It may be a surprise to many people that roughly 20% of all ear infections happen to adults. Most people think of ear infections as a childhood illness, something that affects mainly young kids. And it’s accurate that ear infections are more common in kids, but they also occur frequently in adults.
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 lead to an ear infection if they are not correctly cleaned and maintained.
So is it a bad idea to use hearing aids with an ear infection? You can, but it may not be something you want to do. Hearing aids could intensify the discomfort and inflammation caused by an ear infection. However, there are some steps that people who use hearing aids can take to help prevent and manage ear infection symptoms.
Can an ear infection be caused by hearing aids?
You may be wondering if your hearing aid is the cause of your ear infection if you’re an adult with hearing impairment. Technically, the answer is no. But in order to get the complete picture we have to look at it in greater detail.
The vast majority of all ear infections are a result of viruses or bacteria that then infect the inner ear. There are a wide variety of vectors that can lead to infection. Sometimes, a previous illness, such as a cold or sinus infection, will result in an infection of the inner ear. An infection might be caused by fluid accumulation in other situations. And it’s also definitely possible for viruses and bacteria to infect the inner ear through direct 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. Correct hearing aid cleaning and maintenance is crucial for this reason. In other words, the hearing aid itself doesn’t cause the ear infection, the virus or bacteria does. But your hearing aid does play a part in this transmission.
Interactions between hearing aids and ear infections
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 prevalent ear infection symptoms. Here are several of the most common symptoms of ear infections:
- In some cases, temporary hearing loss
- Ear pain
- Dizziness or vertigo
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- Tinnitus (a ringing in the ears)
- Fluid draining from the ear
- Swelling and inflammation
Not everyone will suffer from every symptom, of course. Typically, 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 the hearing aid is inside the infected ear (at least some of it). Because the ear canal is inflamed and tender, your hearing aids might cause additional discomfort.
Additionally, any in-the-canal hearing aid can prevent drainage. Your infection and discomfort might last longer if fluid is trapped in your ear. 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 function 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 a downright 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? You can lower your risk of developing an ear infection and manage any discomfort that an ear infection might cause by taking a few steps. Here are a few of those steps:
- Talk to your hearing specialist: Consider coming in to have your hearing aid re-fit if your ear infection goes away but your hearing aid is still not comfortable.
- 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 frequently.) Ask us for assistance if you’re not certain how to correctly clean and sanitize your hearing aids.
- Practice good ear hygiene: It’s essential to keep your ears clean and dry and regularly clean your outer ear. Don’t try to stick any object in your ear, however, including cotton swabs. With a cotton swabs, your chance of developing an ear infection increases because you could push 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 few days if you have severe or persistent pain. During this interim period, you can adopt other means of communicating with your loved ones (like texting or writing messages on a piece of paper, and so on).
- Talk to your healthcare provider: If you suspect that you have an ear infection, talk to your doctor as soon as possible. Treating a hearing aid as soon as possible will decrease the chance of it becoming severe or prolonged.
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 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 recuperate from your infection more quickly and more comfortably. This will help you get back to feeling better quicker.
Ear infections are fairly common. But you should still seek treatment if you detect symptoms. Contact us if you’re wondering how your hearing aid use will be affected by an ear infection.