Surprisingly, about 20% of all ear infections happen to adults. Most people think of ear infections as a childhood sickness, something that affects mainly young kids. Ear infections are definitely more prevalent in kids but adults do get them too.
Ear infections can be particularly unpleasant for individuals who have hearing loss because they can interfere with their hearing aids. Hearing aids can also harbor germs that could result in 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? Overall, the answer is yes, but you might not want to. Hearing aids could aggravate the discomfort and inflammation caused by an ear infection. But individuals 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. Technically, the answer is no. But in order to get the full picture we have to look at it in greater detail.
The vast majority of all ear infections are due to 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, like a cold or sinus infection, will lead to an infection of the inner ear. An infection may be caused by fluid accumulation in other situations. And it’s also definitely 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. The virus or bacteria hitches a ride on your hearing device and, upon insertion, gains access to the inner ear. That’s why it is critical for people with 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 device might play a role in 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 prevalent ear infection symptoms. In general, ear infections will have the following symptoms:
- Tinnitus (a ringing in the ears)
- Drainage of fluid from the ear
- In some instances, temporary hearing loss
- Ear pain
- A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
- Swelling and inflammation
- Vertigo or dizziness
Needless to say, everyone will experience the symptoms in their own way. Usually, you will have noticeable inflammation of the inner ear and ear pain in the infected ear. These symptoms can have a negative interaction with hearing aids for individuals with hearing loss. That’s because the hearing aid is inside the infected ear (at least some of it). Your hearing aids could cause added soreness as they aggravate the tender inflamed infected ear.
Also, with a hearing aid that sits mostly inside the ear canal, fluid drainage can be obstructed. When fluids cannot 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 pronounced when you’re wearing your hearing aid.
This increased moisture can also impair the function of your hearing aid. 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.
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 manage any discomfort that an ear infection might cause by taking a few steps. Those steps include the following:
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Keeping your device clean can lessen the chance of transmitting bacteria or viruses to your ears. If you don’t know how to clean and sanitize hearing aids, talk to us for some instruction.
- Practice good ear hygiene: This means regularly cleaning your outer ear and, generally, keeping your ears dry and clean. Don’t try to stick any object in your ear, however, including cotton swabs. Using cotton swabs can drive earwax and other debris further into your ear, increasing your chance of developing an infection. You’re attempting to accomplish the exact opposite.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: If you suspect that you have an ear infection, speak with your doctor as soon as you can. The sooner you treat 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 clears but your hearing aid is still not comfortable.
- 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 lasting pain. You can use alternative methods of communication with friends and family, like texting, in the meantime.
You probably depend heavily on your hearing aid every day. They help you navigate your world more easily and have better communication with your friends and family. That makes it really difficult to give up your hearing aid even for short periods. However, you will have a faster recovery from your ear infection if you take a break from wearing them until you heal up. That means you can get back to enjoying what you hear faster.
Ear infections are fairly common. But you should still get treatment if you notice symptoms. Contact us if you’re wondering how your hearing aid use will be impacted by an ear infection.