It might be a surprise to many that roughly 20% of all ear infections occur in adults. Most individuals think of ear infections as a childhood ailment, something that affects mainly young kids. And it’s true that ear infections are more common in kids, but they also happen frequently in adults.
Ear infections can be especially uncomfortable for people with hearing loss because they can interfere with their hearing aids. Additionally, when hearing aids aren’t properly maintained, they can become a vehicle for ear infection-causing diseases.
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 worsen those symptoms. However, there are some steps that people who use hearing aids can take to help avoid and treat ear infection symptoms.
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? The technical answer is no. But in order to get the complete picture we need to view 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 wide range of vectors that can lead to infection. Often, an earlier illness, like a cold or sinus infection, will lead to an infection of the inner ear. In other situations, fluid accumulation may result in an infection. And it’s also certainly possible for viruses and bacteria to infect the inner ear through direct transmission.
For individuals who use hearing aids, this can be a regular occurrence. The virus or bacteria hitches a ride on your hearing aid and, when inserted, gets access to the inner ear. Correct hearing aid cleaning and maintenance is essential for this reason. Essentially, the hearing aid itself doesn’t cause the ear infection, the virus or bacteria does. But your hearing aid is involved in this transmission.
How ear infections interact with hearing aids
So, how do ear infections and hearing aids interact? To know what to expect, it’s helpful to look at the most prevalent symptoms of an ear infection. Generally speaking, ear infections will present with the following symptoms:
- Tinnitus (a ringing in the ears)
- In some instances, temporary hearing loss
- Pain in the ear
- Vertigo or dizziness
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- Discharge of fluid from the ear
- Inflammation and swelling
Not everyone will experience every symptom, of course. In the majority of cases, your infected ear will hurt and there will most likely be noticeable inflammation around the inner 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) reside within the ear canal. Because the ear canal is inflamed and tender, your hearing aids may 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. This pressure can be even more pronounced when you’re wearing your hearing aid.
The performance of your hearing aid can also be impacted by the excess moisture. So your hearing aids aren’t functioning at peak performance and your ears are in pain. This means that you will have a terrible time wearing your hearing aid while you have an ear infection.
Solutions to wearing hearing aids with an ear infection
You may now be thinking: my hearing aids annoy 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 address the discomfort that an ear infection may cause. Here are a few of those steps:
- Practice good ear hygiene: This means routinely cleaning your outer ear and, generally, keeping your ears clean and dry. However, you should never stick any object inside of your ear and that includes 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 attempting to accomplish the exact opposite.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: If you suspect that you have an ear infection, talk to your doctor as soon as you can. The sooner you address the ear infection, the less severe or prolonged your symptoms may be.
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: You can take a break from your hearing aids for a while if you have significant or persistent pain. You can use alternative methods of communication with friends and family, like texting, in the meantime.
- 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 assistance if you’re not sure how to properly clean and sanitize your hearing aids.
Hearing aids are likely an essential part of your everyday life. 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, 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 sooner.
It’s not unusual for people to get ear infections. But you should still get treatment if you detect symptoms. If you have questions about how ear infections might affect your hearing aid use, give us a call today.
