It may be a surprise to many that roughly 20% of all ear infections happen to adults. The common notion is that ear infections are something that usually affect children. And it’s true that ear infections are more common in children, but they also occur frequently in adults.
Ear infections can be particularly uncomfortable for individuals with hearing loss because they can interact with their hearing aids. Hearing aids can also shelter germs that could lead to an ear infection if they aren’t properly cleaned and maintained.
So, you may be wondering: Can I wear hearing aids while I have an ear infection? In general, the answer is yes, but you might not want to. Ear infections can cause significant inflammation and discomfort in the ear, and your hearing aids may worsen those symptoms. But people who use hearing aids can take a few steps to treat and possibly prevent ear infections.
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 more detail is needed to understand the complete story.
The vast majority of all ear infections are caused by viruses or bacteria that then infect the inner ear. There are quite a few paths that bacteria and viruses can take on their way to becoming an infection. In some cases, the inner ear becomes infected after a past illness (for example, a sinus infection or a cold). An infection might be caused by fluid accumulation in other instances. It’s also entirely possible that a virus or bacteria directly infected the inner ear by physical transmission.
For individuals who use hearing aids, this can be a regular occurrence. The virus or bacteria latches onto your hearing aid and, upon insertion, gains access to the inner ear. That’s why it is crucial for individuals who have hearing loss to properly maintain and clean their devices. So the virus or bacteria is really the cause of the infection, not the hearing aid itself. 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 look at the most common ear infection symptoms. In general, ear infections will present with the following symptoms:
- Pain in the ear
- Tinnitus (a ringing in the ears)
- Ear pressure or a feeling of fullness
- Temporary loss of hearing in some situations
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Inflammation and swelling
- Fluid draining from the ear
Obviously, everybody will experience the symptoms in their own way. In the majority of circumstances, your infected ear will hurt and there will likely be obvious inflammation around the inner ear. For people 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 might cause added discomfort as they irritate the tender inflamed infected ear.
Also, with a hearing aid that goes mostly inside the ear canal, fluid drainage can be obstructed. Your infection and discomfort might last longer if fluid is stuck in your ear. The pain and pressure in your ears will be increased as a result of this. 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 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 an absolutely miserable time.
Strategies to wearing hearing aids with an ear infection
So what can you do if your hearing aids are annoying you while you have an ear infection? You can reduce your risk of getting an ear infection and manage any discomfort that an ear infection might cause by taking a few steps. Those steps include the following:
- 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 talk to your doctor sooner than later if you suspect you might be developing an ear infection. Treating a hearing aid as soon as possible will decrease the chance of it becoming severe or prolonged.
- Practice good ear hygiene: It’s important to keep your ears clean and dry and regularly clean your outer ear. However, you should never stick any object in your ear and that includes cotton swabs. Using cotton swabs can drive 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 accomplish.
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: If the pain is prolonged or significant, it’s all right to take a break from wearing your hearing aid until your ears are feeling better. During this time off, you can pursue other means of communicating with your loved ones (like texting or writing messages on a piece of paper, and so on).
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Keeping your device clean can lessen the risk of transmitting bacteria or viruses to your ears. If you don’t know how to clean and disinfect hearing aids, talk to us for some instruction.
You most likely depend heavily on your hearing aid every day. They help you get around 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, you will have a quicker 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.
Ear infections are relatively 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.