It might be a surprise to many people that roughly 20% of all ear infections happen to adults. The common notion is that ear infections are something that usually affect children. And it’s accurate that ear infections are more common in kids, but they also happen frequently in adults.
Ear infections can be especially uncomfortable for individuals 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 aren’t properly cleaned and maintained.
So, you might be wondering: Can I use hearing aids while I have an ear infection? Overall, the answer is yes, but you may not want to. Ear infections can cause substantial inflammation and discomfort in the ear, and your hearing aids might worsen those symptoms. But people who use hearing aids can take a few steps to treat and possibly prevent ear infections.
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 may begin to wonder: did my hearing aids cause this ear infection? The technical answer is no. But in order to get the complete picture we have to look at it in greater detail.
Nearly 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. Often, an earlier illness, like a cold or sinus infection, will result in an infection of the inner ear. 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 through direct transmission.
For individuals who wear hearing aids, this can be a frequent occurrence. Your hearing aid collects this bacteria or virus and then gets inserted directly into your ear. Proper hearing aid cleaning and maintenance is essential for this reason. In other words, the hearing aid itself does not cause the ear infection, the virus or bacteria does. But your device could play a role in 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 look at the most common ear infection symptoms. Here are a few of the most common symptoms of ear infections:
- Ear pressure or a feeling of fullness
- Swelling and inflammation
- In some situations, temporary hearing loss
- Fluid draining from the ear
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Ear pain
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
Obviously, everyone will experience the symptoms in their own way. In the majority of cases, your infected ear will hurt and there will likely be obvious swelling around the inner ear. For people with hearing loss, these symptoms can interact unfavorably with your hearing aids. That’s because the hearing aid is inside the infected ear (at least some of it). Your hearing aids might cause added discomfort as they aggravate the tender inflamed infected ear.
Additionally, any in-the-canal hearing aid can stop drainage. Your infection and discomfort might last longer if fluid is trapped 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 uncomfortable.
This added moisture can also impair the function of your hearing aid. So your ears are in more pain and your hearing aid isn’t really working 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
So what can you do if your hearing aids are bothering you while you have an ear infection? You can lower your risk of developing an ear infection and address any discomfort that an ear infection might cause by taking a few steps. Those steps include the following:
- Practice good ear hygiene: This means regularly cleaning your outer ear and, generally, keeping your ears clean and dry. Don’t try to stick any object in your ear, however, including cotton swabs. Using cotton swabs can drive earwax and other debris further into your ear, increasing your chance of developing an infection. This is the opposite of what you’re likely trying to do.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: You should talk to your doctor sooner than later if you think you may be developing an ear infection. Treating a hearing aid as soon as possible will reduce the chance of it becoming severe or prolonged.
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Keeping your device clean can reduce the chance of transmitting bacteria or viruses to your ears. If you don’t know how to clean and disinfect hearing aids, talk to us for a quick tutorial.
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: You can take a break from your hearing aids for a few days if you have significant or persistent pain. You can use alternative methods of communication with family and friends, like texting, in the meantime.
- Talk to your hearing specialist: Think about coming in to have your hearing aid re-fit if your ear infection clears but your hearing aid is still uncomfortable.
Hearing aids are likely an essential part of your daily life. They help you communicate with family and friends and move around the world more easily. That makes it very hard 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. This will help you get back to feeling better quicker.
It’s not unusual for individuals to get ear infections. But you should still get treatment if you detect symptoms. If you have questions about how ear infections might impact your hearing aid use, give us a call today.