It may be a surprise to many that roughly 20% of all ear infections occur in adults. Most people think of ear infections as a childhood ailment, something that impacts mainly young kids. And it’s true that ear infections are more prevalent in children, but they also happen frequently in adults.
Ear infections can be especially unpleasant for people with hearing loss because they can interact with their hearing aids. Hearing aids can also harbor germs that could lead to an ear infection if they are not correctly cleaned and maintained.
So is it a bad plan to use hearing aids with an ear infection? You can, but it may not be something you want to do. Ear infections can cause significant inflammation 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 treat and possibly prevent ear infections.
Do hearing aids cause ear infections?
You might 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 in order to get the full 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 a number of paths that bacteria and viruses can take on their way to becoming an infection. In some circumstances, the inner ear becomes infected after a previous illness (for example, a sinus infection or a cold). In other situations, fluid accumulation might lead to an infection. And it’s also certainly possible for viruses and bacteria to infect the inner ear through simple transmission.
This can occur with some frequency to individuals who use hearing aids. The virus or bacteria latches onto your hearing aid and, upon insertion, gets access to the inner ear. That’s why it is crucial for people with hearing impairments to properly maintain and clean their devices. So the virus or bacteria is actually the cause of the infection, not the hearing aid itself. But your device may play a role in transmission.
Contact between hearing aids and ear infections
So, how do ear infections and hearing aids interact? The best way to anticipate what to expect is to look at the most prevalent ear infection symptoms. Here are some of the most prevalent symptoms of ear infections:
- Discharge of fluid from the ear
- Inflammation and swelling
- Pain in the ear
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- In some instances, temporary hearing loss
- Ear pressure or a feeling of fullness
Not everybody will suffer from every symptom, of course. In most circumstances, your infected ear will hurt and there will most 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 your hearing aid will likely (at least in part) reside within the ear canal. Your hearing aids may cause added soreness as they aggravate the tender inflamed infected ear.
Also, with a hearing aid that goes mostly inside the ear canal, fluid drainage can be blocked. When fluids can’t drain, your discomfort might become prolonged. The pain and pressure in your ears will be increased because of this. This pressure can be even more marked when you’re wearing your hearing aid.
This increased moisture can also impede the function of your hearing aid. So your hearing aids aren’t working at peak performance and your ears are in pain. This means that you will have a horrible time wearing your hearing aid while you have an ear infection.
Ear infection & hearing aid solutions
You might now be thinking: my hearing aids annoy me when I have an ear infection… but what can I do? You can lower your risk of developing an ear infection and manage any discomfort that an ear infection might cause by taking a few steps. Those steps include the following:
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: You can take a break from your hearing aids for a few days if you have severe or lasting pain. You can use alternative methods of communication with family and friends, like texting, in the meantime.
- 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 frequently.) If you don’t know how to clean and sanitize hearing aids, talk to us for some instruction.
- Talk to your hearing specialist: If your ears begin to feel better, but the discomfort from your hearing aids doesn’t go away, think about talking to us to see if you can get a better fit on your devices.
- 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.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: If you suspect that you have an ear infection, speak with your doctor as soon as you can. Treating a hearing aid as soon as possible will decrease the risk of it becoming severe or prolonged.
Hearing aids are likely an essential part of your everyday life. They help you communicate with loved ones and move around the world more easily. That makes it very 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 illness more quickly and more comfortably. That means you can get back to enjoying what you hear faster.
It’s not uncommon for people to get ear infections. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t get treatment or try to prevent them. If you have questions about how ear infections may affect your hearing aid use, give us a call today.
