Surprisingly, around 20% of all ear infections happen to adults. Most individuals think of ear infections as a childhood illness, something that affects primarily young kids. And it’s true that ear infections are more prevalent in kids, 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 shelter germs that could lead to an ear infection if they aren’t properly cleaned and maintained.
So, you might be wondering: Can I wear hearing aids while I have an ear infection? You can, but it may not be something you want to do. Hearing aids could aggravate the discomfort and inflammation caused by an ear infection. However, there are some steps that those who use hearing aids can take to help avoid and manage 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 loss. The technical answer is no. But in order to get the complete picture we have to look at it in greater detail.
Almost all ear infections are caused by bacteria or a virus that gets into the ear. There are quite a few 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). An infection may be caused by fluid buildup in other instances. And it’s also definitely possible for viruses and bacteria to infect the inner ear via direct transmission.
For individuals who wear hearing aids, this can be a frequent occurrence. Your hearing aid collects this bacteria or virus and then gets inserted directly into your ear. Proper hearing aid cleaning and maintenance is essential for this reason. So the virus or bacteria is really the cause of the infection, not the hearing aid itself. But your device could play a role in transmission.
How ear infections interact with hearing aids
So, how do ear infections and hearing aids interact? To know what to expect, it’s useful to look at the most prevalent symptoms of an ear infection. Here are a few of the most prevalent symptoms of ear infections:
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Temporary loss of hearing in some cases
- Tinnitus (a ringing in the ears)
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- Ear pain
- Inflammation and swelling
- Drainage of fluid from the ear
Not everyone will experience every symptom, of course. Typically, you will have obvious inflammation of the inner ear and ear pain in the infected ear. These symptoms can have an adverse 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). Your hearing aids might cause added discomfort as they aggravate the tender inflamed infected ear.
Also, with a hearing aid that sits 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 as a result of this. This pressure can be even more marked when you’re wearing your hearing aid.
The functionality 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. Which means that wearing hearing aids when you have an ear infection can be a downright miserable time.
Ear infection & hearing aid solutions
So what can you do if your hearing aids are annoying 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. Those steps include the following:
- Practice good ear hygiene: This means regularly cleaning your outer ear and, generally, keeping your ears dry and clean. 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 push earwax and debris further up into your ear canal. This is the opposite of what you’re likely attempting to do.
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Keeping your device clean can decrease the chance of transmitting bacteria or viruses to your ears. Ask us for assistance if you’re not certain how to correctly clean and disinfect your hearing aids.
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: You can take a break from your hearing aids for a while if you have severe or lasting pain. You can use alternative methods of communication with family and friends, like texting, in the meantime.
- 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.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: You should speak with 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 may be.
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 family and friends. Which means that these little devices can often be difficult to give up, even for a short time. However, you will have a faster 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.
Ear infections are fairly common. But you should still seek treatment if you notice symptoms. If you have questions about how ear infections might affect your hearing aid use, give us a call today.
