It might be a surprise to many that approximately 20% of all ear infections occur in adults. The common idea is that ear infections are something that usually affect kids. And it’s accurate that ear infections are more prevalent in kids, but they also happen 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 shelter germs that could lead to an ear infection if they aren’t properly cleaned and maintained.
So, you might be wondering: Can I use hearing aids while I have an ear infection? In general, the answer is yes, but you might not want to. Ear infections can cause considerable inflammation and discomfort in the ear, and your hearing aids might worsen those symptoms. However, there are some steps that people who use hearing aids can take to help prevent and treat ear infection symptoms.
Can an ear infection be caused by hearing aids?
You might be wondering if your hearing aid is the cause of your ear infection if you’re an adult with hearing loss. Technically, the 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 a result of 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 result in an infection of the inner ear. An infection might be caused by fluid accumulation in other situations. It’s also entirely feasible that a virus or bacteria directly infected the inner ear by physical transmission.
This can happen with some frequency to individuals who use hearing aids. The virus or bacteria latches onto your hearing aid and, upon insertion, gains access to the inner ear. Proper hearing aid cleaning and maintenance is essential for this reason. So the virus or bacteria is really the cause of the infection, not the hearing aid itself. But your device may play a role in 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. In general, ear infections will present with the following symptoms:
- Swelling and inflammation
- Ear pain
- In some cases, temporary hearing loss
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Tinnitus (a ringing in the ears)
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- Drainage of fluid from the ear
Needless to say, everybody will experience the symptoms in their own way. In the majority of cases, your infected ear will hurt and there will likely be obvious swelling around the inner ear. These symptoms can have an adverse interaction with hearing aids for people with hearing loss. That’s because the hearing aid goes inside the infected ear (at least some of it). Your hearing aids may cause added soreness as they aggravate the tender inflamed infected ear.
Also, with a hearing aid that sits mostly inside the ear canal, fluid drainage can be blocked. When fluids cannot drain, your discomfort might become prolonged. 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.
The performance of your hearing aid can also be impacted by the extra moisture. So your ears are in more pain and your hearing aid isn’t really working 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 strategies
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 getting ear infections and to address the discomfort that an ear infection might cause. Here are a few of those steps:
- Practice good ear hygiene: This means regularly cleaning your outer ear and, generally, keeping your ears dry and clean. However, you should never stick any object inside of your ear and that includes cotton swabs. Using cotton swabs can push earwax and other debris further into your ear, increasing your risk of developing an infection. This is the exact opposite of what you’re likely trying to do.
- Talk to your hearing specialist: Think about coming in to have your hearing aid re-fit if your ear infection goes away but your hearing aid is still not comfortable.
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: If the pain is persistent or significant, it’s okay to take a break from wearing your hearing aid until your ears are feeling better. During this interim period, you can adopt other ways of communicating with your loved ones (like texting or writing messages on a piece of paper, and so on).
- 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 occurs less often.) Ask us for assistance if you’re not certain how to properly clean and sanitize your hearing aids.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: If you suspect that you have an ear infection, talk to your doctor as soon as possible. The sooner you address the ear infection, the less severe or prolonged your symptoms will be.
Hearing aids are most likely an essential part of your daily life. They help you navigate your world more easily and have better communication with your friends and family. 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 recover from your infection more quickly and more comfortably. This will help you get back to feeling better sooner.
It’s not uncommon for people to get ear infections. But you should still seek treatment if you notice symptoms. Contact us if you’re wondering how your hearing aid use will be impacted by an ear infection.