Surprisingly, around 20% of all ear infections happen to adults. The common idea is that ear infections are something that normally impact kids. And it’s true that ear infections are more common in children, but they also happen frequently in adults.
Ear infections can be especially uncomfortable for people with 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 are not properly cleaned and maintained.
So is it a bad idea to use hearing aids with an ear infection? You can, but it might not be something you want to do. Ear infections can cause significant swelling and discomfort in the ear, and your hearing aids might exacerbate those symptoms. However, there are some steps that those who use hearing aids can take to help prevent and treat ear infection symptoms.
Do hearing aids cause ear infections?
If you’re an adult with hearing impairment and you start to notice the symptoms of an ear infection, you might begin to wonder: did my hearing aids cause this ear infection? Technically, the answer is no. But more nuance is needed to understand the whole story.
The vast majority of all ear infections are a result of viruses or bacteria that then infect the inner ear. There are a wide variety of vectors that can lead to infection. In some circumstances, the inner ear becomes infected after a past illness (for instance, a sinus infection or a cold). An infection may be caused by fluid buildup in other situations. It’s also completely possible that a virus or bacteria directly infected the inner ear by physical transmission.
For individuals who wear hearing aids, this can be a frequent occurrence. The virus or bacteria hitches a ride on your hearing aid and, when inserted, gains access to the inner ear. That’s why it is critical for people who have 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 device may play a role in transmission.
How ear infections interact with hearing aids
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 common ear infection symptoms. In general, ear infections will have the following symptoms:
- Vertigo or dizziness
- In some instances, temporary hearing loss
- Inflammation and swelling
- Ear pressure or a feeling of fullness
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Fluid draining from the ear
- Ear pain
Obviously, everyone will experience the symptoms in their own way. Usually, you will have obvious inflammation of the inner ear and ear pain in the infected ear. These symptoms can have an adverse interaction with hearing aids for individuals with hearing loss. That’s because your hearing aid will likely (at least in part) sit within the ear canal. Because the ear canal is irritated and tender, your hearing aids might cause additional discomfort.
Also, with a hearing aid that goes mostly inside the ear canal, fluid drainage can be obstructed. Your infection and discomfort may last longer if fluid is trapped in your ear. The pain and pressure in your ears will be increased because of this. When you are wearing your hearing aid, pressure can be even more unpleasant.
This added moisture can also impair the function 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? You can lower your risk of getting an ear infection and manage any discomfort that an ear infection may cause by taking a few steps. Here are a few of those steps:
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: If the pain is persistent or significant, it’s okay to take a break from wearing your hearing aid until your ears feel better. During this interim period, you can adopt other means of communicating with your loved ones (like texting or writing messages on a piece of paper, and so on).
- Talk to your healthcare provider: If you suspect that you have an ear infection, speak with your doctor as soon as possible. Treating a hearing aid as soon as possible will decrease the risk of it becoming severe or prolonged.
- 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 chance 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 trying to accomplish.
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Keeping your device clean can reduce the risk of transmitting bacteria or viruses to your ears. Ask us for help 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 go away, consider talking to us to see if you can get a better fit on your devices.
Hearing aids are likely a crucial part of your daily life. They help you navigate your world more easily and have better communication with your family and friends. That makes it very difficult to give up your hearing aid even for short periods. However, you will have a speedier recovery from your ear infection if you take a break from wearing them until you heal up. This will help you get back to feeling better quicker.
It’s not unusual for people to get ear infections. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek out treatment or try to prevent them. If you have questions about how ear infections might impact your hearing aid use, give us a call today.