It might be a surprise to many that approximately 20% of all ear infections occur in adults. Most individuals think of ear infections as a childhood illness, something that affects mainly young kids. And it’s true that ear infections are more prevalent in kids, but they also occur frequently in adults.
For adults with hearing impairments or hearing loss, ear infections can be particularly inconvenient, as they can interact with hearing aids in some uncomfortable ways. Additionally, when hearing aids are not correctly 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 might not be something you want to do. Ear infections can cause substantial swelling and discomfort in the ear, and your hearing aids might exacerbate 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?
If you’re an adult with hearing impairment and you begin to notice the symptoms of an ear infection, you might begin to wonder: did my hearing aids cause this 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 quite a few paths that bacteria and viruses can take on their way to becoming an infection. Often, an earlier illness, such as a cold or sinus infection, will result in an infection of the inner ear. In other situations, fluid buildup might result in an infection. It’s also completely feasible that a virus or bacteria directly infected the inner ear by physical transmission.
For individuals who wear hearing aids, this can be a regular occurrence. Your hearing aid accumulates this bacteria or virus and then gets inserted directly into your 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 does play a part in this transmission.
Contact between hearing aids and ear infections
So what is the level of interaction between hearing aids and ear infections? The best way to anticipate what to expect is to look at the most prevalent ear infection symptoms. Generally speaking, ear infections will have the following symptoms:
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- Temporary loss of hearing in some cases
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Tinnitus (a ringing in the ears)
- Inflammation and swelling
- Pain in the ear
- Fluid draining from the ear
Not everyone will experience every symptom, of course. Typically, you will have noticeable swelling of the inner ear and ear pain in the infected ear. For people with hearing loss, these symptoms can interact unfavorably with your hearing aids. That’s because your hearing aid will likely (at least partially) reside within the ear canal. Because the ear canal is inflamed and tender, your hearing aids could cause additional discomfort.
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. When you are wearing your hearing aid, pressure can be even more uncomfortable.
The functionality 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. Which means that wearing hearing aids when you have an ear infection can be an absolutely miserable time.
Solutions to wearing hearing aids with an ear infection
You might now be thinking: my hearing aids bother me when I have an ear infection… but what can I do? There are a number of steps you can take to lower your risk of developing ear infections and to manage the discomfort that an ear infection may cause. Here are a few of those steps:
- Talk to your healthcare provider: You should talk to your doctor sooner than later if you suspect you may be developing an ear infection. The sooner you address the ear infection, the less severe or prolonged your symptoms will 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 push earwax and other debris further into your ear, increasing your chance of developing an infection. You’re trying to accomplish the exact opposite.
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: If the pain is persistent or significant, it’s all right to take a break from wearing your hearing aid until your ears feel better. You can use alternative methods of communication with family and friends, like texting, in the meantime.
- Talk to your hearing specialist: Consider coming in to have your hearing aid re-fit if your ear infection goes away but your hearing aid is still not comfortable.
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Keeping your device clean can lessen 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.
You probably 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 difficult 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 fairly common. But you should still seek treatment if you notice symptoms. Contact us if you’re wondering how your hearing aid use will be affected by an ear infection.