to manage and possibly prevent ear infections.
Do hearing aids cause ear infections?
You may be questioning if your hearing aid is the cause of your ear infection if you’re an adult with hearing loss. The technical answer is no. But in order to get the complete picture we need to look at it in greater detail.
The vast majority of all ear infections are due to viruses or bacteria that then infect the inner ear. There are quite a few paths that bacteria and viruses can take on their way to becoming an infection. In some instances, the inner ear becomes infected after an earlier illness (for instance, a sinus infection or a cold). In other cases, fluid buildup may lead to an infection. It’s also entirely possible that a virus or bacteria directly infected the inner ear by physical transmission.
This can occur with some frequency to people who wear hearing aids. Your hearing aid collects this bacteria or virus and then gets inserted directly into your ear. That’s why it is critical for people with hearing loss to properly maintain and clean their devices. So the virus or bacteria is really 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 level of interaction between hearing aids and ear infections? The best way to anticipate what to expect is to examine the most prevalent ear infection symptoms. Here are several of the most prevalent symptoms of ear infections:
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- Swelling and inflammation
- Fluid draining from the ear
- In some instances, temporary hearing loss
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Ear pain
Not everyone will experience every symptom, of course. Usually, you will have noticeable inflammation of the inner ear and ear pain in the infected ear. For those with hearing loss, these symptoms can interact unfavorably with your hearing aids. That’s because your hearing aid will most likely (at least partially) reside within the ear canal. Because the ear canal is inflamed and tender, your hearing aids could cause extra discomfort.
Additionally, any in-the-canal hearing aid can prevent drainage. Your infection and discomfort might last longer if fluid is trapped in your ear. This will also increase the pressure (and pain) you feel in your ears. When you are wearing your hearing aid, pressure can be even more unpleasant.
The functionality of your hearing aid can also be impacted by the excess moisture. 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 horrible time wearing your hearing aid while you have an ear infection.
Solutions to wearing hearing aids with an ear infection
So what can you do if your hearing aids are annoying you during an ear infection? You can reduce your risk of getting an ear infection and address any discomfort that an ear infection may cause by taking a few steps. Those steps include the following:
- Practice good ear hygiene: This means routinely cleaning your outer ear and, generally, keeping your ears dry and clean. However, you should never stick any object inside of your ear and that includes cotton swabs. With a cotton swabs, your risk of developing an ear infection increases because you could jam earwax and debris further up into your ear canal. This is the opposite of what you’re likely attempting to do.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: If you think that you have an ear infection, speak with your doctor as soon as you can. The sooner you address the ear infection, the less severe or prolonged your symptoms may be.
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: You can take a break from your hearing aids for a while if you have severe or lasting pain. During this time off, you can pursue other means of communicating with your loved ones (such as texting or writing messages on a piece of paper, and so on).
- Talk to your hearing specialist: Think about coming in to have your hearing aid re-fit if your ear infection goes away but your hearing aid is still not comfortable.
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Keeping your device clean can lessen the risk of transmitting bacteria or viruses to your ears. Ask us for help if you’re not certain how to correctly clean and sanitize your hearing aids.
You most likely depend heavily on your hearing aid every day. They help you get around your world more easily and have better communication with your friends and family. That makes it really difficult to give up your hearing aid even for short periods. However, taking a break from your hearing aids while you have an ear infection can help you recover from your infection more quickly and more comfortably. That means you can get back to enjoying what you hear faster.
It’s not unusual for individuals to get ear infections. But you should still get treatment if you notice symptoms. If you have questions about how ear infections may impact your hearing aid use, give us a call today.
