Surprisingly, around 20% of all ear infections happen to adults. Most people think of ear infections as a childhood sickness, something that impacts mainly young kids. And it’s true that ear infections are more prevalent in children, but they also happen frequently in adults.
Ear infections can be particularly unpleasant for individuals who have hearing loss because they can interact with their hearing aids. Also, when hearing aids aren’t properly maintained, they can become a vehicle for ear infection-causing diseases.
So, you may be wondering: Can I use hearing aids while I have an ear infection? You can, but it might not be something you want to do. Hearing aids could intensify the discomfort and inflammation caused by an ear infection. But individuals who use hearing aids can take a few steps to treat and possibly prevent ear infections.
Do hearing aids cause ear infections?
You might be questioning if your hearing aid is the cause of your ear infection if you’re an adult with hearing loss. The technical answer is no. But in order to get the complete picture we need to look at it in greater detail.
Almost all ear infections are caused by bacteria or a virus that gets into the ear. There are quite a few paths that bacteria and viruses can take on their way to becoming an 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 accumulation may result in an infection. It’s also entirely possible that a virus or bacteria directly infected the inner ear by physical transmission.
For people who wear hearing aids, this can be a frequent occurrence. Your hearing aid accumulates this bacteria or virus and then gets inserted directly into your ear. That’s why it is critical for individuals with hearing loss 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.
How ear infections interact with hearing aids
So, how do ear infections and hearing aids interact? To know what to expect, it’s useful to look at the most prevalent symptoms of an ear infection. Here are a few of the most prevalent symptoms of ear infections:
- Ear pain
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Ear pressure or a feeling of fullness
- In some cases, temporary hearing loss
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Fluid draining from the ear
- Inflammation and swelling
Obviously, everybody 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 people with hearing loss. That’s because the hearing aid goes inside the infected ear (at least some of it). Because the ear canal is inflamed and tender, your hearing aids could cause extra discomfort.
Also, with a hearing aid that sits 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. 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 extra moisture. So your ears are in more pain and your hearing aid doesn’t really work as well as it should. Which means that wearing hearing aids when you have an ear infection can be a downright miserable time.
Ear infection & hearing aid strategies
You might now be thinking: my hearing aids bother me when I have an ear infection… but what can I do? There are several steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing ear infections and to manage the discomfort that an ear infection may cause. Here are a few of those steps:
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Keeping your device clean can lessen the risk of transmitting 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 few days if you have severe or persistent pain. You can use alternative methods of communication with family and friends, like texting, in the meantime.
- Practice good ear hygiene: It’s important to keep your ears clean and dry and regularly clean your outer ear. Don’t try to stick anything in your ear, however, including cotton swabs. Using cotton swabs can push earwax and other debris further into your ear, increasing your risk of developing an infection. This is the exact opposite of what you’re likely trying to do.
- Talk to your hearing specialist: Consider coming in to have your hearing aid re-fit if your ear infection goes away but your hearing aid is still not comfortable.
- 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 navigate your world more easily and have better communication with your family and friends. Which means that these little devices can often be difficult to give up, even for a short time. However, taking a break from your hearing aids while you have an ear infection can help you recuperate from your sickness more quickly and more comfortably. This will help you get back to feeling better sooner.
Ear infections are relatively common. But you should still get treatment if you detect symptoms. If you have questions about how ear infections may affect your hearing aid use, give us a call today.
