It might be a surprise to many that roughly 20% of all ear infections occur in adults. The common idea is that ear infections are something that usually impact children. And it’s true 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 especially inconvenient, as they can interact with hearing aids in some unpleasant ways. Additionally, when hearing aids aren’t correctly maintained, they can become a vehicle for ear infection-causing diseases.
So, you might be wondering: Can I use hearing aids while I have an ear infection? You can, but it might not be something you want to do. Hearing aids could intensify the discomfort and swelling caused by an ear infection. But people who use hearing aids can take a few steps to treat and possibly prevent ear infections.
Can an ear infection be caused by hearing aids?
You might be questioning if your hearing aid is the cause of your ear infection if you’re an adult with hearing impairment. Technically, the answer is no. But in order to get the complete picture we need to look at 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 variety of vectors that can lead to infection. In some circumstances, the inner ear becomes infected after an earlier illness (for example, a sinus infection or a cold). In other situations, fluid accumulation might result in an infection. It’s also completely feasible that a virus or bacteria directly infected the inner ear by physical transmission.
For people who use hearing aids, this can be a regular occurrence. The virus or bacteria latches onto your hearing aid and, upon insertion, gains access to the inner ear. That’s why it is crucial for people who have hearing loss to properly maintain and clean their devices. In other words, the hearing aid itself doesn’t cause the ear infection, the virus or bacteria does. But your hearing aid is involved in this transmission.
How ear infections interact with hearing aids
So what is the degree of interaction between hearing aids and ear infections? The best way to anticipate what to expect is to examine the most prevalent ear infection symptoms. Here are some of the most common symptoms of ear infections:
- Ear pressure or a feeling of fullness
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Temporary loss of hearing in some situations
- Vertigo or dizziness
- Ear pain
- Inflammation and swelling
- Discharge of fluid from the ear
Not everybody will suffer from every symptom, of course. In the majority of cases, your infected ear will be painful and there will likely be obvious swelling around the inner ear. These symptoms can have a negative interaction with hearing aids for people with hearing loss. That’s because your hearing aid will most likely (at least in part) sit within the ear canal. Your hearing aids might cause added discomfort as they aggravate the tender inflamed infected ear.
Additionally, any in-the-canal hearing aid can prevent drainage. When fluids cannot drain, your discomfort might become prolonged. This will also increase the pressure (and pain) you feel in your ears. This pressure can be even more marked when you’re wearing your hearing aid.
This increased moisture can also impede the function of your hearing aid. So your ears are in more pain and your hearing aid doesn’t really work as well as it should. This means that you will have a horrible time wearing your hearing aid while you have an ear infection.
Strategies 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? You can lower your risk of developing an ear infection and manage any discomfort that an ear infection may cause by taking a few steps. Here are a few of those steps:
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: If the pain is persistent or severe, it’s okay to take a break from wearing your hearing aid until your ears are feeling better. During this interim period, you can pursue other means of communicating with your loved ones (such as texting or writing messages on a piece of paper, and so on).
- Practice good ear hygiene: It’s essential to keep your ears dry and clean and regularly clean your outer ear. However, you should never stick any object in your ear and that includes cotton swabs. Using cotton swabs can drive earwax and other debris further into your ear, increasing your risk of developing an infection. This is the exact opposite of what you’re likely attempting to do.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: If you suspect that you have an ear infection, speak with your doctor as soon as possible. The sooner you address the ear infection, the less severe or prolonged your symptoms will be.
- Talk to your hearing specialist: Think about coming in to have your hearing aid re-fit if your ear infection clears but your hearing aid is still not comfortable.
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Keeping your device clean can reduce the chance of transferring bacteria or viruses to your ears. If you don’t know how to clean and disinfect hearing aids, talk to us for a quick tutorial.
You most likely depend heavily on your hearing aid every day. They help you communicate with family and friends and move around the world more easily. That makes it really 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 recuperate from your infection more quickly and more comfortably. That means you can get back to enjoying what you hear faster.
Ear infections are relatively 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 impacted by an ear infection.
