Surprisingly, around 20% of all ear infections happen to adults. The common notion is that ear infections are something that normally affect kids. Ear infections are definitely more prevalent in children but adults do get them too.
Ear infections can be especially uncomfortable for people who have hearing loss because they can interact with their hearing aids. Hearing aids can also harbor germs that could lead to an ear infection if they aren’t correctly cleaned and maintained.
So is it ok to use hearing aids with an ear infection? Overall, the answer is yes, but you may not want to. 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 treat ear infection symptoms.
Do hearing aids cause ear infections?
If you’re an adult with hearing loss and you begin to notice the symptoms of an ear infection, you may begin to wonder: did my hearing aids cause this ear infection? Technically, the answer is no. But more nuance is required to understand the complete story.
The vast majority of all ear infections are due to viruses or bacteria that then infect the inner ear. There are a wide range of vectors that can lead to infection. Often, a previous illness, like a cold or sinus infection, will result in an infection of the inner ear. In other situations, fluid buildup may result in an infection. It’s also completely possible that a virus or bacteria directly infected the inner ear by physical transmission.
This can occur with some frequency to people who use hearing aids. Your hearing aid accumulates this bacteria or virus and then gets inserted directly into your ear. Proper hearing aid cleaning and maintenance is crucial for this reason. So the virus or bacteria is actually the cause of the infection, not the hearing aid itself. But your hearing aid does play a part in this transmission.
How ear infections interact with hearing aids
So, how do ear infections and hearing aids interact? To understand what to expect, it’s helpful to look at the most common symptoms of an ear infection. Here are several of the most common symptoms of ear infections:
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Fluid draining from the ear
- In some cases, temporary hearing loss
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- Inflammation and swelling
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Ear pain
Needless to say, everyone 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 individuals with hearing loss, these symptoms can interact unfavorably with your hearing aids. That’s because your hearing aid will most likely (at least partially) sit within the ear canal. Because the ear canal is irritated and tender, your hearing aids may cause extra discomfort.
Additionally, any in-the-canal hearing aid can stop drainage. When fluids cannot drain, your discomfort may become prolonged. 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 uncomfortable.
This added moisture can also impede the operation of your hearing aid. So your hearing aids aren’t working at peak performance and your ears are in pain. Which means that wearing hearing aids when you have an ear infection can be an absolutely miserable time.
Ear infection & hearing aid strategies
You may now be thinking: my hearing aids annoy me when I have an ear infection… but what can I do? There are a number of steps you can take to reduce your risk of getting ear infections and to address the discomfort that an ear infection might cause. Here are a few of those steps:
- 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 inside of 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.
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: You can take a break from your hearing aids for a while if you have severe or persistent pain. You can use alternative methods of communication with family and friends, like texting, in the meantime.
- Talk to your hearing specialist: Consider coming in to have your hearing aid re-fit if your ear infection clears but your hearing aid is still uncomfortable.
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Keeping your device clean can lessen the chance of transferring bacteria or viruses to your ears. Ask us for help if you’re not certain how to correctly clean and sanitize your hearing aids.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: You should talk to your doctor sooner than later if you think you may be developing an ear infection. The sooner you address 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. That makes it very difficult to give up your hearing aid even for short periods. However, taking a break from your hearing aids while you have an ear infection can help you recover from your sickness more quickly and more comfortably. This will help you get back to feeling better quicker.
Ear infections are fairly common. 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 affected by an ear infection.