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.
Cleaning Your Ear Canal
If earwax or loose material is blocking your ear canal, it can stop ear drops from working properly.
If you think you have too much earwax, you shouldnt try to remove it yourself. Using cotton buds or other objects to try to clean earwax out of your ears can push it further inside and block your ear. You might also damage the skin inside your ear canal, which can lead to an ear infection.
Instead, your GP may suggest one of the following methods to clean your ear canal before you use ear drops. Sometimes they may need to refer you to a specialist in ear, nose and throat conditions for these procedures.
- Syringing and irrigation. This gently washes out any earwax and debris blocking your ear canal.
- Dry swabbing. This means using dry cotton swabs to gently remove any loose material from your ear canal.
- Microsuction. This involves using a device to gently suction out wax and any other material from your ear. Your doctor will do this procedure using a microscope to view your ear.
If your ear canal is very swollen, your doctor may suggest inserting an ear wick into your ear. This can only be done by a specialist. An ear wick is a small sponge pad. Once its in your ear, it can be soaked with an antibiotic solution. This allows drops to fall deep into your ear. The wick is usually left in place for at least a couple of days. Generally, your doctor or nurse will remove it but it may fall out on its own.
Do Baby Ear Infections Need Antibiotics
Antibiotics work most of the time to treat ear infections caused by bacteria. But they wont treat ear infections caused by viruses. No matter what causes the infection, most children 6 months and older wont need antibiotics. Up to 80 out of 100 ear infections get better on their own, while 20 out of 100 dont.
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When To See A Doctor For A Sinus Infection
Consult a physician if you experience any of the following:
- See your doctor if there is no improvement after 48 to 72 hours as this could indicate a more serious problem.
- See your doctor immediately if you experience any of the following: fever, severe headache, confusion, stiff neck, changes in your vision, and/or swelling around the eyes or forehead, as these could be signs of a more serious infection.
- Remember to record and report your symptoms and their duration to assist your doctor in creating your care plan.
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What Can Cause Inner Ear Infection
Less common than the other types of ear infection, labyrinthitis affects important structures in the ear that are responsible for your hearing and balance. This type of ear infection is often caused by a viral or bacterial infection which has found its way to the inner structures of your ear.
Adults with viral infections such as bronchitis, stomach viruses or herpes, are at greater risk of developing labyrinthitis.
Why Do Kids Get So Many Ear Infections
The NIH points to several reasons why kids are more likely to get ear infections:
- Childrens eustachian tubes are smaller and more level than those of adults. This means its harder for fluid to drain from the ear, so if a childs tubes get blocked by mucus from another respiratory infection, fluid may not drain properly.
- Childrens immune systems are still developing so it can be harder for them to fight infections.
- In children, if bacteria gets trapped in the adenoids , it can cause a chronic infection that gets passed to the eustachian tubes and middle ear.
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Seattle Children’s Urgent Care Locations
If your childs illness or injury is life-threatening, call 911.
Treatment for an Ear Infection
Signs In Young Children
As babies are unable to communicate the source of their discomfort, it can be difficult to tell what’s wrong with them. Signs that a young child might have an ear infection include:
- raised temperature
- pulling, tugging or rubbing their ear
- irritability, poor feeding or restlessness at night
- coughing or a runny nose
- unresponsiveness to quiet sounds or other signs of difficulty hearing, such as inattentiveness
- loss of balance
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Symptoms Of Chronic Ear Infections
Someone with a chronic ear infection does not usually have any visible symptoms. However, long-term OME can cause hearing problems and other difficulties, particularly in children. These include:
- delayed responses, or taking a long time to understand speech
- difficulties speaking or reading
- less ability to work independently
Doctors consider OME to be chronic if it lasts for or more.
According to a 2016 guideline, OME usually disappears by itself within 3 months.
They also report that 3040 percent of children experience OME more than once, and 510 percent of episodes last for 1 year or longer.
When someone has CSOM, they have a hole in their eardrum. When the eardrum bursts, it releases tension, so not everyone with CSOM will feel . However, people with AOM or recurrent AOM will likely experience pain.
The symptoms of CSOM include:
- leaking fluid from the ear
- a hole in the eardrum
People with CSOM are unlikely to have a fever.
Chronic ear infections develop from a long-lasting or recurrent acute ear infection. Preventing acute ear infections can help prevent chronic ear infection.
Acute ear infections happen when the eustachian tube, a tube that runs from the middle ear to the back of the throat, becomes clogged.
Children are more likely to be affected by ear infections because these tubes are shorter and narrower, so they become clogged more easily.
Fluid build-up in the middle ear can become infected, which will cause pain and other symptoms.
Causes of ear infections
Symptoms Of Ear Infections
- The main symptom is an earache.
- Younger children will cry, act fussy or have trouble sleeping because of pain.
- About 50% of children with an ear infection will have a fever.
- Complication: In 5% to 10% of children, the eardrum will develop a small tear. This is from the pressure in the middle ear. The ear then drains cloudy fluid or pus. This small hole most often heals over in 2 or 3 days.
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How Long Does A Ear Infection Last
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Healing Time In Different Sections Of The Ear
The infections persist in the middle, the outer and inner part of the ear. Every part has its unique features. As a result healing time also depends on the section of the ear.
- Outer Causes of outer ear infection are different from a middle ear infection. The most common type of infection in the outer ear is bacterial infections. But fungal and viral infections can occur as well. It can last for a week or longer. Its symptoms are severe pain in the ear, purulent discharge, fever, etc.
