How Can You Tell If You Have An Ear Infection

What Is The Difference In Treatments

If you have fluid in the ear, treatment often includes pain relievers or even a round of antibiotics. Certain nasal sprays can also be helpful since the eustachian tubes actually drain into the back of the nose. If the fluid continues despite medical treatment, you may need tubes placed in your ears and at times your adenoids may need to be removed if they are contributing to the problem.

How Does One Tell If An Ear Infection Is Viral Or Bacterial

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Ear Infection Symptoms Treatment

Middle ear infection is a bacterial or viral infection that may cause earache, temporary hearing loss, and fluid discharge. A middle ear infection that does not clear up on its own may require treatment with antibiotics.

Middle ear infections occur mainly in early childhood, although older children and adults also get these kinds of infection. The incidence of acute ear infection in New Zealand children was recently estimated at 27%. A complication associated with middle ear infections is the retention of fluid, causing “glue ear”. Children should always be taken to a doctor if they have earache.

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How Middle Ear Infections Are Diagnosed

• How Middle Ear Infections Are Treated

An ear infection happens when the middle ear becomes inflamed and fluid builds up behind the eardrum. Five out of six children will have an ear infection by the time they are 3 years old, making it the most common reason parents bring their child to the doctor.

This article discusses the causes, symptoms, and diagnosis of ear infection. It also includes information about other possible reasons you may have ear pain and redness.

Verywell

How To Tell If You Have An Ear Infection

If youre experiencing ear pain you may be wondering if its an ear infection and what you need to do about it. This article will help you understand the different types of ear infection you may have, their causes, and your treatment options.

Before we dive in, if your ear pain has lasted more than two days you should book an appointment with a doctor, you may have a bacterial infection and need antibiotic treatment before it gets wrose.

Read on to learn more about how to tell if you have an ear infection.

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Sign: Shes Clearly In Pain

A dog ear infection can hurt as well as itch. If the problem spot is the inner ear or middle ear, your dog may feel pain throughout the entire ear or head. You may not realize your dog is in pain until you go to scratch his ears or cuddle, only to hear a yelpor worse, get a nipfrom your loyal friend. It may hurt your heart even more than your hand but it happens. Even the tamest dog may snap at their beloved owner if they are in pain, and the area hurting them is suddenly touched, or accidentally poked. Dont take it personally, but do take your dog to the vet, pronto.

What Causes Labyrinthitis Is It Contagious

The exact cause of labyrinthitis is unknown. It may be caused by swelling or problems with the nerve inside the brain responsible for balance and hearing. Labyrinthitis also may occur during or after a viralinfection. Viruses associated with labyrinthitis include influenza, herpes viruses, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis, Epstein-Barr virus, and polio.

Rarely, other ear problems like barotrauma or otosclerosis can cause labyrinthitis.

Labyrinthitis itself is not contagious, however, viral infections that lead to labyrinthitis are.

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What Causes Inner Ear Infections

Infections can happen in any part of the ear, including the inner section. When the inner ear is infected, the problem is sometimes known as labyrinthitis.

The infection can be caused by a virus or bacteria, which usually reach the inner ear after affecting another part of your body.

• Viral Infections: Lots of different viruses can affect the inner ear, including the common cold and flu. The infection usually spread to the inner ear from other parts of the body , so you may start to develop symptoms related to your inner ear after noticing cold-like symptoms. Antibiotics cant help with this type of infection.
• Bacterial Infections: Bacterial infections are less common, especially in adults, but they can happen. Bacteria are more likely to get into the inner ear if the membranes separating it from the inner ear are broken, which might happen if you have a middle ear infection. If the infection is caused by bacteria then taking antibiotics might help.

In some cases, the problem that we call an inner ear infection isnt actually an infection at all. Labyrinthitis can happen when the inner ear becomes inflamed for other reasons, for example if you have an autoimmune condition that causes your immune system to mistakenly attack the tissue. You might need to get treatment for this underlying condition in order to prevent the inner ear problems from returning.

Can You Prevent Ear Infections In Dogs

As with most diseases, prevention is always best. Excess moisture is a common cause of ear infections, so be sure to thoroughly dry your dogs ears after swimming and bathing. If your dog is prone to chronic or recurrent ear infections, identifying and managing any underlying causes such as allergies can help prevent new infections from occurring.

