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Does Hearing Aid Use Increase the Likelihood of Cerumen Impaction?
Vinaya Manchaiah1, Jonathan Arthur2, Huw Williams3
1Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX, USA.; The Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden.; Audiology India, Mysore, Karnataka, India.
Journal of Audiology & Otology
|January 16, 2016
Summary
Hearing aid use does not increase the risk of earwax impaction in adults. This study found no association between wearing hearing aids and the likelihood of cerumen impaction.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Audiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Impacted cerumen is a prevalent issue in adult populations.
- A common belief suggests hearing aid use may exacerbate cerumen impaction, yet empirical evidence is lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the potential association between hearing aid usage and the incidence of cerumen impaction.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective study design involving 164 patients referred to a cerumen clinic.
- Cerumen impaction was categorized by audiologists.
- Chi-square analysis was employed to assess the relationship between hearing aid use and cerumen impaction.
Main Results:
- No statistically significant association was found between hearing aid use and cerumen impaction.
- The study also found no correlation between the affected ear (right/left) and cerumen impaction.
Conclusions:
- Findings contradict the hypothesis that hearing aids lead to increased cerumen impaction.
- Further well-controlled, prospective studies are recommended to validate these results.
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