It may be a surprise to many that approximately 20% of all ear infections occur in adults. Most people think of ear infections as a childhood sickness, something that affects primarily young kids. And it’s accurate that ear infections are more prevalent in children, 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 harbor germs that could result in an ear infection if they aren’t properly cleaned and maintained.

So, you might be wondering: Can I use hearing aids while I have an ear infection? You can, but it may not be something you want to do. Ear infections can cause significant swelling and discomfort in the ear, and your hearing aids might worsen those symptoms. However, there are some steps that those 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 loss and you begin to notice the symptoms of an ear infection, you may begin to wonder: did my hearing aids cause my ear infection? The technical answer is no. But more nuance is needed to understand the complete story.

Almost all ear infections are caused by bacteria or a virus that gets into the ear. There are a wide range of vectors that can result in infection. Often, a previous illness, like a cold or sinus infection, will lead to an infection of the inner ear. An infection might be caused by fluid accumulation in other situations. It’s also completely possible that a virus or bacteria directly infected the inner ear by physical transmission.

This can occur with some frequency to people who wear hearing aids. The virus or bacteria hitches a ride on your hearing aid and, upon insertion, gains access to the inner ear. That’s why it is crucial for those with hearing loss to properly maintain and clean their devices. So the virus or bacteria is actually the cause of the infection, not the hearing aid itself. But your hearing aid does play a part in this transmission.

How ear infections interact with hearing aids

So, how do ear infections and hearing aids interact? To understand 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:

In some instances, temporary hearing loss
Ringing in the ears (tinnitus)
Ear pressure or a feeling of fullness
Swelling and inflammation
Pain in the ear
Dizziness or vertigo
Drainage of fluid from the ear

Not everyone will experience every symptom, of course. Typically, you will have obvious swelling 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 your hearing aid will likely (at least in part) reside within the ear canal. Your hearing aids may cause added discomfort as they irritate the tender inflamed infected ear.

Also, with a hearing aid that goes mostly 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 uncomfortable.

This increased moisture can also impede 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 horrible 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 during an ear infection? You can lower 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:

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.
Regularly clean your hearing aids: Making sure your devices are clean can help to ensure they aren’t transferring bacteria and viruses to your ears (or, at least, that it occurs less often.) Ask us for assistance if you’re not certain how to properly clean and sanitize your hearing aids.
Take breaks from wearing your hearing aids: You can take a break from your hearing aids for a while if you have severe 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).
Talk to your healthcare provider: If you suspect that you have an ear infection, talk to your doctor as soon as you can. The sooner you treat the ear infection, the less severe or prolonged your symptoms may be.
Practice good ear hygiene: This means routinely cleaning your outer ear and, generally, keeping your ears dry and clean. However, you should never stick any object inside of your ear and that includes cotton swabs. With a cotton swabs, your risk of developing an ear infection increases because you could jam earwax and debris further up into your ear canal. You’re attempting to accomplish the exact opposite.

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, 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 quicker.

It’s not unusual for people to get ear infections. But you should still seek treatment if you detect symptoms. If you have questions about how ear infections might impact your hearing aid use, give us a call today.