Cleaning your dogs ears at home can also help prevent ear infections. Jeff Grognet, DVM, a columnist for AKC Family Dog, advises the following steps for ear cleaning: First, fill the canal with a dog ear cleaning solution and massage the vertical ear canal from the outside. Wipe out the canal with absorbent gauze. Dont use paper towels or cotton because these may leave fibers behind, and those could cause irritation. Cotton swabs may also be useful for cleaning your dogs pinnae but avoid using them in the ear canal, which may inadvertently push debris deeper into the canal.

Ear infections are a common and often recurrent problem in many dogs, but, with your veterinarians help, you can keep your dogs ears clean and comfortable. If your dog is showing signs of an ear infection, seek treatment right away to ensure the problem does not become serious.

AKC is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to akc.org. If you purchase a product through this article, we may receive a portion of the sale.

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Signs Of Otitis Media

Otitis media, or middle ear infection, is the most common type of ear infection. It is an infection of the cavity behind the eardrum, which is connected to the rear of the throat by the Eustachian tube.

Usually, this cavity is filled with air. As a result of a cold or a similar condition, the cavity may be filled with mucus. When this mucus becomes infected, otitis media results.

Signs and symptoms of otitis media typically include:

• Pain in the ear
• Impaired hearing
• High temperature
• Discharge from the ear

Pain in the ear can occur as a result of an ear infection, but it can also indicate a variety of other conditions. If a person experiences severe ear pain or if the pain lasts for longer than a few days, medical attention should be sought.

In many cases, the signs and symptoms will clear up naturally within a couple of days without treatment.

If you are concerned that you may have a middle ear infection, try using the Ada app to find out what the problem may be.

How Can I Tell If My Child Has An Ear Infection

Most ear infections happen to children before theyve learned how to talk. If your child isnt old enough to say My ear hurts, here are a few things to look for:

• Tugging or pulling at the ear
• Fussiness and crying
• Fever
• Fluid draining from the ear
• Clumsiness or problems with balance
• Trouble hearing or responding to quiet sounds

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What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of An Inner Ear Infection

Ear infections can happen anywhere in your outer, middle or inner ear. The symptoms can be very different depending on where the problem is located. If the infection is in your inner ear then it can have a particularly dramatic effect on your senses of balance and hearing. Read on to learn more about inner ear infections and how they can affect you.

Sign: Icky Ear Discharge

Fluid may leak from your dogs ears if they have an ear infection. Other times, the discharge may not be apparent unless you gently go into the ear canal and wipe some of it out . With yeast infections, the discharge tends to be brownish/blackish. With bacterial infections, the discharge can range from yellow to dark, explains Dr. Wilde. If you look down into the ear, it may seem filled with dark or multicoloured, waxy debris, explains Sara Ochoa, DVM, a veterinary consultant for DogLab who is also a practicing veterinarian in Texas. No matter what causes it, the discharge associated with a dog ear infection will be the source of any odour, as well. Dogs may not like to smell each others ears, but they do like to sniff at each others buttsheres why.

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Treatment For An Outer Ear Infection

Before starting treatment for an outer ear infection, the ear should first be cleaned carefully by a health professional. After cleaning, they will apply anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial medications on the ear. If the doctor determines that the infection is bacterial, they may prescribe antibiotics to help you combat the infection.

If a virus is the cause of the infection in your outer ear, the doctor will recommend tending to the irritation and ask you to wait for the infection to resolve itself. They can also suggest more specialized treatment depending on the type of viral infection you have.

How To Know If I Have An Ear Infection 10 Ear Infection Symptoms

Having an earache is not a common symptom, but almost all of us have experienced this type of problem before, especially during childhood. Anyone experiencing an acute ear infection will be able to tell how symptoms become unbearable, and they may even compare to those arising from a decayed tooth. However, there are different types of ear infections, and each one of them has a different set of signs and symptoms.

Thats why in this article we have included the most common signs and symptoms associated with ear infections, and after reading carefully you will realize how different it is to have an infection in your outer ear, middle ear and inner ear, and how could you tell which one is affecting you.

You may have an ear infection and require medical assistance if you start having one or more of these symptoms:

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Sign: Scratching Her Ears

Given how itchy a dog ear infection can be, it wont come as a surprise that scratching is another common symptom. In an effort to get at the source of the itch, your dog may scratch at their ears, head, and other parts of their body. This can lead to another symptomopen sores caused by too-long or too-sharp doggy nails. The itching from ear infections may be intense enough to lead to wounds in and around the ears, explains Jennifer Coates, DVM, who serves on the advisory board of Pet Life Today.

What Are The Symptoms Of An Ear Infection

There are three main types of ear infections. Each has a different combination of symptoms.

