Surprisingly, around 20% of all ear infections afflict adults. The common idea is that ear infections are something that normally affect children. Ear infections are certainly more common in kids but adults do get them too.
Ear infections can be particularly unpleasant for people with hearing loss because they can interfere with their hearing aids. Hearing aids can also shelter germs that could result in an ear infection if they aren’t correctly cleaned and maintained.
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. Ear infections can cause substantial inflammation and discomfort in the ear, and your hearing aids may exacerbate those symptoms. But people who use hearing aids can take a few steps to manage and possibly prevent ear infections.
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 might begin to wonder: did my hearing aids cause this ear infection? The technical answer is no. But more nuance is needed 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 result in infection. Often, a previous illness, such as a cold or sinus infection, will lead to an infection of the inner ear. An infection might be caused by fluid buildup in other instances. It’s also entirely feasible that a virus or bacteria directly infected the inner ear by physical transmission.
This can happen with some frequency to individuals who wear hearing aids. Your hearing aid accumulates this bacteria or virus and then gets inserted directly into your ear. That’s why it is critical for people with hearing loss to properly 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 does play a part in this 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 examine the most common ear infection symptoms. Here are a few of the most prevalent symptoms of ear infections:
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Temporary loss of hearing in some cases
- Drainage of fluid from the ear
- Ear pain
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- Inflammation and swelling
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
Obviously, everyone will experience the symptoms in their own way. In the majority of cases, your infected ear will hurt and there will likely be noticeable inflammation around the inner ear. For individuals with hearing loss, these symptoms can interact unfavorably with your hearing aids. That’s because the hearing aid goes inside the infected ear (at least some of it). Your hearing aids might cause added soreness as they irritate the tender inflamed infected ear.
Also, with a hearing aid that goes mostly inside the ear canal, fluid drainage can be obstructed. When fluids can’t drain, your discomfort might 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 uncomfortable.
This added moisture can also impair 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.
Solutions to wearing hearing aids with an ear infection
So what can you do if your hearing aids are bothering you during an ear infection? There are several steps you can take to reduce your risk of getting ear infections and to manage the discomfort that an ear infection might cause. Those steps include the following:
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Keeping your device clean can reduce the chance of transferring bacteria or viruses to your ears. 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 while if you have significant or lasting pain. During this time off, you can pursue other ways of communicating with your loved ones (like texting or writing messages on a piece of paper, and so on).
- Talk to your hearing specialist: If your ears begin to feel better, but the discomfort from your hearing aids doesn’t go away, consider talking to us to see if you can get a better fit on your devices.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: If you suspect that you have an ear infection, talk to your doctor as soon as you can. Treating a hearing aid as soon as possible will reduce the chance of it becoming severe or prolonged.
- Practice good ear hygiene: This means regularly cleaning your outer ear and, generally, keeping your ears clean and dry. Don’t try to stick anything in your ear, however, including cotton swabs. Using cotton swabs can push earwax and other debris further into your ear, increasing your chance of developing an infection. This is the opposite of what you’re likely attempting to do.
Hearing aids are likely an essential part of your everyday life. They help you communicate with loved ones and move about the world more easily. Which means that these little devices will usually be hard to give up, even for a short time. However, taking a break from your hearing aids while you have an ear infection can help you recover from your infection more quickly and more comfortably. That means you can get back to enjoying what you hear faster.
Ear infections are relatively 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.
