If you have recently had a hearing test completed and have learned that you need a hearing aid, then you may be more than ready to start wearing a hearing assistance device. If this is true, then you may understand that you need to have a fitting completed and also an adjustment to make sure you are hearing correctly. Once you start getting used to your hearing aid, you may notice some sensations in the ear. Itching is one thing you may start to feel. Keep reading to learn why and also how you can address the problem.
Why Do The Ears Itch?
Your ears are likely to itch when you wear hearing aids for a variety of reasons. If you have recently received your hearing aid, then it may be a case of the aid coming into contact with the small hairs that line the inner ear canals. As these hairs are touched or when they vibrate, you feel an itching sensation.
Itching may also be due to the compaction of the ear wax in the ear canal. If you experience ear ringing, a watery discharge from the ears, a feeling of ear fullness, pain, and a slight odor from the ears, then these are all signs that ear wax compaction is an issue.
Itching can also be caused by moisture and bacteria that build up on the shell of the hearing aid. As bacterial activity continues within the ear, the itching sensation will worsen and inflammation may develop as well.
If you use cotton swabs to alleviate the itching issue, then this may actually be causing more harm than good. The swabs can scratch the delicate tissues inside the ear and cause small rips and tears. The itching sensation will not only continue but worsen when this happens.
How To Combat The Issue?
If your hearing aids are causing itching sensations, then you can stop the annoying sensation. If your hearing aids are new, then the sensation may stop after several days once the ear hairs get used to the hearing aid.
If you have developed some symptoms of ear wax compaction, then speak with your general physician about removing the wax with the assistance of suction tools and curettes.
If you think the issue may be related to moisture and bacteria due to the poor cleaning of the aid itself, then you should start cleaning the outside shell before sticking it in your ear. Clean the shell every time you replace the aid to make sure it is both dry and free of bacteria. You can complete the cleaning with the help of antibacterial wipes. However, you do not want to use the same type of wipes that you wipe down your counters with. Purchase ones made especially for hearing aids. After using the moist wipe, use a clean cotton cloth to wipe the aid to dry it.
Contact a hearing clinic, such as Jacobs Clinical Diagnostics, to get more information about the side affects of hearing aids and how you can best deal with them.
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