How Does An Ent Doctor Diagnose An Ear Infection
As soon as symptoms are present in an adult or child, consult with an New York ENT to evaluate your conditions and make an accurate diagnosis. Your doctor will use a tool called an otoscope that can see deep inside your ear with a light and magnifying glass. Doctors can often detect redness, puss, drainage, or other abnormalities in the middle ear that point to an ear infection. To determine the severity of the condition, your New York ENT may also conduct sample fluid tests, computed tomography scans, or hearing tests.
Common Ear Treatments From An Ent
Several different organizations and statistics suggest that ear infections are common health concerns in the US. Ear treatments that an ENT doctor might offer for different ear conditions include ringing in the ear , cranial nerve disorder, balance disorder, nerve pain, infections, congenital disorders, and inner and outer ear defects.
ENT doctors utilize the medications as well as surgical methods to help their patients get relief from chronic ear disease symptoms and prevent any potential problems.
Otitis Media In Adults
Otitis media is another name for a middle ear infection. It means an infection behind your eardrum. This kind of ear infection can happen after any condition that keeps fluid from draining from the middle ear. These conditions include allergies, a cold, a sore throat, or a respiratory infection.
Middle ear infections are common in children, but they can also happen in adults. An ear infection in an adult may mean a more serious problem than in a child. So you may need additional tests. If you have an ear infection, you should see your healthcare provider for treatment. If they happen repeatedly, you should see an otolaryngologist or an otologist .
What are the types of middle ear infections?
Infections can affect the middle ear in several ways. They are:
Who is more likely to get a middle ear infection?
You are more likely to get an ear infection if you:
- Smoke or are around someone who smokes
- Have seasonal or year-round allergy symptoms
- Have a cold or other upper respiratory infection
What causes a middle ear infection?
The middle ear connects to the throat by a canal called the eustachian tube. This tube helps even out the pressure between the outer ear and the inner ear. A cold or allergy can irritate the tube or cause the area around it to swell. This can keep fluid from draining from the middle ear. The fluid builds up behind the eardrum. Bacteria and viruses can grow in this fluid. The bacteria and viruses cause the middle ear infection.
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When To Call A Doctor
Urgent care can treat minor illnesses
Consider talking with a doctor about your symptoms and options for treatment if:
- Symptoms persist or get worse over two to three days.
- Infection is recurring. A child who has three or more ear infections in a six-month period may be referred to a specialist for pressure equalization tubes.
- Pain is severe.
Ear infections can usually be treated in urgent care clinics, or by your childs pediatrician.
If youre able to get in with your primary care provider, that is going to be preferred especially if its a recurring issue. We know that kids get sick frequently, so pediatrician offices usually have several appointments available every day for kids who need to be seen on short notice, Dr. Ray said.
What Happens If My Child Keeps Getting Ear Infections
To keep a middle ear infection from coming back, it helps to limit some of the factors that might put your child at risk, such as not being around people who smoke and not going to bed with a bottle. In spite of these precautions, some children may continue to have middle ear infections, sometimes as many as five or six a year. Your doctor may want to wait for several months to see if things get better on their own but, if the infections keep coming back and antibiotics arent helping, many doctors will recommend a surgical procedure that places a small ventilation tube in the eardrum to improve air flow and prevent fluid backup in the middle ear. The most commonly used tubes stay in place for six to nine months and require follow-up visits until they fall out.
If placement of the tubes still doesnt prevent infections, a doctor may consider removing the adenoids to prevent infection from spreading to the eustachian tubes.
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Middle Ear Infection Specialists And Care Centers
More commonly known as ear, nose and throat physicians , Northwestern Medicine otolaryngologists specialize in the diagnosis, treatment and rehabilitation of diseases and disorders of the head and neck, including middle ear infections.
Otolaryngologists provide care for a wide range of disorders, including those dealing with hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech and language. We also manage the treatment of head and neck cancers, as well as perform reconstructive and cosmetic plastic surgery.
