How Long Does It Take Ear Infection To Go Away

Can My Child Travel By Airplane If Ear Fluid Is Present

If the ear is completely full of fluid there is usually no problem, but when the fluid is partial or mixed with air it can hurt when the plane is coming down. Your doctor can measure the amount of fluid with a tympanogram, which gives a flat reading when the ear is full. It may help to keep your child awake when the plane is landing and encourage him or her to swallow to even out the pressure.

Rosenfeld RM, Shin JJ, Schwartz SR, et al. Clinical practice guideline : otitis media with effusion. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016 154:215-225.

Does It Matter How Long The Fluid Has Been There

The fluid is most likely to go away quickly if it has been there less than three months or has a known start time, such as after a cold or ear infection. Fluid is much more likely to persist when it has been there for at least three months or when it is found during a regular check-up visit and the start date is unknown.

What Are Other Causes Of Ear Pain

Other causes of ear pain include:

• A sore throat.
• Teeth coming in in a baby.
• An infection of the lining of the ear canal. This is also called swimmers ear.
• Pressure build up in the middle ear caused by allergies and colds.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 04/16/2020.

References

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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

What Is An Outer Ear Infection

An outer ear infection is an infection of the outer opening of the ear and the ear canal, which connects the outside of the ear to the eardrum. This type of infection is medically known as otitis externa. One common type of otitis externa is referred to as swimmers ear.

This outer ear infection often results from exposure to moisture. Its common in children, teens, and adults who spend a lot of time swimming. Swimmers ear results in nearly

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Cause Of Ear Infections

• A bacterial infection of the middle ear
• Blocked eustachian tube, usually as part of a common cold. The eustachian tube joins the middle ear to the back of the throat.
• Blockage results in middle ear fluid .
• If the fluid becomes infected , the fluid turns to pus. This causes the eardrum to bulge out and can cause a lot of pain.
• Ear infections peak at age 6 months to 2 years. They are a common problem until age 8.
• The onset of ear infections is often on day 3 of a cold.
• How often do kids get ear infections? 90% of children have at least 1 ear infection. Frequent ear infections occur in 20% of children. Ear infections are the most common bacterial infection of young children.

Can I Do Anything To Prevent Ear Infections In My Child

It is not easy to prevent ear infections, but the following may help reduce the risk:

• keeping your child smoke-free
• breastfeeding your baby for at least 3 to 6 months is thought to be protective against the early development of ear infections – this may be because breastfeeding boosts the infection-fighting system

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How To Tell If You Have A Sinus Infection

Go to Symptom Checker. Acute sinusitis, an inflammation of the sinuses, causes sinus pain and tenderness, facial redness and more. Chronic sinusitis, or sinus infections, cause a stuffy or runny nose, tooth pain, fever, sore throat and more. Nasal congestion is a stuffy nose, and can be accompanied by blocked ears, sore throat, and more.

When To Contact A Medical Professional

Contact your provider if:

• You have swelling behind the ear.
• Your symptoms get worse, even with treatment.
• You have high fever or severe pain.
• Severe pain suddenly stops, which may indicate a ruptured eardrum.
• New symptoms appear, especially severe headache, dizziness, swelling around the ear, or twitching of the face muscles.

Let the provider know right away if a child younger than 6 months has a fever, even if the child doesn’t have other symptoms.

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Are Dog Ear Infections Contagious

It depends on the cause, but the majority of dog ear infections are not contagious. If the cause is ear mites, though, these parasites are extremely contagious.

With ear mites, all pets in the home must be treated simultaneously. Ear mites are relatively common in puppies and kittens and may not be noticed initially when adopting a new pet. But shortly after bringing your new pet home, multiple pets in the house will be scratching and shaking.

Rarely, a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus or possible other contagious infection can be cultured from an infected ear.

It is recommended to practice good handwashing when interacting with a pet with an ear infection and to limit other pets licking the infected pets ears. Good handwashing is also recommended after cleaning or medicating the ear to limit any topical absorption of medication.

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.

