It may be a surprise to many that approximately 20% of all ear infections happen to adults. Most people think of ear infections as a childhood illness, something that impacts mainly young kids. Ear infections are certainly more prevalent in kids 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 uncomfortable ways. Also, when hearing aids are not correctly maintained, they can become a vector for ear infection-causing diseases.
So, you may be wondering: Can I use hearing aids while I have an ear infection? In general, the answer is yes, but you might not want to. Ear infections can cause significant swelling and discomfort in the ear, and your hearing aids may worsen those symptoms. 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 impairment 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 nuance is required 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 range of vectors that can lead to infection. Often, a previous illness, such as a cold or sinus infection, will result in an infection of the inner ear. In other cases, fluid buildup might lead to an infection. It’s also entirely feasible that a virus or bacteria directly infected the inner ear by physical transmission.
This can happen with some frequency to people who use hearing aids. The virus or bacteria latches onto your hearing device and, upon insertion, gets access to the inner ear. Correct hearing aid cleaning and maintenance is crucial for this reason. Essentially, the hearing aid itself doesn’t cause the ear infection, the virus or bacteria does. 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? To understand what to expect, it’s helpful to look at the most common symptoms of an ear infection. Generally speaking, ear infections will present with the following symptoms:
- Ear pain
- Tinnitus (a ringing in the ears)
- Fluid draining from the ear
- Ear pressure or a feeling of fullness
- Swelling and inflammation
- Temporary loss of hearing in some situations
- Dizziness or vertigo
Obviously, everyone will experience the symptoms in their own way. In the majority of cases, your infected ear will be painful and there will likely be noticeable swelling around the inner ear. For individuals with hearing loss, these symptoms can interact unfavorably with your hearing aids. That’s because your hearing aid will likely (at least partially) reside within the ear canal. Because the ear canal is inflamed and tender, your hearing aids may cause extra discomfort.
Also, with a hearing aid that goes mostly inside the ear canal, fluid drainage can be blocked. When fluids cannot drain, your discomfort might become prolonged. 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 uncomfortable.
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 horrible 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 during an ear infection? You can lower your risk of developing an ear infection and manage any discomfort that an ear infection might cause by taking a few steps. Those steps include the following:
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Keeping your device clean can decrease the chance of transmitting bacteria or viruses to your ears. Ask us for assistance if you’re not sure how to properly clean and sanitize your hearing aids.
- Talk to your hearing specialist: If your ears start 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.
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: If the pain is prolonged or severe, it’s all right to take a break from wearing your hearing aid until your ears are feeling better. During this time off, you can pursue other means of communicating with your loved ones (like texting or writing messages on a piece of paper, and so on).
- Practice good ear hygiene: It’s essential to keep your ears clean and dry 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.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: If you think that you have an ear infection, speak with your doctor as soon as possible. The sooner you treat the ear infection, the less severe or prolonged your symptoms will be.
You probably depend heavily on your hearing aid every day. They help you communicate with loved ones and move about the world more easily. That makes it very hard 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 recuperate from your illness more quickly and more comfortably. This will help you get back to feeling better sooner.
It’s not uncommon for individuals to get ear infections. But you should still seek treatment if you notice symptoms. If you have questions about how ear infections might affect your hearing aid use, give us a call today.
