Ear infection symptoms and treatment
Having an ear infection doesn’t take long to manifest itself. The infection itself can be caused by a virus or bacteria that affects the respiratory system, or as part of a sinus infection, or head cold. If there is ever any fluid (or water) in the ears that is not able to properly drain - due to the amount or presence of excess ear wax - that fluid will allow bacteria to grow and cause infection. Once you have an infection, you will be able to tell within hours.
Symptoms include:
- vertigo, inability to balance when standing
- fevers of 101 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
- headaches and pain in the affected ear(s)
- runny nose or cough
- discharge from ear(s)
- vomiting
At the onset of an ear infection, nasal congestion and pain in the ear(s) or head might be your only symptoms. And since your ears control the equilibrium in your body, you’ll soon develop dizziness upon sitting, standing, or walking. Additionally, the ear(s) might feel sensitive to sound or touch, feel plugged up, or feel wet. If still left untreated, fevers of 101 degrees Fahrenheit will result continuously until either the ear drum(s) burst or you are in excruciating pain. This can be anywhere from overnight to two days after developing infection. Vomiting is also not uncommon, as a result to all of the above symptoms described.
Ear infections in babies and young children are understandably harder to diagnose because they are unable to tell you how they’re feeling. And when they develop such infections, it can be due to having smaller or narrower ear canals that do not have the ability to drain fluid on their own. That is why many pediatricians refer the young to ENTs after multiple ear infections, where ear tubes might be necessary to help restore hearing and prevent (if possible) further ear infections. So watch for your child to tug at the ear(s), be generally fussy/cranky, and have nasal discharge. Once a fever sets in, you’ll know without a doubt that an infection is the culprit.
When you seek medical attention, the doctor will use an otoscope to examine the ears. If infection is found, oral antibiotics will be prescribed. If the ear(s) remains infected longer than 1-2 weeks, further evaluations or more stronger medication may be necessary. So how do you prevent ear infections in the first place? It is possible to minimize or eliminate ear infections through the use of antihistamines or decongestants when you are sick, and regularly cleaning your ears of excess ear wax.
I’ve had a terrible earache in my left ear and I can no longer hear out of it. This has been going on since the end of December. I don’t have insurance, and in the past 4 months i’ve been to the doctor 4 times, adding up to 0 on the doctor visits alone. They gave me augmentin, avalox, and ear drops in that time and nothing worked. All in all I think my parents have spent 0 on all of this, and nothing helped. I just can’t bring myself to go to the doctor again (we don’t have much money and I am still a student) so I am begging someone to give me some advice about this if there is any advice to give.
there are ear drops that you can get with out seeing the doctor they are i think called polysporen ear drops but if i got the name wrong no matter the pharmacist will know what i am talking about.
now as for the pain best thing you can do is use a hair blow dryer and blow hot air into your ear. this will be of great help you to and speeds up the healing .
i am back yes i checked and the ear drops are called polyspore . that is a very common drug used to treat infections. and yes it comes in drops for the ear.
another thing you should do is take decongestants. nasal ones. no matter really what brand as long as it says decongestent it will help dry the inside of the ear. which is more then likely why its sore.
unless you stuck something in your ear.
dont use q tips or anything in your ear.
if ear wax is in the ear and stuck you can use baby oil a few drops every day until the wax comes out.
well thats all there is to fixing your ear. unless you poked it .
good luck hope you feel much better soon .
i know the hair dryer will make you feel better in seconds.
Ear Infections - Midle Ear Infections
What is a middle ear infection?
The middle ear is the small part of your ear just inside your eardrum. It can get infected when germs from the nose and throat are trapped there.
What causes a middle ear infection?
A small tube connects your ear to your throat. A cold can cause this tube to swell. When the tube swells enough to become blocked, it can trap fluid inside your ear. This makes it a perfect place for germs to grow and cause an infection.
Ear infections happen mostly to young children because their tubes are smaller and get blocked more easily.
What are the symptoms?
The main symptom is an earache. It can be mild, or it can hurt a lot. Babies and young children may be fussy. They may pull at their ears and cry. They may have trouble sleeping. They may also have a fever.
You may see thick, yellow fluid coming from their ears. This happens when the infection has caused the eardrum to burst and the fluid flows out. This is not serious and usually makes the pain go away. The eardrum usually heals on its own.
When fluid builds up but does not get infected, children often say that their ears just feel plugged. They may have trouble hearing, but their hearing usually returns to normal after the fluid is gone. It may take weeks for the fluid to drain away.
How is a middle ear infection diagnosed?
Your doctor will talk to you about your child's symptoms. Then he or she will look into your child's ears. A special tool with a light lets the doctor see the eardrum and tell whether there is fluid behind it. This exam is rarely uncomfortable. It bothers some children more than others.
How is it treated?
Most ear infections go away on their own. You can treat your child at home with an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen (such as Tylenol or Tempra), a warm washcloth or heating pad on the ear, and rest. Do not give aspirin to anyone younger than 20. Your doctor may give you eardrops that can help your child's pain.
Sometimes after an infection, a child cannot hear well for a while. Call your doctor if this lasts for 3 to 4 months. Children need to be able to hear in order to learn how to talk.
Your doctor can give your child antibiotics, but ear infections often get better without them. Talk about this with your doctor. Whether you use them will depend on how old your child is and how bad the infection is. read about the dificulties of Minor surgery to put tubes in the ears may help if your child has hearing problems or repeat infections.
Can ear infections be prevented?
There are many ways to help prevent ear infections. Do not smoke. Ear infections happen more often to children who are around cigarette smoke. Even the fumes from tobacco smoke on your hair and clothes can affect them. Handwashing and having your child immunized can help, too.
Also, make sure your child does not go to sleep while sucking on a bottle. And try to limit the use of group child care.
Additional ways for treating Ear infections:
The Eardoc - a device that was clinicly tryed in europ medical center, is the safest non-invasive way to treat ear infections.
the Eardoc is FDA examped and CE apprved and get handreds of approvals form doctors all around the world.
