It might be a surprise to many that roughly 20% of all ear infections happen to adults. Most individuals think of ear infections as a childhood illness, something that impacts mainly young kids. And it’s accurate that ear infections are more common in kids, but they also occur frequently in adults.
For adults with hearing impairments or hearing loss, ear infections can be especially inconvenient, as they can interact with hearing aids in some uncomfortable ways. Hearing aids can also harbor germs that could lead to an ear infection if they aren’t properly cleaned and maintained.
So, you might be wondering: Can I wear hearing aids while I have 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 individuals who use hearing aids can take a few steps to treat and possibly prevent ear infections.
Can an ear infection be caused by hearing aids?
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 in order to get the complete picture we need to look at it in greater detail.
The vast majority of all ear infections are caused by viruses or bacteria that then infect the inner ear. There are a number of 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 example, a sinus infection or a cold). An infection may be caused by fluid buildup in other situations. It’s also entirely feasible that a virus or bacteria directly infected the inner ear by physical transmission.
For individuals who wear hearing aids, this can be a frequent occurrence. The virus or bacteria hitches a ride on your hearing aid and, upon insertion, gets access to the inner ear. That’s why it is critical for people with hearing loss to correctly maintain and clean their devices. In other words, 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, how do ear infections and hearing aids interact? The best way to anticipate what to expect is to examine the most common ear infection symptoms. Here are several of the most prevalent symptoms of ear infections:
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- Pain in the ear
- Swelling and inflammation
- In some situations, temporary hearing loss
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Fluid draining from the ear
Obviously, everyone will experience the symptoms in their own way. Typically, 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 in part) sit within the ear canal. Your hearing aids could cause added discomfort as they irritate the tender inflamed infected ear.
Additionally, any in-the-canal hearing aid can prevent drainage. Your infection and discomfort may last longer if fluid is stuck in your ear. This will also increase the pressure (and pain) you feel in your ears. This pressure can be even more pronounced when you’re wearing your hearing aid.
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. This means that you will have a terrible time wearing your hearing aid while you have an ear infection.
Ear infection & hearing aid solutions
You may now be thinking: my hearing aids bother me when I have an ear infection… but what can I do? There are several steps you can take to lower your risk of developing ear infections and to manage the discomfort that an ear infection may cause. Those steps include the following:
- Talk to your healthcare provider: You should speak with your doctor sooner than later if you believe you may be developing an ear infection. Treating a hearing aid as soon as possible will decrease the risk of it becoming severe or prolonged.
- Talk to your hearing specialist: If your ears start 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.
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Keeping your device clean can reduce the chance of transferring bacteria or viruses to your ears. Ask us for help if you’re not sure how to properly clean and sanitize your hearing aids.
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: You can take a break from your hearing aids for a few days if you have significant or persistent pain. During this time off, you can pursue other means of communicating with your loved ones (such as texting or writing messages on a piece of paper, and so on).
- 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 jam earwax and debris further up into your ear canal. This is the exact opposite of what you’re likely trying to do.
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. Which means that these little devices will usually be hard to give up, even for a short time. However, you will have a faster 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 individuals to get ear infections. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get treatment or try to prevent them. Contact us if you’re wondering how your hearing aid use will be impacted by an ear infection.
