An ear infection is a significant health consideration amongst adults and children alike. It is a fact that ear infection can happen because of multiple factors and is nothing new. It includes bacterial and viral infections in adults and children, as pediatrics and adult doctors will tell you. Ear infections can cause fluid accumulation in the middle ear or discomfort in the narrow Eustachian tubes, even speech is at risk.
Depending on the infections and the seriousness, you might need to book an appointment with a local clinic or ENT specialist in Coimbatore for further diagnosis and treatment. You would even need to consume medicines and use certain new products to feel better in severe conditions. You might have to get more invasive treatments at the clinic.
Types of Ear Infection
Otitis Externa
Otherwise known as Swimmer’s Ear, it is a condition that could result in pain, swelling and redness. Otitis externa infects the external ear canal leading to infection in the Eustachian tubes between the eardrum and the outer ear.
- Otitis Media
Otitis Media is an infection that happens typically in the middle ear. It causes ear pain depending on the severity of the illness. Sometimes, Otitis Media patients do experience fever, and there is a risk of loss of hearing in extreme situations.
- Serous Otitis Media
Serous Otitis Media occurs in the middle ear when fluid is accumulated in the ear. The collected liquid causes trouble in the Eustachian tubes. Usual symptoms of Serous Otitis Media could be a pain, ear fullness, or the risk of hearing loss.
- Infectious Myringitis
According to pediatrics, Infectious Myringitis is most common amongst children; just like Otitis Media, it also affects the middle ear. The conditions are similar to most viral and bacterial infections. However, there could be symptoms like hearing loss, pain and drainage from the ear via the Eustachian tubes. Issues with Eustachian tubes can cause the eardrum to collapse.
- Acute Mastoiditis
Mastoiditis is an infection that affects the mastoid bone. Acute Mastoiditis is a bacterial infection and infects the mastoid cells. Factors you must look out for as symptoms include fever, headache, risk of hearing loss, pain and swelling behind the ear, retracted eardrum, and so on.
- Vestibular Neuritis
People with Vestibular Neuritis might feel dizzy or experience vertigo. It causes inflammation in the vestibular nerve, which sends information to the brain from the ear. You might feel disoriented when you have the condition.
Symptoms of Ear Infections
Different people experience different kinds of symptoms of ear infection. The type of infection and the severity of the condition will determine it. For instance, adults can express themselves easier and book an appointment at a clinic or consult a doctor for treatment. However, it is a lot more complicated to detect ear infection treatment in children because they might not have the vocabulary.
Ear Infection Symptoms Amongst Adults
- Ache
Sometimes, ear infections cause a lot of pain or can even rupture the eardrum. A stabbing pain comes and goes or a prolonged discomfort in the ear or the Eustachian tube.
- Nausea
Ear infections could lead to nausea and make you often feel sick in the stomach. Given that the ear relates to the ear, nose and throat (ENT), clinics and doctors focus on maintaining a complete healthy balance of the senses.
- Issues with hearing
Often, with pretty serious ear infections, you might have a loss of hearing. It requires a diagnosis before it’s too late. Sometimes despite medicine, you might need products.
- Liquid flowing out
When there is drainage from the middle ear, you know you are in trouble with whatever it is that has infected your ear. Fluids draining out of the ear can lead to health complications, such as the impact on speech.
- Vertigo
Vertigo is a sense of feeling loss of balance, including head-spinning either yourself or the surroundings. It is mainly related to inner ear infection and gets better without any treatment.
Other Symptoms of Ear Infection
Itching, inflammation or blisters in the outer ear, buzzing-noise in the ear, blood discharge from the middle ear, fever, headache, feeling of ear block, swelling and pus inside the ear or the Eustachian tubes all might need medicine to help.
Ear Infection Symptoms Amongst Children
- Ear tugging
If you notice that your child is tugging at the ear often, it might be ideal for getting an appointment with the pediatrics clinic or ear, nose, and throat doctor.
- Fever
It is essential to find the reasoning for fevers. Doctors in clinics will diagnose the ears if your child is running a fever and suggest the treatment accordingly.
- Sleep issues
If there is a disruption with sleep, the child is suffering from some form of ear infections. It makes them feel discomfort that deters them from a good night’s sleep.
- Irritable behaviour
When children are in pain, they tend to be grumpy and restless. It could be because of the discomfort they are feeling in the ear.
- Appetite loss
When a child is feeling discomfort in their ear, their appetite automatically reduces. If other symptoms and a low appetite persist, ensure to take your baby or child to a pediatrics clinic for a diagnosis.
- Crying during sleep
When a baby or child is suffering from ear infections, it is usual that they might feel the pain, mainly when they apply pressure on the ear that has the infection.
In a Nutshell
When you, your baby, your child or anyone at home feel any of the above symptoms, you must take care of your health and get an appointment with the pediatrics or ear, nose and throat doctor for better treatment. Doctors at the clinic may recommend ear drops, ear products and medicines such as antibiotics to stop fluid discharge and other ear infection issues. Ignoring ear infections can lead to more risks and new complications, so get help at the earliest.
