Surprisingly, around 20% of all ear infections happen to adults. Most people think of ear infections as a childhood sickness, something that impacts mainly young kids. Ear infections are definitely more common in kids but adults do get them too.
Ear infections can be especially uncomfortable for people who have 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 is it a bad idea to use hearing aids with an ear infection? Overall, the answer is yes, but you may not want to. Hearing aids could intensify the discomfort and inflammation caused by an ear infection. However, there are some steps that those who use hearing aids can take to help prevent and treat ear infection symptoms.
Can an ear infection be caused by hearing aids?
You might 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 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 range of vectors that can lead to infection. In some circumstances, the inner ear becomes infected after a past illness (for instance, a sinus infection or a cold). In other cases, fluid buildup may lead to an infection. It’s also completely feasible that a virus or bacteria directly infected the inner ear by physical transmission.
This can occur with some frequency to people who wear hearing aids. The virus or bacteria latches onto your hearing device and, when inserted, gets access to the inner ear. That’s why it is crucial for those who have hearing loss to properly maintain and clean their devices. In other words, the hearing aid itself does not cause the ear infection, the virus or bacteria does. But your device could play a role in transmission.
Contact between hearing aids and ear infections
So, how do ear infections and hearing aids interact? To understand what to expect, it’s useful to look at the most prevalent symptoms of an ear infection. Here are some of the most prevalent symptoms of ear infections:
- In some cases, temporary hearing loss
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Pain in the ear
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Ear pressure or a feeling of fullness
- Fluid draining from the ear
- Swelling and inflammation
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. These symptoms can have an adverse interaction with hearing aids for people with hearing loss. That’s because the hearing aid is inside the infected ear (at least some of it). Your hearing aids might 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 might last longer if fluid is stuck in your ear. This will also increase the pressure (and pain) you feel in your ears. This pressure can be even more pronounced when you’re wearing your hearing aid.
This added moisture can also impede the function of your hearing aid. So your ears are in more pain and your hearing aid isn’t really working as well as it should. Which means that wearing hearing aids when you have an ear infection can be a downright miserable time.
Strategies to wearing hearing aids with an ear infection
So what can you do if your hearing aids are bothering you while you have an ear infection? You can lower your risk of developing an ear infection and address any discomfort that an ear infection may cause by taking a few steps. Here are a few of those steps:
- Talk to your hearing specialist: Think about coming in to have your hearing aid re-fit if your ear infection clears but your hearing aid is still uncomfortable.
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Keeping your device clean can decrease the chance 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.
- Practice good ear hygiene: It’s essential 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 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: You can take a break from your hearing aids for a while if you have significant or persistent pain. You can use alternative methods of communication with family and friends, like texting, in the meantime.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: If you think 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.
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 can often be hard to give up, even for a short time. However, taking a break from your hearing aids while you have an ear infection can help you recuperate from your infection more quickly and more comfortably. This will help you get back to feeling better sooner.
Ear infections are relatively common. 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 affected by an ear infection.
