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Bryce Altus, Audiologist
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Nov 25, 2024
Your hearing aids can provide a wealth of positives to your hearing health and overall health, including improving your balance, sharpening your cognitive abilities, and even helping you live longer.
However, without proper care, your hearing aids can increase your risk of ear infections; this is due to increased moisture or earwax being blocked inside your ear canal.
This is easily remedied with consistent hearing aid cleaning to avoid moisture or wax building up. If you have reason to believe that your hearing aid is malfunctioning due to too much moisture or would like to get it checked out, we’re happy to help with our hearing aid repair center on-site in Ventura.
While hearing aids and ear infections don’t go hand in hand, it’s important to note that with proper hearing aid care, you will mitigate the risk of developing any sort of ear infection from moisture or wax on your hearing aid irritating your ears.
There are three main kinds of ear infections to watch out for:
This type of ear infection, also known as “swimmer’s ear,” is usually caused by bacteria growing in the ear canal due to trapped moisture. If your hearing aid is trapping moisture inside your ear, this is the kind of infection you’ll most likely be dealing with.
Symptoms of an outer ear infection include reduced hearing, discharge from your ear, a red or swollen ear canal, pain or itching, and a feeling of fullness or feeling “plugged up.”
Middle ear infections are typically caused by viruses or bacteria that enter the middle ear, most often due to respiratory infection complications. The Eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the throat, can become blocked and trap fluid where bacteria can thrive.
Symptoms of a middle ear infection include a fever, fatigue, sudden hearing loss, feeling nauseous, and earaches. Children are often susceptible to middle ear infections; if your child is refusing food, rubbing or pulling at their ear, or not reacting to sounds, visit their doctor as soon as possible.
Feeling unsteady on your feet? An inner ear infection will affect your balance and hearing. These kinds of infections are often caused by viral infections like the common cold and can lead to hearing loss, dizziness, and balance issues.
Symptoms of an inner ear infection include vertigo, hearing challenges, ringing in your ears, balance problems, a feeling of fullness in your ear or earaches, headaches, and fluid drainage.
Give Your Hearing Aids Some TLC!
Hearing aids do not guarantee an ear infection, but with proper cleaning and caring for your devices, you can avoid the risk entirely.
If you’d like to get your hearing aids professionally cleaned or have concerns that moisture is causing a malfunction, please feel free to request a callback, and we’ll get in touch with you as soon as we can to help.
Don’t want to wait? Find your closest clinic and call us in:
Ojai: (805) 633-9063
Ventura: (805) 653-7333
