It may 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 usually affect children. Ear infections are certainly more prevalent in kids but adults do get them too.
Ear infections can be especially unpleasant for individuals with hearing loss because they can interfere with their hearing aids. Additionally, when hearing aids are not correctly maintained, they can become a vector for ear infection-causing diseases.
So, you might be wondering: Can I wear 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 swelling and discomfort in the ear, and your hearing aids may worsen those symptoms. However, there are some steps that those who use hearing aids can take to help avoid and treat ear infection symptoms.
Do hearing aids cause ear infections?
You may be questioning 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 more nuance is required to understand the whole story.
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 result in infection. In some circumstances, the inner ear becomes infected after an earlier illness (for instance, a sinus infection or a cold). An infection may be caused by fluid buildup in other instances. It’s also entirely feasible that a virus or bacteria directly infected the inner ear by physical transmission.
For people who wear hearing aids, this can be a regular occurrence. Your hearing aid collects this bacteria or virus and then gets inserted directly into your ear. That’s why it is critical for those who have hearing loss to properly maintain and clean their devices. Essentially, the hearing aid itself does not cause the ear infection, the virus or bacteria does. But your hearing aid does play a part in this transmission.
How ear infections interact with hearing aids
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:
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Pain in the ear
- Temporary loss of hearing in some situations
- Tinnitus (a ringing in the ears)
- Swelling and inflammation
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- Discharge of fluid from the ear
Obviously, everyone will experience the symptoms in their own way. Typically, you will have noticeable 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 goes inside the infected ear (at least some of it). Your hearing aids may cause added discomfort as they aggravate 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 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 unpleasant.
The functionality of your hearing aid can also be impacted by the excess moisture. So your hearing aids aren’t working 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.
Ear infection & hearing aid strategies
You might 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 reduce your risk of getting ear infections and to manage 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 in 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 hearing specialist: If your ears begin to feel better, but the discomfort from your hearing aids doesn’t go away, consider talking to us to see if you can get a better fit on your devices.
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: If the pain is persistent or severe, 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 (such as texting or writing messages on a piece of paper, and so on).
- Talk to your healthcare provider: If you think that you have an ear infection, speak with your doctor as soon as possible. The sooner you treat the ear infection, the less severe or prolonged your symptoms will be.
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Making sure your devices are clean can help to ensure they aren’t transmitting bacteria and viruses to your ears (or, at least, that it happens less often.) Ask us for help if you’re not sure how to correctly clean and sanitize your hearing aids.
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. That makes it really difficult to give up your hearing aid even for short periods. However, taking a break from your hearing aids while you have an ear infection can help you recover from your sickness more quickly and more comfortably. This will help you get back to feeling better quicker.
It’s not unusual for individuals to get ear infections. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek out treatment or try to prevent them. Contact us if you’re wondering how your hearing aid use will be impacted by an ear infection.
