Surprisingly, around 20% of all ear infections afflict adults. The common notion is that ear infections are something that normally affect kids. And it’s accurate that ear infections are more common in children, but they also occur frequently in adults.
Ear infections can be particularly unpleasant for people who have hearing loss because they can interact with their hearing aids. Additionally, when hearing aids are not properly maintained, they can become a vector for ear infection-causing diseases.
So, you may be wondering: Can I wear hearing aids while I have an ear infection? You can, but it may not be something you want to do. Ear infections can cause considerable swelling and discomfort in the ear, and your hearing aids might worsen those symptoms. But individuals who use hearing aids can take a few steps to manage and possibly prevent ear infections.
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. The technical answer is no. But more nuance is required to understand the whole story.
Almost all ear infections are caused by bacteria or a virus that gets into the ear. There are a wide variety of vectors that can result in infection. In some instances, the inner ear becomes infected after a previous illness (for example, a sinus infection or a cold). In other situations, fluid accumulation may lead to an infection. It’s also completely possible that a virus or bacteria directly infected the inner ear by physical transmission.
This can happen 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 impairments to correctly maintain and clean their devices. So the virus or bacteria is really the cause of the infection, not the hearing aid itself. But your device might play a role in transmission.
How ear infections interact with hearing aids
So, how do ear infections and hearing aids interact? The best way to anticipate what to expect is to examine the most prevalent ear infection symptoms. Here are some of the most prevalent symptoms of ear infections:
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Fluid draining from the ear
- In some instances, temporary hearing loss
- Swelling and inflammation
- Ear pain
- Vertigo or dizziness
Needless to say, everyone will experience the symptoms in their own way. In most circumstances, your infected ear will be painful and there will likely be obvious swelling around the inner ear. These symptoms can have an adverse interaction with hearing aids for individuals with hearing loss. That’s because the hearing aid goes inside the infected ear (at least some of it). Because the ear canal is inflamed and tender, your hearing aids might cause extra discomfort.
Also, with a hearing aid that goes mostly inside the ear canal, fluid drainage can be blocked. Your infection and discomfort may 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 excess moisture. So your ears are in more pain and your hearing aid doesn’t really work as well as it should. This means that you will have a horrible 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 a number of steps you can take to lower your risk of getting ear infections and to manage the discomfort that an ear infection may cause. Here are a few of those steps:
- Talk to your hearing specialist: Consider coming in to have your hearing aid re-fit if your ear infection clears but your hearing aid is still not comfortable.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: If you think that you have an ear infection, speak with your doctor as soon as you can. The sooner you treat the ear infection, the less severe or prolonged your symptoms will be.
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: You can take a break from your hearing aids for a while if you have severe or persistent pain. You can use alternative methods of communication with friends and family, like texting, in the meantime.
- Practice good ear hygiene: It’s important to keep your ears clean and dry and routinely 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 chance of developing an infection. This is the opposite of what you’re likely attempting to accomplish.
- 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 occurs less often.) Ask us for help 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 communicate with family and friends and move about the world more easily. That makes it really hard 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 sooner.
It’s not uncommon for individuals 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.