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Symptoms Of An Ear Infection

In most cases, the person with a middle ear infection will feel sharp, stabbing pains in their ear. You may feel liquid draining from your ear. Infections are often accompanied by a fever, pain in both the ear and throat, a dulling of sound and sometimes a loss of balance. The ear may feel tender to the touch and if you are off-balance or dizzy, you may feel nauseous. In the majority of cases, the pain and other symptoms will clear up in 48 to 72 hours. In other cases, it is essential to see a doctor because an ear infection that remains untreated can lead to even greater problems, including hearing loss.

How Can I Prevent Ear Infections

The CDC offers several tips for reducing the risk factors that contribute to ear infections. These include:

• Staying up to date on childhood vaccines including the pneumococcal vaccine that helps protect against the Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria that can cause ear infections and the flu vaccine.
• Frequent handwashing by parents and caregivers
• Breastfeeding until at least 6 months passes on moms immunity to babies
• Avoid exposing your child to secondhand smoke

Babys first sick visit: its never fun, sometimes scary and often related to an ear infection. But dont worry if your pediatrician sends you home empty-handed at first. At Loudoun Pediatric Associates, well make sure your child gets what she needs in the case of an ear infection, whether its a round of antibiotics or a few days of rest and watchful waiting. Sometimes we need an antibiotic to give those germs the boot, but in other cases rest, fluids and lots of snuggles are the best prescription.

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• Lansdowne

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Prevention Of Ear Infections

There are a few things you can do to reduce your chances of getting an ear infection, although its important to note that you cant always prevent them.

• Make sure youre up to date with your vaccinations
• Dont try to clean your ears with your fingers or using cotton buds
• Make sure you dry your ears after a shower or going swimming
• Try to cover your ears when you go swimming
• Avoid exposure to smoky environments

FAQs

How Is An Ear Infection Treated

Treatment of ear infections depends on age, severity of the infection, the nature of the infection and if fluid remains in the middle ear for a long period of time.

Your healthcare provider will recommend medications to relieve you or your childs pain and fever. If the ear infection is mild, depending on the age of the child, your healthcare provider may choose to wait a few days to see if the infection goes away on its own before prescribing an antibiotic.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics may be prescribed if bacteria are thought to be the cause of the ear infection. Your healthcare provider may want to wait up to three days before prescribing antibiotics to see if a mild infection clears up on its own when the child is older. If your or your childs ear infection is severe, antibiotics might be started right away.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has recommended when to prescribe antibiotics and when to consider waiting before prescribing based on your childs age, severity of their infection, and your childs temperature. Their recommendations are shown in the table below.

American Academy of Pediatrics Treatment Guide for Acute Otitis Media

Pain-relieving medications

Ear tubes

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What Causes Outer Ear Infections

This type of ear infection is usually caused by bacteria, but it can also be caused by fungus. In an outer ear infection, the ear canal is affected, becoming inflamed and red. Sometimes, your ear may also ooze a liquid, which can cause blockages in the ear canal.

These usually happen due to bacteria getting into a small cut or scrape inside the ear canal, but it can also be caused by irritation of the canal by in-ear headphones or cotton buds, for example.

Outer ear infections are often referred to as swimmers ear as bacteria can easily get into your ear canal while youre swimming, and a warm and wet environment is the ideal place for bacteria to multiply. Other risk factors include having a narrow ear canal, smoking, sinusitis, having a skin condition like psoriasis or eczema or being diabetic.

Symptoms Of Inner Ear Infection

Since the inner ear plays key roles in both hearing and balance, any issues with these senses could be linked to an infection in this area. Infections in other parts of the ear are less likely to affect your hearing or balance, but the other symptoms can be similar.

Possible signs of an inner ear infection or inflammation include:

• Vertigo, a sensation that you or your surroundings are spinning or moving around even when everything is still
• Having trouble balancing or walking normally
• Dizziness
• Feeling like the ear is full or blocked
• Tinnitus or ringing in your ears
• Earache
• Headaches
• Fluid or pus coming from your ear

Inner ear infections can also be linked to other symptoms, depending on the source of the infection. For example, if the infection spread to the inner ear from your airways, you might also have a runny nose. In some cases, these other symptoms might be fading when the problems in your inner ear begin, because the original infection might have been eliminated. You could also have more generalised symptoms of infection, such as a fever.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Outer Ear Infections

When You Need Themand When You Dont

Many children get ear infections. The infections are usually in the middle ear behind the eardrum. They may be caused by bacteria or by a virus. Doctors often treat bacterial infections with antibiotics. Antibiotics are strong medicines that kill bacteria.