- Middle The infection shouldnt last more than one or two days. After an ear infection clears up, fluid may remain in the middle ear and cause some of the more mild symptoms and can persist for several weeks to months. This condition is diagnosed as otitis media with effusion. Its symptoms are ear pain, feeling like your ear is clogged, Nausea, Reduced Hearing.
- Inner The infection exists for a long time in this section. Most commonly, viral is the reason for the inner ear infection. These viruses can be most of the flu and cold. Its symptoms are pain, fever, and reduced hearing. Nausea and tinnitus can also occur in an inner ear infection.
The Eustachian tube drains fluid and air from the middle ear. Blockage in the Eustachian tube may cause fluid to build up. This causes pain since it applies pressure on the eardrum. The fluid is also a fertile ground for bacteria growth and this leads to an ear infection.
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Ear Infections: Valuable Info
If you hear the term otitis media, dont let it frighten you as that is just another name for an ear infection.
Ear infection is a very common disease among children. According to research, this condition mostly targets children between 6 months and 3 years of age. However, that doesnt mean that adults are safe. It just means that adults are, well, safer.
You see, we are able to hear because different parts of our auditory system work together in a perfect balance.
It is important to know that the ear consists of three main parts:
- Outer ear
- Middle ear
- Inner ear
For each of these three main ear parts, the answer to the question how long do ear infections last is different. Thats why we will explore them a little bit further. However, despite these differences, it is interesting to note that the source of the problem is always the same.
When Should You Go To The Doctor For An Ear Infection
I used to suffer from ear infections perhaps every two months as a kid, and if theres one thing I dont want to experience again, its an ear infection.
Whilst they are numerous remedies to help ease sore throats, colds, and coughs, ear infections are a different matter.
Five out of six children will have had at least one by their third birthday, but when should you do to the doctor for an ear infection?
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How Long Does A Sinus Infection Last
A sinus infection can last anywhere from 10 days to several weeks. The length of a sinus infection usually depends on whether the cause is viral or bacterial .
A sinus infection caused by a virus should start to show improvement within 3 to 5 days. Under normal conditions, sinusitis symptoms should clear up in about 10 days.
In some cases, a sinus infection caused by a virus may contribute to the onset of a bacterial infection in the sinuses. The swelling and inflammation caused by the initial infection can create hotbeds for bacterial growth, which can lead to further complications and increased severity.
As well, seasonal allergies , dental infections, and nasal blockages, can also contribute to the onset of a bacterial infection in the sinuses. These conditions can also lead to swelling, irritation, and obstructions that help foster bacterial growth.
If a bacterial infection sets in, symptoms will generally last longer than 10 days. In severe cases, especially if left untreated, bacterial sinus infections can endure for weeks. However, if the bacterial infection is diagnosed and treated in time, symptoms should start clearing up within a few days.
Sinus infections are typically separated into 3 types roughly based on the length, severity, and cause of the symptoms.
Why Do Kids Get Ear Infections
Kids get ear infections more than adults do for several reasons:
- Their shorter, more horizontal eustachian tubes let bacteria and viruses find their way into the middle ear more easily. The tubes are also narrower, so more likely to get blocked.
- Their adenoids, gland-like structures at the back of the throat, are larger and can interfere with the opening of the eustachian tubes.
Other things that can put kids at risk include secondhand smoke, bottle-feeding, and being around other kids in childcare. Ear infections are more common in boys than girls.
Ear infections are not contagious, but the colds that sometimes cause them can be. Infections are common during winter weather, when many people get upper respiratory tract infections or colds .
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Can Ear Infections Be Prevented
Some lifestyle choices can help protect kids from ear infections:
- Breastfeed infants for at least 6 months to help to prevent the development of early episodes of ear infections. If a baby is bottle-fed, hold the baby at an angle instead of lying the child down with the bottle.
- Prevent exposure to secondhand smoke, which can increase the number and severity of ear infections.
- Parents and kids should wash their hands well and often. This is one of the most important ways to stop the spread of germs that can cause colds and, therefore, ear infections.
- Keep children’s immunizations up to date because certain vaccines can help prevent ear infections.
Who Gets Ear Infections
Ear infections are very common in babies and young children who are more likely to develop them than older children and adults. This is because their eustachian tubes dont function as well as in older children and adults the tubes are smaller, shorter and flatter .
As children grow older, their eustachian tubes work better and they get fewer colds. As a result, they outgrow the tendency to have ear infections at around 7 years of age. But, some children may have problems beyond this age.
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How Do Ear Infections Happen
A middle ear infection usually happens because of swelling in one or both of the eustachian tubes . The tubes let mucus drain from the middle ear into the throat.
A cold, throat infection, acid reflux, or allergies can make the eustachian tubes swell. This blocks the mucus from draining. Then, or grow in the mucus and make pus, which builds up in the middle ear.
When doctors refer to an ear infection, they usually mean otitis media rather than swimmer’s ear . Otitis media with effusion is when noninfected fluid builds up in the ear. It might not cause symptoms, but in some kids, the fluid creates a sensation of ear fullness or “popping.”
What Puts My Child At Risk Of Getting Ear Infections
We know some important risk factors, but not all the reasons why some children develop more ear infections than others. The most important risk factors include:
- a family history of ear infections
- exposure to cigarette smoke
- early childcare where young babies and children are exposed to more colds/flu viruses – having an older brother or sister in childcare or early primary school also increases the risk
- season of the year – ear infections are more common during the autumn and winter months
There is no clear evidence that allergy causes ear infections.
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