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 sickness, 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 particularly inconvenient, as they can interact with hearing aids in some uncomfortable ways. Additionally, when hearing aids are not properly maintained, they can become a vector for ear infection-causing diseases.
So, you might 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. Ear infections can cause substantial swelling and discomfort in the ear, and your hearing aids might exacerbate those symptoms. But people who use hearing aids can take a few steps to manage and possibly prevent ear infections.
Can an ear infection be caused by hearing aids?
You may be questioning if your hearing aid is the cause of your ear infection if you’re an adult with hearing impairment. Technically, the answer is no. But more nuance is required to understand the whole story.
The vast majority of all ear infections are due to viruses or bacteria that then infect the inner ear. There are quite a few paths that bacteria and viruses can take on their way to becoming an infection. In some circumstances, the inner ear becomes infected after a previous illness (for example, a sinus infection or a cold). An infection may be caused by fluid buildup in other situations. 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. The virus or bacteria latches onto your hearing aid and, upon insertion, gains access to the inner ear. That’s why it is crucial for people 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? To know what to expect, it’s useful to look at the most common symptoms of an ear infection. Here are some of the most prevalent symptoms of ear infections:
- Drainage of fluid from the ear
- Ear pain
- In some cases, temporary hearing loss
- Inflammation and swelling
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Ear pressure or a feeling of fullness
- Dizziness or vertigo
Obviously, 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. For those 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 may cause added discomfort as they aggravate the tender inflamed infected ear.
Additionally, any in-the-canal hearing aid can prevent drainage. When fluids can’t drain, your discomfort may 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 unpleasant.
The functionality of your hearing aid can also be impacted by the excess 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
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 address any discomfort that an ear infection might cause by taking a few steps. Here are a few of those steps:
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Making sure your devices are clean can help to ensure they aren’t transmitting bacteria and viruses to your ears (or, at least, that it occurs less frequently.) If you don’t know how to clean and sanitize 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 severe or persistent pain. You can use alternative methods of communication with friends and family, like texting, in the meantime.
- Practice good ear hygiene: It’s essential to keep your ears dry and clean and routinely clean your outer ear. However, you should never stick any object in your ear and that includes cotton swabs. With a cotton swabs, your risk of developing an ear infection increases because you could jam earwax and debris further up into your ear canal. You’re trying to accomplish the exact opposite.
- 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: You should speak with your doctor sooner than later if you think you might be developing an ear infection. Treating a hearing aid as soon as possible will reduce the chance of it becoming severe or prolonged.
Hearing aids are likely a crucial part of your daily life. 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 quicker.
It’s not uncommon for people to get ear infections. But you should still seek treatment if you notice symptoms. Contact us if you’re wondering how your hearing aid use will be affected by an ear infection.
