It might be a surprise to many people that approximately 20% of all ear infections occur in adults. The common notion is that ear infections are something that normally affect children. And it’s accurate that ear infections are more prevalent in children, but they also happen frequently in adults.
Ear infections can be especially uncomfortable for individuals 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 are not properly cleaned and maintained.
So is it a bad plan to use hearing aids with an ear infection? In general, the answer is yes, but you may not want to. Ear infections can cause substantial swelling 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 treat and possibly prevent ear infections.
Do hearing aids cause ear infections?
If you’re an adult with hearing loss and you start to notice the symptoms of an ear infection, you may begin to wonder: did my hearing aids cause my ear infection? Technically, the answer is no. But more nuance is required to understand the complete story.
Nearly all ear infections are caused by bacteria or a virus that gets into the ear. There are a wide variety of vectors that can result in infection. In some instances, the inner ear becomes infected after an earlier illness (for example, a sinus infection or a cold). In other situations, fluid buildup might lead to an infection. And it’s also certainly possible for viruses and bacteria to infect the inner ear through simple transmission.
This can happen with some frequency to individuals who use 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 individuals with hearing impairments to properly maintain and clean their devices. So the virus or bacteria is actually the cause of the infection, not the hearing aid itself. But your hearing aid is involved in this transmission.
Contact between hearing aids and ear infections
So what is the level 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. Generally speaking, ear infections will have the following symptoms:
- Discharge of fluid from the ear
- Dizziness or vertigo
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- Tinnitus (a ringing in the ears)
- Inflammation and swelling
- In some instances, temporary hearing loss
- Pain in the ear
Obviously, everyone will experience the symptoms in their own way. In the majority of cases, your infected ear will be painful and there will likely be noticeable inflammation around the inner ear. These symptoms can have an adverse interaction with hearing aids for people with hearing loss. That’s because your hearing aid will likely (at least partially) 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 stop 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 marked when you’re wearing your hearing aid.
This increased moisture can also impede the operation of your hearing aid. So your hearing aids aren’t functioning 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 address the discomfort that an ear infection might cause. Here are a few of those steps:
- Talk to your hearing specialist: Think about coming in to have your hearing aid re-fit if your ear infection clears but your hearing aid is still not comfortable.
- 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 interim period, 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).
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Keeping your device clean can decrease the risk of transmitting bacteria or viruses to your ears. Ask us for help if you’re not sure how to properly clean and sanitize your hearing aids.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: If you suspect that you have an ear infection, speak with your doctor as soon as you can. The sooner you treat the ear infection, the less severe or prolonged your symptoms will be.
- 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. This is the opposite of what you’re likely trying to accomplish.
You most likely depend heavily on your hearing aid every day. They help you communicate with family and friends and move about the world more easily. Which means that these little devices can often 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. 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. If you have questions about how ear infections might affect your hearing aid use, give us a call today.