It may be a surprise to many that approximately 20% of all ear infections occur in adults. The common idea is that ear infections are something that usually affect children. And it’s true that ear infections are more prevalent in kids, but they also occur frequently in adults.
Ear infections can be particularly uncomfortable for people with hearing loss because they can interfere with their hearing aids. Additionally, when hearing aids aren’t properly maintained, they can become a vector for ear infection-causing diseases.
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. Hearing aids could intensify the discomfort and swelling caused by an ear infection. 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?
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 this ear infection? The technical answer is no. But more nuance is required to understand the whole story.
Nearly 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. In some cases, the inner ear becomes infected after a past illness (for instance, a sinus infection or a cold). In other cases, fluid accumulation might lead to an infection. It’s also completely possible that a virus or bacteria directly infected the inner ear by physical transmission.
For individuals who wear hearing aids, this can be a regular occurrence. 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 impairments 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 device may play a role in transmission.
Interactions between hearing aids and ear infections
So, how do ear infections and hearing aids interact? 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:
- Ear pain
- Drainage of fluid from the ear
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Swelling and inflammation
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- Temporary loss of hearing in some situations
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
Not everyone will suffer from every symptom, of course. Usually, you will have obvious swelling of the inner ear and ear pain in the infected ear. For individuals 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 might cause added discomfort as they irritate the tender inflamed infected ear.
Also, with a hearing aid that sits mostly inside the ear canal, fluid drainage can be blocked. Your infection and discomfort may last longer if fluid is stuck in your ear. The pain and pressure in your ears will be increased because of this. 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 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.
Ear infection & hearing aid solutions
You may now be thinking: my hearing aids annoy me when I have an ear infection… but what can I do? There are several steps you can take to reduce your risk of getting ear infections and to address the discomfort that an ear infection may cause. Here are a few of those steps:
- Talk to your healthcare provider: If you think that you have an ear infection, speak with your doctor as soon as you can. Treating a hearing aid as soon as possible will reduce the risk of it becoming severe or prolonged.
- 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 happens less often.) If you don’t know how to clean and sanitize hearing aids, talk to us for a quick tutorial.
- Practice good ear hygiene: This means regularly cleaning your outer ear and, generally, keeping your ears clean and dry. Don’t try to stick any object 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.
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: If the pain is persistent or significant, it’s all right to take a break from wearing your hearing aid until your ears feel better. You can use alternative methods of communication with friends and family, like texting, in the meantime.
- Talk to your hearing specialist: If your ears begin to feel better, but the discomfort from your hearing aids doesn’t go away, think about talking to us to see if you can get a better fit on your devices.
You most likely depend heavily on your hearing aid every day. They help you communicate with loved ones and move about the world more easily. Which means that these little devices will usually be difficult 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 unusual for people to get ear infections. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get treatment or try to prevent them. If you have questions about how ear infections might impact your hearing aid use, give us a call today.