Should You Wear Hearing Aids When You Have an Ear Infection?

It may be a surprise to many that approximately 20% of all ear infections occur in adults. The common notion is that ear infections are something that usually affect kids. And it’s true that ear infections are more common in children, 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 uncomfortable ways. Hearing aids can also shelter germs that could lead to an ear infection if they are not correctly cleaned and maintained.

So is it a bad idea to use hearing aids with 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. However, there are some steps that people who use hearing aids can take to help prevent and manage ear infection symptoms.

Do hearing aids cause ear infections?

If you’re an adult with hearing impairment and you begin to notice the symptoms of an ear infection, you might begin to wonder: did my hearing aids cause my ear infection? Technically, the answer is no. But in order to get the complete picture we need to look at it in greater detail.

Nearly all ear infections are caused by bacteria or a virus that gets into the ear. There are a wide range of vectors that can lead to infection. Often, an earlier illness, such as a cold or sinus infection, will result in an infection of the inner ear. An infection might be caused by fluid accumulation in other instances. And it’s also certainly possible for viruses and bacteria to infect the inner ear via simple transmission.

For people who use hearing aids, this can be a regular occurrence. Your hearing aid collects this bacteria or virus and then gets inserted directly into your ear. That’s why it is critical for individuals 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.

How ear infections interact with hearing aids

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. In general, ear infections will have the following symptoms:

• Tinnitus (a ringing in the ears)
• Inflammation and swelling
• Vertigo or dizziness
• Discharge of fluid from the ear
• Temporary loss of hearing in some situations
• A feeling of fullness or pressure in the ears
• Ear pain

Obviously, everyone will experience the symptoms in their own way. In the majority of circumstances, your infected ear will hurt and there will likely be obvious inflammation around the inner ear. These symptoms can have a negative interaction with hearing aids for those with hearing loss. That’s because your hearing aid will most likely (at least in part) reside within the ear canal. Because the ear canal is inflamed and tender, your hearing aids could cause extra discomfort.

Also, with a hearing aid that goes 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 because of this. When you are wearing your hearing aid, pressure can be even more unpleasant.

This increased moisture can also impede the operation of your hearing aid. So your ears are in more pain and your hearing aid isn’t really working as well as it should. Which means that wearing hearing aids when you have an ear infection can be a downright miserable time.

Strategies 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? There are a number of steps you can take to reduce your risk of getting ear infections and to address the discomfort that an ear infection might cause. Here are a few of those steps:

• Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: You can take a break from your hearing aids for a while if you have significant or lasting pain. During this interim period, you can pursue other ways of communicating with your loved ones (like texting or writing messages on a piece of paper, and so on).
• Talk to your healthcare provider: You should speak with your doctor sooner than later if you believe you might be developing an ear infection. Treating a hearing aid as soon as possible will decrease the chance of it becoming severe or prolonged.
• Talk to your hearing specialist: If your ears start 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 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.
• Practice good ear hygiene: This means routinely cleaning your outer ear and, generally, keeping your ears clean and dry. 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 exact opposite of what you’re likely trying to do.

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 friends and family. That makes it very 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. This will help you get back to feeling better quicker.

Ear infections are fairly common. But you should still seek treatment if you detect symptoms. Contact us if you’re wondering how your hearing aid use will be affected by an ear infection.