• Acute otitis media is the most common ear infection. Parts of the middle ear are infected and swollen and fluid is trapped behind the eardrum. This causes pain in the earcommonly called an earache. Your child might also have a fever.
• Otitis media with effusion sometimes happens after an ear infection has run its course and fluid stays trapped behind the eardrum. A child with OME may have no symptoms, but a doctor will be able to see the fluid behind the eardrum with a special instrument.
• Chronic otitis media with effusion happens when fluid remains in the middle ear for a long time or returns over and over again, even though there is no infection. COME makes it harder for children to fight new infections and also can affect their hearing.

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Can Ear Infections Be Prevented

Currently, the best way to prevent ear infections is to reduce the risk factors associated with them. Here are some things you might want to do to lower your childs risk for ear infections.

• Vaccinate your child against the flu. Make sure your child gets the influenza, or flu, vaccine every year.
• It is recommended that you vaccinate your child with the 13-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine . The PCV13 protects against more types of infection-causing bacteria than the previous vaccine, the PCV7. If your child already has begun PCV7 vaccination, consult your physician about how to transition to PCV13. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children under age 2 be vaccinated, starting at 2 months of age. Studies have shown that vaccinated children get far fewer ear infections than children who arent vaccinated. The vaccine is strongly recommended for children in daycare.
• Wash hands frequently. Washing hands prevents the spread of germs and can help keep your child from catching a cold or the flu.
• Avoid exposing your baby to cigarette smoke. Studies have shown that babies who are around smokers have more ear infections.
• Never put your baby down for a nap, or for the night, with a bottle.
• Dont allow sick children to spend time together. As much as possible, limit your childs exposure to other children when your child or your childs playmates are sick.

Can People Prevent Ear Infections And Fluid In The Ear

While there is no way to prevent all ear infections, there are certain things you can do to minimize your risk of getting one. Avoid smoking and inhaling second-hand smoke. Wash your hands frequently to prevent infections from spreading. Identify and treat underlying allergy or sinus problems aggressively.

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What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Labyrinthitis

Signs and symptoms of labyrinthitis may include :

• Dizziness
• Ringing in the ear or hearingabnormal sounds
• Discharge from the ear

The symptoms of labyrinthitis are very similar to another inner ear disorder called vestibularneuritis. The two conditions have similar symptoms, but vestibular neuritis does not include hearing loss.

What Causes The Fluid

Anyone can get fluid trapped behind their eardrum, but it occurs more often in children because of their anatomy. Childrens ear pressure regulating tubes, formally called eustachian tubes, are shorter and flatter than those in adults. The result is that they tend not to function as well. Eustachian tube dysfunction is often associated with allergies, congestion from a cold, enlarged adenoid, cigarette smoke, and oral abnormalities like a cleft palate.

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Let Amory Urgent Care Treat Your Ear Infection Quickly

Once you have a physician treat your ear infection, itll start clearing up immediately. Theres no reason to wait it out and risk the infection worsening.

If you have any of the warning signs discussed above, get to your physician right away.

Amory Urgent Care provides fast, high-quality medical care seven days a week. Contact us today schedule an appointment.

Testing For Hidden Infections: Stool Testing

The easiest and best test to evaluate for hidden infections in the colon is a stool test.

Not all stool tests are the same, though.

You want a test that requires three to four stool samples.

This is because parasites, in particular, live in cycles. They are not always found in each and every bowel movement. Also, parasites cling to the walls of the intestines and rarely get shed into the stool. This is another reason why multiple stool samples need to be collected for best test results.

Stool testing is one of the most expensive tests to do, but the investment is worth it. It very often uncovers the underlying reason why you have fatigue.

Hint: If youre doing a stool test, take a laxative formula that will induce watery diarrhea . Collect your stool starting after the fourth watery bowel movement. This will increase your chances of finding parasites. If your test calls for 4 samples, consider doubling it by filling each vial halfway twice, thereby collecting 8 samples total in your 4 vials.

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When Should I Call The Doctor About An Ear Infection

• You or your child develops a stiff neck.
• Your child acts sluggish, looks or acts very sick, or does not stop crying despite all efforts.
• Your childs walk is not steady he or she is physically very weak.
• You or your childs ear pain is severe.
• You or your child has a fever over 104° F .
• Your child is showing signs of weakness in their face .
• You see bloody or pus-filled fluid draining from the ear.

• The fever remains or comes back more than 48 hours after starting an antibiotic.
• Ear pain is not better after three days of taking an antibiotic.
• Ear pain is severe.
• You have any questions or concerns.