It may be a surprise to many that roughly 20% of all ear infections happen to adults. The common notion is that ear infections are something that normally impact children. And it’s accurate that ear infections are more prevalent in children, but they also happen frequently in adults.
For adults with hearing impairments or hearing loss, ear infections can be particularly inconvenient, as they can interact with hearing aids in some unpleasant ways. Hearing aids can also harbor germs that could result in an ear infection if they aren’t correctly cleaned and maintained.
So is it a bad idea to use hearing aids with an ear infection? You can, but it might not be something you want to do. Ear infections can cause considerable swelling and discomfort in the ear, and your hearing aids might exacerbate those symptoms. However, there are some steps that people who use hearing aids can take to help avoid and treat ear infection symptoms.
Can an ear infection be caused by hearing aids?
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 needed to understand the complete 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. In some cases, the inner ear becomes infected after a previous illness (for example, a sinus infection or a cold). In other cases, fluid accumulation might result in an infection. It’s also entirely possible that a virus or bacteria directly infected the inner ear by physical transmission.
This can occur with some frequency to individuals who use hearing aids. The virus or bacteria latches onto your hearing device and, upon insertion, gains access to the inner ear. That’s why it is critical for individuals 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 hearing aid is involved in this transmission.
Interactions between hearing aids and ear infections
So, how do ear infections and hearing aids interact? To understand what to expect, it’s useful to look at the most common symptoms of an ear infection. In general, ear infections will have the following symptoms:
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Fluid draining from the ear
- Pain in the ear
- Inflammation and swelling
- In some cases, temporary hearing loss
- Tinnitus (a ringing in the ears)
Needless to say, everybody will experience the symptoms in their own way. Usually, you will have obvious inflammation of the inner ear and ear pain in the infected ear. For people with hearing loss, these symptoms can interact unfavorably with your hearing aids. That’s because your hearing aid will most likely (at least partially) reside within the ear canal. Because the ear canal is inflamed and tender, your hearing aids may cause additional discomfort.
Additionally, any in-the-canal hearing aid can stop drainage. Your infection and discomfort might last longer if fluid is stuck in your ear. The pain and pressure in your ears will be increased as a result of this. When you are wearing your hearing aid, pressure can be even more unpleasant.
This added moisture can also impair the function of your hearing aid. So your hearing aids aren’t working at peak performance and your ears are in pain. This means that you will have a terrible 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 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:
- 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.
- Practice good ear hygiene: It’s essential to keep your ears dry and clean and regularly clean your outer ear. However, you should never stick any object in your ear and that includes cotton swabs. Using cotton swabs can push earwax and other debris further into your ear, increasing your chance of developing an infection. You’re trying to accomplish the exact opposite.
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: If the pain is persistent or severe, it’s okay to take a break from wearing your hearing aid until your ears are feeling better. You can use alternative methods of communication with family and friends, like texting, in the meantime.
- 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 happens less often.) If you don’t know how to clean and sanitize hearing aids, talk to us for some instruction.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: You should speak with your doctor sooner than later if you suspect you might be developing an ear infection. The sooner you treat the ear infection, the less severe or prolonged your symptoms will be.
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. That makes it very difficult to give up your hearing aid even for short periods. 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 unusual 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.