At the heart of our success is the complementary approach through multidisciplinary teams of physicians* who work to bring top quality care to patients from around the world. Your treatment team may include:
- Otolaryngologists
What Research Is Being Done On Middle Ear Infections
Researchers sponsored by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders are exploring many areas to improve the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of middle ear infections. For example, finding better ways to predict which children are at higher risk of developing an ear infection could lead to successful prevention tactics.
Another area that needs exploration is why some children have more ear infections than others. For example, Native American and Hispanic children have more infections than do children in other ethnic groups. What kinds of preventive measures could be taken to lower the risks?
Doctors also are beginning to learn more about what happens in the ears of children who have recurring ear infections. They have identified colonies of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, called biofilms, that are present in the middle ears of most children with chronic ear infections. Understanding how to attack and kill these biofilms would be one way to successfully treat chronic ear infections and avoid surgery.
Understanding the impact that ear infections have on a childs speech and language development is another important area of study. Creating more accurate methods to diagnose middle ear infections would help doctors prescribe more targeted treatments. Researchers also are evaluating drugs currently being used to treat ear infections, and developing new, more effective and easier ways to administer medicines.
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When Should I See A Doctor For An Ear Infection
Ear infections happen fast, so its important to understand the signs and know what to do in case you need to see a doctor. Its important to get an accurate diagnosis and prompt treatment for ear infections, especially if:
- Symptoms last for more than 24 hours
- Symptoms are present in a child less than six months of age
- Ear pain is severe
- Your infant or toddler is sleepless or irritable after an upper respiratory infection
- You see a discharge of clear fluid, pus or bloody fluid from the affected ear
If you or a loved one is experiencing one or more of these symptoms, please seek immediate medical treatment. Coastal Urgent Care of Baton Rouge is open for walk-ins 7 days a week between 9:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. Our team of skilled specialists has experience treating all types and severities of ear infections.
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Middle Ear Fluid Buildup
Most children who have ear infections still have some fluid behind the eardrum a few weeks after the infection is gone. For some children, the fluid clears in about a month. And a few children still have fluid buildup several months after an ear infection clears. This fluid buildup in the ear is called otitis media with effusion. Hearing problems can result, because the fluid affects how the middle ear works. Usually, infection does not occur.
Otitis media with fluid buildup may occur even if a child has not had an obvious ear infection or upper respiratory infection. In these cases, something else has caused eustachian tube blockage.
In rare cases, complications can arise from middle ear infection or fluid buildup. Examples include hearing loss and ruptured eardrum.
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How Do I Know If My Child Has An Ear Infection
Older children will usually complain of an earache. While younger children might not be able to say they have an earache, they may:
- have an unexplained fever,
- tug or pull at their ears, or
- have trouble hearing quiet sounds.
Some children with an ear infection may also have fluid draining from the ear.
Where To Get Help
- Your doctor
- NURSE-ON-CALL Tel. for expert health information and advice
- Royal Children’s Hospital Tel. 9345 5522
- Your maternal and child health nurse
- Your local hospital emergency or casualty department.
- 24 hour Maternal and Child Health Telephone Service: Tel. 13 22 29 for the cost of a local call throughout Victoria.
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What Are The Treatment Options
During an examination, your ENT specialist will use an otoscope to look inside and assess your ear. They check for redness in the ear, and/or fluid behind the eardrum, and to see if the eardrum moves. These are the signs of an ear infection. If your hearing is decreased, your ENT specialist may also perform an audiogram to test for any potential hearing loss by presenting tones at various pitches, or a tympanogram, which measures the air pressure in your middle ear to see how well your eustachian tube is working.
Your ENT specialist may also prescribe medications, which must be taken as directed. Often, antibiotics to fight the infection will make your earache go away rapidly, but the infection may need more time to clear up. Other medications that your doctor may prescribe include an antihistamine , a decongestant , or both. Sometimes the doctor may recommend a medication to reduce fever and/or pain. Special ear drops can also help ease the pain.
Children who experience multiple episodes of acute otitis media within a short time, chronic otitis media that lasts for more than three months, and/or hearing loss may require the insertion of ventilation tubes, also called pressure-equalization tubes. This is a short surgical procedure in which a small incision is made in the eardrum, any fluid is suctioned out, and a tube is placed in the eardrum. This tube will eventually fall out on its own, and the eardrum heals.
