It might be a surprise to many people that approximately 20% of all ear infections happen to adults. Most people think of ear infections as a childhood sickness, something that affects mainly young kids. And it’s accurate that ear infections are more prevalent in kids, but they also happen 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 harbor germs that could result in an ear infection if they aren’t properly cleaned and maintained.
So is it a bad idea to use hearing aids with an ear infection? You can, but it may not be something you want to do. Hearing aids could intensify the discomfort and swelling caused by an ear infection. But individuals who use hearing aids can take a few steps to treat and possibly prevent ear infections.
Do hearing aids cause ear infections?
You might be questioning if your hearing aid is the cause of your ear infection if you’re an adult with hearing impairment. The technical answer is no. But in order to get the full picture we need to view it in greater detail.
The vast majority of all ear infections are a result of viruses or bacteria that then infect the inner ear. There are a wide range of vectors that can result in infection. Sometimes, an earlier illness, such as a cold or sinus infection, will lead to an infection of the inner ear. An infection may be caused by fluid accumulation in other instances. And it’s also certainly possible for viruses and bacteria to infect the inner ear via direct transmission.
For individuals who wear hearing aids, this can be a regular occurrence. Your hearing aid accumulates this bacteria or virus and then gets inserted directly into your ear. That’s why it is crucial for those who have hearing impairments to correctly maintain and clean their devices. Essentially, the hearing aid itself doesn’t cause the ear infection, the virus or bacteria does. But your device might play a role in transmission.
How ear infections interact with hearing aids
So what is the level of interaction between hearing aids and ear infections? The best way to anticipate what to expect is to examine the most common ear infection symptoms. In general, ear infections will have the following symptoms:
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Ear pressure or a feeling of fullness
- Inflammation and swelling
- Temporary loss of hearing in some situations
- Fluid draining from the ear
- Tinnitus (a ringing in the ears)
- Ear pain
Needless to say, everybody will experience the symptoms in their own way. Typically, you will have obvious inflammation 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 is inside the infected ear (at least some of it). Because the ear canal is irritated and tender, your hearing aids might cause extra discomfort.
Also, with a hearing aid that sits primarily inside the ear canal, fluid drainage can be obstructed. When fluids can’t drain, your discomfort may 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 functioning 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.
Solutions to wearing hearing aids with an ear infection
You might now be thinking: my hearing aids annoy me when I have an ear infection… but what can I do? There are several steps you can take to reduce your risk of developing ear infections and to address the discomfort that an ear infection might cause. Here are a few of those steps:
- 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.
- Practice good ear hygiene: This means routinely cleaning your outer ear and, generally, keeping your ears clean and dry. Do not try to stick any object in your ear, however, including 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. You’re trying to accomplish the exact opposite.
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: If the pain is prolonged or significant, it’s all right to take a break from wearing your hearing aid until your ears feel better. During this time off, you can adopt other means of communicating with your loved ones (such as texting or writing messages on a piece of paper, and so on).
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Keeping your device clean can lessen the chance of transferring bacteria or viruses to your ears. If you don’t know how to clean and sanitize hearing aids, talk to us for a quick tutorial.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: If you suspect 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 chance of it becoming severe or prolonged.
Hearing aids are most likely an essential part of your everyday life. They help you navigate 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, 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 sooner.
It’s not uncommon for people to get ear infections. But you should still get treatment if you notice symptoms. If you have questions about how ear infections may affect your hearing aid use, give us a call today.