It might be a surprise to many that approximately 20% of all ear infections happen to adults. Most individuals think of ear infections as a childhood illness, something that affects primarily 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 especially inconvenient, as they can interact with hearing aids in some uncomfortable ways. Also, when hearing aids aren’t properly 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? 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. However, there are some steps that those who use hearing aids can take to help prevent and manage ear infection symptoms.
Can an ear infection be caused by hearing aids?
If you’re an adult with hearing loss 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 detail is needed to understand the complete story.
Almost all ear infections are caused by bacteria or a virus that gets into the ear. There are a wide variety of vectors that can result in infection. In some circumstances, the inner ear becomes infected after a previous illness (for example, a sinus infection or a cold). In other situations, fluid accumulation might result in an infection. And it’s also definitely possible for viruses and bacteria to infect the inner ear through simple transmission.
This can happen with some frequency to individuals who use hearing aids. The virus or bacteria hitches a ride on your hearing device and, upon insertion, gets access to the inner ear. Proper 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 device may play a role in transmission.
How ear infections interact with hearing aids
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 prevalent ear infection symptoms. In general, ear infections will present with the following symptoms:
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- Tinnitus (a ringing in the ears)
- Inflammation and swelling
- Pain in the ear
- Discharge of fluid from the ear
- Temporary loss of hearing in some cases
- Vertigo or dizziness
Needless to say, 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. These symptoms can have a negative interaction with hearing aids for people with hearing loss. That’s because your hearing aid will likely (at least in part) sit within the ear canal. Your hearing aids may 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 may last longer if fluid is stuck in your ear. 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.
The performance of your hearing aid can also be impacted by the extra moisture. So your hearing aids aren’t functioning at peak performance and your ears are in pain. 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? There are a number of steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing ear infections and to address the discomfort that an ear infection might cause. Those steps include the following:
- 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.
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Keeping your device clean can decrease the risk of transferring bacteria or viruses to your ears. If you don’t know how to clean and disinfect hearing aids, talk to us for some instruction.
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: If the pain is prolonged or significant, it’s all right to take a break from wearing your hearing aid until your ears are feeling better. You can use alternative methods of communication with friends and family, 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.
- Practice good ear hygiene: It’s important to keep your ears dry and clean and regularly clean your outer ear. Do not try to stick anything in your ear, however, including cotton swabs. With a cotton swabs, your risk of developing an ear infection increases because you could push earwax and debris further up into your ear canal. This is the exact opposite of what you’re likely trying to accomplish.
You most likely depend heavily on your hearing aid every day. They help you communicate with family and friends and move around the world more easily. Which means that these little devices can often be hard to give up, even for a short time. However, you will have a quicker 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 sooner.
It’s not uncommon for individuals to get ear infections. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek out treatment or try to prevent them. Contact us if you’re wondering how your hearing aid use will be impacted by an ear infection.