Like any other part of our body, our ears are also prone to infection, if we are not careful when it comes to taking care of them. Depending on the severity of the infection, our hearing sense can suffer, be diminished or affected to a certain degree. Also, like any other type of infection, if the ear infection is not treated accordingly, by using the right type of medicine, it can do a lot of damage to our ear. The following information should help you identify a potential ear infection, but that doesn’t mean you can treat it yourself. Use the information to be aware of what you may be exposed to, but always see a doctor if there are any suspicions, for receiving the correct treatment.
What causes an ear infection?
There are two main causes when we talk about ear infections, which are bacterial infections, caused by the presence of a bacteria inside the ear, or viral infections, caused by the same type of viruses that trigger the flu and respiratory infections. Even an allergy can sometimes be held responsible for ear infections. When an ear infection occurs, the Eustachian tubes get blocked, so the air stops moving properly through the ear. So fluid coming from the nose or throat can accumulate, being the perfect environment for allowing bacteria and viruses to spread. These will eventually multiply bad enough to cause an infection.
Symptoms of inner ear infection
Medically called labyrinthitis or vestibular neuritis, the infection of the inner ear takes place when the labyrinth, a section of the ear, gets inflamed and swollen. It is not exactly known what causes the labyrinth to get infected, viral infections or bacteria are commonly believed to be the cause of such type of infections. As symptoms, the most commonly felt symptoms are vertigos. It is not the same with dizziness because vertigos will give you the impression that everything around you spins, creating a large amount of discomfort. Usually, a person does not receive any warning before the vertigos start, taking place about a week after suffering from the flu or common cold. It can get bad enough to affect your stomach as well. Other symptoms involve a ringing sound in the ear or loss of hearing.
Symptoms of middle ear infection
The middle ear infection is also called otitis, and it usually manifests in the case of children. Otitis happens in most cases as a follow-up of a respiratory infection, which will move towards the ear and cause trouble over there. As mentioned before, the Eustachian tube gets blocked, favoring fluid to collect behind the drum of the ear, triggering the infection after a while. When it comes to symptoms, pain in the ear is often felt when the middle ear gets infected. The pain will make the person irritable, create problems during sleep, hearing may also be affected, fever, loss of balance, and discharges from the ear. But it can also decrease the appetite, cause diarrhea and vomiting, and congestion. In children, when otitis affects the ear, you will see them rubbing and pulling the ear, a sign that something is bothering them.
Symptoms of ear infection in adults
Even if children are more exposed to ear infections, because their organism is more sensitive, adults can suffer from this type of affection as well. The symptoms are quite various, but usually indicate that something is wrong with your ear, or ears. For instance, pain is an often symptom, either being a sharp pain or a dull pain, which spreads over a longer period. The pain can also be like something just stabbed your ear, the following sensation being an immediate warm fluid being drained out of the ear. Another symptom is a feeling of fullness in the ear. The hearing can as well be damaged, and a liquid drainage can be present. In some cases, nausea accompanies these symptoms. So getting an ear infection is something undesirable, as it can ruin your day, in fact, more days in a row, until you get proper treatment.
Ear infection treatment
The treatment of an ear infection will depend according to the cause of the infection. In case the infection is caused by a virus, ibuprofen or acetaminophen can be prescribed to ease the inflammation and pain. This treatment will also work in case a fever appears, as another symptom. Still, never use Aspirin in this instance, especially when it comes to children, as there is the risk of developing the Reye’s syndrome. A heating pad can also be used to reduce pain if applied on the area that bothers you. Antibiotics can also be used as a treatment, especially if the infection was caused by a bacteria, but this aspect is still debated by some doctors. It is known that the abuse of antibiotics, especially at a young age, will make bacteria resistant to this type of treatment in time, making the condition harder to handle. So this is why some doctors avoid using antibiotics right from the start, trying to see if the illness backs down by using another treatment. If they have to choose an antibiotic, usually they prefer amoxicillin, because it is efficient and cheap, getting rid of an ear infection in less than 10 days.
Still, there are cases of bacteria that are amoxicillin-resistant, which means that this treatment will fail. In some cases, a myringotomy with pressure equalizing, which means putting a small tube inside the ear to allow a proper air ventilation, is used, as a method to help the middle ear dry out. If this doesn’t work, an adenoidectomy will be recommended, which means removing the adenoids, a soft tissue behind the nose, in an attempt to unblock the Eustachian tubes.
Keep in mind that the symptoms and treatments here are presented as guidance, so that you will know what happens to you in the case of an ear infection. If you feel sick and have trouble with hearing, you will need to see a doctor, as he will be able to prescribe the right treatment in your case, according to the investigations he will make.