It may be a surprise to many people that roughly 20% of all ear infections happen to adults. The common idea is that ear infections are something that usually affect children. And it’s accurate that ear infections are more common 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 unpleasant ways. Hearing aids can also shelter germs that could result in an ear infection if they aren’t properly 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 considerable 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 treat and possibly prevent ear infections.
Do hearing aids cause ear infections?
If you’re an adult with hearing loss and you start to notice the symptoms of an ear infection, you might begin to wonder: did my hearing aids cause this ear infection? Technically, the answer is no. But more nuance is required 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 number of paths that bacteria and viruses can take on their way to becoming an 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 buildup may result in an infection. And it’s also certainly possible for viruses and bacteria to infect the inner ear via direct transmission.
For individuals who use hearing aids, this can be a frequent occurrence. The virus or bacteria latches onto your hearing device and, when inserted, gains access to the inner ear. Proper hearing aid cleaning and maintenance is essential for this reason. 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.
How ear infections interact with hearing aids
So what is the degree of interaction between hearing aids and ear infections? To understand what to expect, it’s useful to look at the most prevalent symptoms of an ear infection. Here are several of the most common symptoms of ear infections:
- Temporary loss of hearing in some cases
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Drainage of fluid from the ear
- Ear pain
- Swelling and inflammation
- Tinnitus (a ringing in the ears)
- Ear pressure or a feeling of fullness
Not everyone will suffer from every symptom, of course. In most circumstances, your infected ear will hurt and there will likely be noticeable swelling around the inner ear. For individuals 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 blocked. When fluids cannot drain, your discomfort may become prolonged. The pain and pressure in your ears will be increased because of this. When you are wearing your hearing aid, pressure can be even more uncomfortable.
This added moisture can also impede the operation of your hearing aid. 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.
Ear infection & hearing aid strategies
So what can you do if your hearing aids are bothering you while you have an ear infection? You can reduce your risk of getting 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:
- Practice good ear hygiene: It’s important to keep your ears dry and clean and routinely clean your outer ear. Do not try to stick any object in your ear, however, including cotton swabs. Using cotton swabs can push earwax and other debris further into your ear, increasing your chance of developing an infection. This is the opposite of what you’re likely trying to do.
- 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 happens less often.) If you don’t know how to clean and sanitize hearing aids, talk to us for a quick tutorial.
- Talk to your hearing specialist: If your ears start to feel better, but the discomfort from your hearing aids doesn’t go away, consider talking to us to see if you can get a better fit on your devices.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: If you suspect that you have an ear infection, talk to your doctor as soon as possible. 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 few days if you have severe or persistent pain. You can use alternative methods of communication with friends and family, like texting, in the meantime.
Hearing aids are likely an essential part of your daily 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.
Ear infections are fairly 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.