It might be a surprise to many people that roughly 20% of all ear infections occur in adults. Most people think of ear infections as a childhood illness, something that impacts mainly young kids. And it’s accurate that ear infections are more common in children, but they also occur frequently in adults.
Ear infections can be particularly uncomfortable for people who have hearing loss because they can interfere with their hearing aids. 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? In general, the answer is yes, but you may not want to. Hearing aids could aggravate the discomfort and swelling caused by an ear infection. But individuals who use hearing aids can take a few steps to treat and possibly prevent ear infections.
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 might begin to wonder: did my hearing aids cause this ear infection? The technical answer is no. But more detail is required to understand the complete story.
The vast majority of all ear infections are caused by viruses or bacteria that then infect the inner ear. There are a wide variety of vectors that can lead to infection. In some cases, the inner ear becomes infected after a previous illness (for example, a sinus infection or a cold). An infection might be caused by fluid buildup in other instances. And it’s also definitely possible for viruses and bacteria to infect the inner ear through direct transmission.
For individuals who wear hearing aids, this can be a regular occurrence. Your hearing aid collects this bacteria or virus and then gets inserted directly into your ear. That’s why it is crucial for those who have hearing loss to correctly maintain and clean their devices. Essentially, the hearing aid itself does not cause the ear infection, the virus or bacteria does. 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. Here are several of the most common symptoms of ear infections:
- Swelling and inflammation
- Fluid draining from the ear
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Pain in the ear
- In some instances, temporary hearing loss
- Ear pressure or a feeling of fullness
- Tinnitus (a ringing in the ears)
Needless to say, everyone will experience the symptoms in their own way. Typically, you will have noticeable inflammation of the inner ear and ear pain in the infected ear. These symptoms can have an adverse interaction with hearing aids for those with hearing loss. That’s because the hearing aid goes inside the infected ear (at least some of it). Because the ear canal is irritated and tender, your hearing aids might cause extra discomfort.
Also, with a hearing aid that goes mostly inside the ear canal, fluid drainage can be obstructed. When fluids cannot drain, your discomfort may become prolonged. This will also increase the pressure (and pain) you feel in your ears. This pressure can be even more pronounced when you’re wearing your hearing aid.
The performance of your hearing aid can also be impacted by the excess moisture. 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 horrible time wearing your hearing aid while you have an ear infection.
Strategies 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 manage any discomfort that an ear infection might cause by taking a few steps. Here are a few of those steps:
- 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 time off, you can pursue other ways 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 important to keep your ears clean and dry and regularly clean your outer ear. Do not try to stick anything 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 attempting to do.
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Making sure your devices are clean can help to ensure they aren’t transferring bacteria and viruses to your ears (or, at least, that it occurs less often.) If you don’t know how to clean and disinfect hearing aids, talk to us for some instruction.
- 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.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: If you suspect that you have an ear infection, talk to your doctor as soon as you can. Treating a hearing aid as soon as possible will decrease the chance of it becoming severe or prolonged.
Hearing aids are most likely an essential part of your everyday life. They help you communicate with loved ones and move about the world more easily. That makes it really hard 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 individuals to get ear infections. But you should still get treatment if you notice symptoms. Contact us if you’re wondering how your hearing aid use will be impacted by an ear infection.