It might 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 kids. And it’s true that ear infections are more prevalent in children, but they also occur frequently in adults.
Ear infections can be especially uncomfortable for individuals with hearing loss because they can interfere with their hearing aids. Hearing aids can also shelter germs that could lead to an ear infection if they are not properly cleaned and maintained.
So is it a bad plan to use hearing aids with an ear infection? You can, but it might not be something you want to do. Ear infections can cause significant swelling and discomfort in the ear, and your hearing aids might exacerbate those symptoms. However, there are some steps that those who use hearing aids can take to help prevent and manage ear infection symptoms.
Can an ear infection be caused by hearing aids?
If you’re an adult with hearing impairment 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 in order to get the complete 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 wide range of vectors that can result in infection. Often, a previous illness, such as a cold or sinus infection, will lead to an infection of the inner ear. An infection might be caused by fluid accumulation in other situations. And it’s also certainly possible for viruses and bacteria to infect the inner ear via simple transmission.
This can occur with some frequency to individuals who wear hearing aids. Your hearing aid accumulates this bacteria or virus and then gets inserted directly into your ear. Proper hearing aid cleaning and maintenance is essential for this reason. Essentially, the hearing aid itself doesn’t cause the ear infection, the virus or bacteria does. But your hearing aid does play a part in this 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 examine the most common ear infection symptoms. Here are several of the most prevalent symptoms of ear infections:
- In some cases, temporary hearing loss
- Fluid draining from the ear
- Tinnitus (a ringing in the ears)
- Inflammation and swelling
- Vertigo or dizziness
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- Ear pain
Obviously, everyone will experience the symptoms in their own way. In most cases, your infected ear will hurt and there will most 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 most likely (at least partially) sit within the ear canal. Because the ear canal is irritated and tender, your hearing aids might cause extra discomfort.
Also, with a hearing aid that goes primarily inside the ear canal, fluid drainage can be blocked. Your infection and discomfort might last longer if fluid is trapped in your ear. 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 functionality of your hearing aid can also be impacted by the excess moisture. 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 an absolutely miserable time.
Solutions to wearing hearing aids with an ear infection
So what can you do if your hearing aids are annoying you while you have an ear infection? There are several steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing ear infections and to manage the discomfort that an ear infection might cause. Here are a few of those steps:
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: If the pain is persistent or significant, it’s okay to take a break from wearing your hearing aid until your ears feel better. During this interim period, you can pursue other means of communicating with your loved ones (like texting or writing messages on a piece of paper, and so on).
- Practice good ear hygiene: It’s essential to keep your ears clean and dry and regularly clean your outer ear. Don’t try to stick anything in your ear, however, including cotton swabs. With a cotton swabs, your risk 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.
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Making sure your devices are clean can help to ensure they aren’t transferring bacteria and viruses to your ears (or, at least, that it happens less frequently.) If you don’t know how to clean and sanitize hearing aids, talk to us for some instruction.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: If you think 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 may 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 uncomfortable.
You most likely depend heavily on your hearing aid every day. They help you get around your world more easily and have better communication with your friends and family. Which means that these little devices will usually be difficult to give up, even for a short time. However, you will have a speedier recovery from your ear infection if you take a break from wearing them until you heal up. This will help you get back to feeling better quicker.
It’s not unusual 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.