Surprisingly, about 20% of all ear infections happen to adults. The common notion is that ear infections are something that usually impact children. And it’s accurate that ear infections are more prevalent in children, but they also happen frequently in adults.
Ear infections can be particularly uncomfortable for individuals with hearing loss because they can interfere with their hearing aids. Also, when hearing aids are not properly maintained, they can become a vector for ear infection-causing diseases.
So is it a bad plan to use hearing aids with an ear infection? You can, but it may not be something you want to do. Ear infections can cause significant swelling and discomfort in the ear, and your hearing aids might worsen those symptoms. However, there are some steps that those who use hearing aids can take to help prevent and manage 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 might begin to wonder: did my hearing aids cause my ear infection? The technical answer is no. But more nuance is required to understand the complete story.
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 result in infection. Sometimes, a previous illness, like a cold or sinus infection, will lead to an infection of the inner ear. An infection may be caused by fluid accumulation in other situations. It’s also entirely possible that a virus or bacteria directly infected the inner ear by physical transmission.
This can occur with some frequency to people 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 crucial for individuals who have hearing loss to properly 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 is involved in this transmission.
Contact between hearing aids and ear infections
So, how do ear infections and hearing aids interact? To understand what to expect, it’s useful to look at the most prevalent symptoms of an ear infection. Here are some of the most prevalent symptoms of ear infections:
- Temporary loss of hearing in some cases
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Swelling and inflammation
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- Ear pain
- Drainage of fluid from the ear
- Tinnitus (a ringing in the ears)
Obviously, everyone will experience the symptoms in their own way. In most cases, your infected ear will hurt and there will most likely be obvious inflammation around the inner ear. These symptoms can have an adverse interaction with hearing aids for those with hearing loss. That’s because the hearing aid goes inside the infected ear (at least some of it). Your hearing aids could cause added discomfort as they irritate the tender inflamed infected ear.
Also, with a hearing aid that sits primarily inside the ear canal, fluid drainage can be obstructed. 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. When you are wearing your hearing aid, pressure can be even more unpleasant.
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. Which means that wearing hearing aids when you have an ear infection can be a downright miserable time.
Strategies to wearing hearing aids with an ear infection
So what can you do if your hearing aids are bothering you while you have an ear infection? There are several steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing ear infections and to address the discomfort that an ear infection might cause. Those steps include the following:
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: If the pain is prolonged or significant, it’s okay to take a break from wearing your hearing aid until your ears feel better. During this time off, you can adopt other ways of communicating with your loved ones (such as 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 recede, think about talking to us to see if you can get a better fit on your devices.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: You should speak with your doctor sooner than later if you suspect you might be developing an ear infection. The sooner you treat the ear infection, the less severe or prolonged your symptoms may 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 inside of your ear and that includes cotton swabs. Using cotton swabs can drive earwax and other debris further into your ear, increasing your chance of developing an infection. You’re trying to accomplish the exact opposite.
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Keeping your device clean can reduce the risk of transferring bacteria or viruses to your ears. Ask us for help if you’re not certain how to properly clean and sanitize your hearing aids.
Hearing aids are most likely an essential part of your daily life. They help you communicate with loved ones and move around the world more easily. That makes it really hard to give up your hearing aid even for short periods. However, you will have a speedier 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.
It’s not unusual 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 affected by an ear infection.