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How To Treat An Ear Infection At Home
Ear infections can be caused by viruses, bacteria, or rarely yeast. There are three areas in the ear where ear infections can occur in adults and children.
Which parts of the ear can become infected?
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When To See Your Doctor
See your doctor if your child:
- Is six months of age or younger
- Has a high fever or bad earache
- Has an ear discharge that lasts more than 24 hours
- Continues to have fever or bad earache two days after they start treatment
- Still seems to have trouble hearing after six to eight weeks
- Seems to be getting worse or you are worried at any time.
When Should I Call The Doctor
Very rarely, ear infections that dont go away or severe repeated middle ear infections can lead to complications. So kids with an earache or a sense of fullness in the ear, especially when combined with fever, should be seen by their doctors if they arent getting better after a couple of days.
Other things can cause earaches, such as teething, a foreign object in the ear, or hard earwax. Your doctor can find the cause of your childs discomfort and treat it.
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What Services Does An Ent Doctor Provide For The Ear
Ear infections and diseases are unbearable in many cases because the patients experience intense pain and discomfort. The best solution is to go to ENT doctors who specialize in treating these conditions and diseases of ear, nose, throat, and more. Their primary areas of focus are the head and neck, and they often perform surgeries.
An ENT doctor will diagnose ear infections and diseases that you or any other patient might have. Notably, identifying the symptoms play a vital role in the detection and diagnosis of ear infections. Learning more about them can help you get the best treatment plans from your ENT doctors. Your general doctor may refer you to the best otolaryngologist/ENT doctor for your health conditions.
Can A Doctor Tell If You Have Fluid In Your Ear
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In this way, what causes fluid in the inner ear in adults?
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What are the symptoms of fluid in the ear?
In general, symptoms of fluid in the ears may include:
- Ear pain.
- Feeling like the ears are “plugged up”
- Increasing ear pain when changing altitude, and being unable to “pop” the ears.
- Tinnitus.
- Hearing loss or the sensation that sounds are muffled.
- A feeling of fullness in the ears.
- Loss of balance or vertigo
What causes you to get fluid behind your ear?
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Though An Ear Infection Is More Frequently Diagnosed In Children It Is Also Common In Adults Know The Type Of Infection You Have And Get Treatments Early
The ear is one of the most sensitive body parts. This sensory organ should be cared properly to avoid various problems, such as an ear infection. An ear infection is a common condition. Even though it is more frequently diagnosed in children, it is also common in adults. The ear consists of the three main parts: outer ear, middle ear and inner ear. Sound waves reach the outer ear first, then middle ear and then travel to the inner ear. A number of conditions can influence your hearing and ear infections are the most frequent.
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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 isn’t serious and usually makes the pain go away. The eardrum usually heals on its own.
When fluid builds up but doesn’t 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.
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Fluid Buildup And Hearing Problems
Fluid behind the eardrum after an ear infection is normal. And in most children, the fluid clears up within 3 months without treatment. If your child has fluid buildup without infection, you may try watchful waiting.
Have your child’s hearing tested if the fluid lasts longer than 3 months. If hearing is normal, you may choose to keep watching your child without treatment.
If a child has fluid behind the eardrum for more than 3 months and has significant hearing problems, then treatment is needed. Sometimes short-term hearing loss occurs, which is especially a concern in children ages 2 and younger. Normal hearing is very important when young children are learning to talk.
If your child is younger than 2, your doctor may not wait 3 months to start treatment. Hearing problems at this age could affect your child’s speaking ability. This is also why children in this age group are closely watched when they have ear infections.
If there is a hearing problem, your doctor may also prescribe antibiotics to keep the fluid in the ear from getting infected. The doctor might also suggest placing tubes in the ears to drain the fluid and improve hearing.
Living With An Ear Infection
If your child suffers from several ear infections each year, youll want to look out for symptoms every time they have a stuffy nose or congestion.
Never stick anything in your childs ear to relieve the pain of an ear infection, to remove the tubes or remove a foreign object. See your childs doctor to have it removed.
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