Surprisingly, about 20% of all ear infections afflict adults. The common idea is that ear infections are something that usually affect children. And it’s true that ear infections are more prevalent in children, but they also happen frequently in adults.
For adults with hearing impairments or hearing loss, ear infections can be especially inconvenient, as they can interact with hearing aids in some uncomfortable ways. Hearing aids can also harbor germs that could lead to an ear infection if they are not properly cleaned and maintained.
So, you may be wondering: Can I use hearing aids while I have an ear infection? Overall, the answer is yes, but you might not want to. Ear infections can cause substantial inflammation and discomfort in the ear, and your hearing aids might worsen those symptoms. But people who use hearing aids can take a few steps to manage 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 loss. The technical 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 a wide variety of vectors that can result in infection. Sometimes, a previous illness, such as a cold or sinus infection, will lead to an infection of the inner ear. In other cases, fluid accumulation may result in 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 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 critical for individuals who have hearing loss to correctly maintain and clean their devices. So the virus or bacteria is actually the cause of the infection, not the hearing aid itself. But your hearing aid does play a part in this transmission.
Interactions 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. Generally speaking, ear infections will have the following symptoms:
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- Pain in the ear
- Tinnitus (a ringing in the ears)
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Discharge of fluid from the ear
- In some instances, temporary hearing loss
- Swelling and inflammation
Not everybody will experience every symptom, of course. Usually, you will have obvious swelling of the inner ear and ear pain in the infected ear. These symptoms can have a negative interaction with hearing aids for those 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.
Additionally, any in-the-canal hearing aid can stop drainage. When fluids cannot drain, your discomfort may become prolonged. This will also increase the pressure (and pain) you feel in your ears. When you are wearing your hearing aid, pressure can be even more unpleasant.
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. This means that you will have a terrible time wearing your hearing aid while you have an ear infection.
Strategies to wearing hearing aids with an ear infection
So what can you do if your hearing aids are bothering you during an ear infection? There are several steps you can take to lower your risk of developing ear infections and to address the discomfort that an ear infection may cause. Those steps include the following:
- 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. With a cotton swabs, your chance of developing an ear infection increases because you could jam earwax and debris further up into your ear canal. You’re attempting 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. During this time off, you can adopt other means of communicating with your loved ones (like texting or writing messages on a piece of paper, and so on).
- Talk to your healthcare provider: You should talk to your doctor sooner than later if you believe you might be developing an ear infection. The sooner you address the ear infection, the less severe or prolonged your symptoms will be.
- 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 decrease the risk of transmitting bacteria or viruses to your ears. Ask us for assistance if you’re not certain how to properly clean and disinfect your hearing aids.
Hearing aids are likely an essential part of your daily life. They help you get around your world more easily and have better communication with your family and friends. 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 infection more quickly and more comfortably. This will help you get back to feeling better quicker.
It’s not uncommon for individuals to get ear infections. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek out treatment or try to prevent them. If you have questions about how ear infections may impact your hearing aid use, give us a call today.