Surprisingly, around 20% of all ear infections happen to adults. Most people think of ear infections as a childhood sickness, something that impacts mainly young kids. And it’s true that ear infections are more common in kids, but they also happen 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 uncomfortable ways. Hearing aids can also shelter germs that could lead to an ear infection if they are not correctly cleaned and maintained.
So, you might be wondering: Can I wear hearing aids while I have an ear infection? You can, but it might not be something you want to do. 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 treat and possibly prevent ear infections.
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. Technically, the answer is no. But in order to get the complete picture we have to view 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 number of paths that bacteria and viruses can take on their way to becoming an infection. In some instances, the inner ear becomes infected after an earlier illness (for example, a sinus infection or a cold). An infection might be caused by fluid accumulation in other instances. It’s also completely feasible that a virus or bacteria directly infected the inner ear by physical transmission.
For people who wear hearing aids, this can be a regular occurrence. Your hearing aid collects this bacteria or virus and then gets inserted directly into your ear. Correct hearing aid cleaning and maintenance is essential for this reason. So the virus or bacteria is actually the cause of the infection, not the hearing aid itself. But your device may play a role in transmission.
Contact between hearing aids and ear infections
So, how do ear infections and hearing aids interact? To know what to expect, it’s helpful to look at the most common symptoms of an ear infection. Here are some of the most common symptoms of ear infections:
- Fluid draining from the ear
- Ear pain
- In some situations, temporary hearing loss
- Dizziness or vertigo
- Ear pressure or a feeling of fullness
- Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
- Inflammation and swelling
Not everybody will experience every symptom, of course. Typically, 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). Because the ear canal is irritated and tender, your hearing aids may cause extra discomfort.
Also, with a hearing aid that goes primarily inside the ear canal, fluid drainage can be blocked. Your infection and discomfort may last longer if fluid is trapped in your ear. 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 excess moisture. So your hearing aids aren’t working 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
So what can you do if your hearing aids are bothering you while you have an ear infection? You can reduce your risk of getting an ear infection and address any discomfort that an ear infection may cause by taking a few steps. Those steps include the following:
- Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: You can take a break from your hearing aids for a few days if you have significant or lasting pain. During this interim period, you can adopt other ways 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 important to keep your ears dry and clean and regularly clean your outer ear. However, you should never stick any object inside of your ear and that includes cotton swabs. With a cotton swabs, your chance of developing an ear infection increases because you could jam earwax and debris further up into your ear canal. This is the exact opposite of what you’re likely trying to do.
- Talk to your healthcare provider: You should talk to your doctor sooner than later if you suspect you may be developing an ear infection. Treating a hearing aid as soon as possible will decrease the risk of it becoming severe or prolonged.
- Talk to your hearing specialist: If your ears begin to feel better, but the discomfort from your hearing aids doesn’t go away, think about talking to us to see if you can get a better fit on your devices.
- Regularly clean your hearing aids: Keeping your device clean can decrease the risk of transmitting bacteria or viruses to your ears. Ask us for assistance if you’re not sure how to properly clean and disinfect your hearing aids.
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 very hard 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 sickness more quickly and more comfortably. That means you can get back to enjoying what you hear faster.
It’s not uncommon for individuals to get ear infections. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek out treatment or try to prevent them. If you have questions about how ear infections might affect your hearing aid use, give us a call today.