Infants and some babies and children do need antibiotics.

But using antibiotics too often can be harmful. Heres why:

In most cases, antibiotics are not needed.

• They do not work for ear infections caused by viruses.
• They do not help the pain.
• Usually, viral infections and many bacterial infections go away on their own in two to three days, especially in children who are over two years old.

First, call the doctor and treat the pain.

If you suspect your child has an ear infection, you should call the doctors office and describe the symptoms. Usually, your doctor should ask you to wait a few days before bringing your child in.

The main sign of an ear infection is pain, especially on the first day. Or, a child may have a fever.

Start by giving your child an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as:

• acetaminophen .
• ibuprofen .

Antibiotics do not relieve pain in the first 24 hours. They only have a small effect on pain after that. So, pain relievers are an important treatment, and usually they are the only treatment needed.

When is treatment with antibiotics needed?If the infection is very painful and lasts more than a few days, chances are it is a bacterial infection.

02/2021

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When Should I Return To My Healthcare Provider For A Follow

Your healthcare provider will let you know when you need to return for a follow-up visit. At that visit, you or your childs eardrum will be examined to be certain that the infection is going away. Your healthcare provider may also want to test you or your child’s hearing.

Follow-up exams are very important, especially if the infection has caused a hole in the eardrum.

Symptoms Of Ear Infection

Babies and small children might:

• pull or rub their ear
• have a high temperature
• have redness around the ear
• be restless or irritable
• not respond to noises that would normally attract their attention

See your doctor if:

• your child is in pain
• there is discharge from the child’s ear
• your child is unwell or vomiting
• your child can’t hear properly
• there is swelling behind the ear and the ear is being pushed forward
• your child keeps getting ear infections

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How Can I Help My Child Hear Better

Stand or sit close to your child when you speak and be sure to let them see your face. Speak very clearly, and if your child does not understand something, repeat it. Hearing difficulties can be frustrating for your child, so be patient and understanding. See Table 11 in the full guideline for specific strategies.

Is It An Inner Ear Infection Or Middle Ear Infection

A condition diagnosed as an inner ear infection may actually be a case of inflammation, and not an actual infection. In addition to ear pain, symptoms include: Inner ear trouble may be a sign of a more serious condition, such as meningitis. The middle ear is the area right behind your eardrum. A middle ear infection is also known as otitis media.

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How To Prevent Ear Infections In Dogs And Puppies

Regular grooming, ear cleaning, and ear maintenance are important parts of pet care. Routine ear cleansing is especially important if your dog swims often.

Cleaning is best accomplished with a professional dog ear cleaning product. These typically have been specifically formulated for effective pH ranges for dogs and contain drying agents.

Symptoms Of A Middle Ear Infection

In most cases, the symptoms of a middle ear infection develop quickly and resolve in a few days. This is known as acute otitis media. The main symptoms include:

• a lack of energy
• slight hearing loss – if the middle ear becomes filled with fluid

In some cases, a hole may develop in the eardrum and pus may run out of the ear. The earache, which is caused by the build-up of fluid stretching the eardrum, then resolves.

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Can An Ear Infection Be Prevented Or Avoided

Although an ear infection is not contagious, the bacteria or virus that caused it is often contagious. Its important to:

• Vaccinate your child with a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine to protect against several types of pneumococcal bacteria. This type of bacteria is the most common cause of ear infections. Get your childs vaccinations on time.
• Practice routine hand washing and avoid sharing food and drinks, especially if your child is exposed to large groups of kids in day care or school settings.
• Avoid second-hand smoke.
• Breastfeed your baby exclusively for the first 6 months and continue breastfeeding for at least 1 year. Place your baby at an angle while feeding.

Common allergy and cold medicines do not protect against ear infections.