It may be a surprise to many people that roughly 20% of all ear infections happen to adults. Most individuals think of ear infections as a childhood ailment, something that affects primarily young kids. Ear infections are certainly more common in kids but adults do get them too.
Ear infections can be particularly uncomfortable for individuals who have hearing loss because they can interact with their hearing aids. Hearing aids can also harbor germs that could result in an ear infection if they aren’t correctly cleaned and maintained.
So is it a bad idea to use hearing aids with an ear infection? In general, the answer is yes, but you might not want to. Ear infections can cause considerable inflammation and discomfort in the ear, and your hearing aids might worsen those symptoms. However, there are some steps that those who use hearing aids can take to help avoid and treat ear infection symptoms.
Can an ear infection be caused by hearing aids?
If you’re an adult with hearing loss and you begin to notice the symptoms of an ear infection, you may begin to wonder: did my hearing aids cause my ear infection? The technical answer is no. But in order to get the complete picture we have to view it in greater detail.
Almost all ear infections are caused by bacteria or a virus that gets into the ear. There are a number of paths that bacteria and viruses can take on their way to becoming an infection. In some circumstances, the inner ear becomes infected after a previous illness (for example, a sinus infection or a cold). In other cases, fluid buildup may result in an infection. And it’s also certainly possible for viruses and bacteria to infect the inner ear via simple transmission.
This can happen 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 critical for people who have hearing impairments to correctly 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, how do ear infections and hearing aids interact? To know what to expect, it’s helpful to look at the most prevalent symptoms of an ear infection. Here are some of the most common symptoms of ear infections:
- Swelling and inflammation
- Ear pain
- Vertigo or dizziness
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- In some situations, temporary hearing loss
- Discharge of fluid from the ear
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
Obviously, everyone will experience the symptoms in their own way. Usually, you will have noticeable swelling of the inner ear and ear pain in the infected ear. These symptoms can have a negative interaction with hearing aids for individuals with hearing loss. That’s because the hearing aid is inside the infected ear (at least some of it). Because the ear canal is irritated and tender, your hearing aids may cause extra discomfort.
Also, with a hearing aid that sits mostly inside the ear canal, fluid drainage can be blocked. Your infection and discomfort might last longer if fluid is stuck in your ear. The pain and pressure in your ears will be increased as a result of this. When you are wearing your hearing aid, pressure can be even more unpleasant.
The performance of your hearing aid can also be impacted by the extra moisture. So your hearing aids aren’t working at peak performance and your ears are in pain. Which means that wearing hearing aids when you have an ear infection can be an absolutely miserable time.
Strategies to wearing hearing aids with an ear infection
So what can you do if your hearing aids are annoying you while you have an ear infection? You can reduce your risk of developing 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: It’s important to keep your ears dry and clean and regularly clean your outer ear. However, you should never stick any object inside of your ear and that includes cotton swabs. Using cotton swabs can drive earwax and other debris further into your ear, increasing your risk of developing an infection. You’re trying to accomplish the exact opposite.
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Keeping your device clean can lessen the risk of transferring bacteria or viruses to your ears. Ask us for assistance if you’re not certain how to correctly clean and sanitize your hearing aids.
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: You can take a break from your hearing aids for a while if you have severe or persistent pain. During this interim period, you can pursue other means of communicating with your loved ones (like texting or writing messages on a piece of paper, and so on).
- Talk to your hearing specialist: If your ears begin to feel better, but the discomfort from your hearing aids doesn’t recede, think about talking to us to see if you can get a better fit on your devices.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: You should speak with 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.
You probably 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, 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 impacted by an ear infection.