Ear infections: symptoms, causes, to medicines • hello healthy

Definition

What is an ear infection?

Ear infections are all infections that attack the part of the ear which consists of:

The outer ear which consists of the earlobe and the canal that leads to the eardrum
The middle ear is separated from the outer ear by an eardrum and contains small bones
The inner ear is where sound is translated into electrical impulses and sent to the brain

Any of the three parts can be infected by bacteria, viruses, or fungi. Usually, this condition often doesn't need medication because it can heal on its own. Treatment may start with managing pain and monitoring the problem.

Sometimes, antibiotics are used to clean the infection. Some people are prone to some of these types of conditions.

This condition often causes pain due to inflammation and fluid buildup. This condition can be treated by reducing risk factors. Talk to your doctor for more information.

How common is this condition?

Anyone can experience this condition, but children are affected more often. Quoted from the US National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD), five out of six children will experience at least one of these infections by their third birthday.

Although it's rare, adults can also get ear infections. Less than 20 percent of cases occur in adults. Adults who have a high risk of developing this condition, namely smokers, people who are always around active smokers, and people who have allergies.

Signs & symptoms

What are the signs and symptoms of an ear infection?

In adults, common symptoms are:

Ear pain (pain that feels sharp, sudden or mild and persistent)
Sharp pain accompanied by warm discharge from the ear canal
Feel full on the ear
Nausea
Muted hearing
Discharge from the ear.

Symptoms of ear infections in children include:

Ear tugging
Poor sleep quality
Fever
Irritable, tired
Discharge from the ear
Loss of appetite
Cry at night while lying down.

Most of these infections do not cause long-term complications. However, frequent and persistent infections can lead to serious complications such as speech and hearing problems or developmental delays, the spread of infection, and tearing of the eardrum.

There may be signs and symptoms not listed above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor.

When should I see a doctor?

If you have any signs or symptoms above or any other questions, please consult your doctor. Everyone's body is different. Always consult a doctor to treat your health condition.

Cause

What causes ear infections?

The causes of this infection vary, depending on the type. The following are various types of ear infections based on the location of the infection and its cause:

1. Otitis externa

Otitis externa is an infection that occurs in the ear canal and outer ear. A condition which is also known as swimmer's ear this can be caused by fungi or bacteria.

2. Otitis media

Otitis media is an infection that occurs in the middle ear, which can be divided into acute and chronic. Ear disease that usually occurs in children can be caused by viruses and bacteria.

3. Serious otitis media

Serious otitis media is also known as glue ear. This one infection usually develops after a middle ear infection and is characterized by a buildup of fluid and pus in the middle ear.

4. Myringitis

Myringitis is an inflammation of the eardrum caused by a viral or bacterial infection. If the symptoms are accompanied by fever, it is most likely caused by bacteria.

5. Mastoiditis

Mastoiditis is an infection of the mastoid bone, which is located behind the ear. This infection is caused by untreated acute otitis media.

6. Vestibular neuronitis

Vestibular neuronitis is inflammation of the vestibular nerve, which is a balance organ located in the inner ear. This condition is likely caused by a virus.

7. Shingles on the ear

Shingles in the ear is an infection of the cochlear nerve. The cause of this infection is the herpes zoster virus. As a result of this condition, the main nerves responsible for regulating the facial muscles can also become infected, causing swelling to paralysis.

Risk factors

What increases my risk for ear infections?

There are many risk factors for this condition, namely:

Children between 6 months and 2 years of age
Children who are placed in daycare
Bottle feed
Seasonal factor, especially in autumn and winter
Poor air quality.

Complications

What are the effects of ear infections on health if not treated until they heal?

You have to treat the infection until it is completely cured. If the treatment is not complete, new problems can arise in your ears, such as:

1. The infection is getting worse

Make sure the infection has completely cleared up. The reason is, when you ignore your ear infection that has not fully healed it can actually happen again, which will get worse and more painful.

2. Rupture of the eardrum

If your ear infection is not treated properly, it can increase the risk of a ruptured eardrum. The fluid from the ear infection that forms can push the eardrum that limits the middle ear outward.

3. Hearing loss

Hearing loss can also be one of the effects of ear infections that are not treated until they heal. People who experience recurrent infections, and continue to be due to not being treated properly, can also increase the risk of hearing loss.

4. Facial paralysis

There are many factors that cause facial paralysis, one of which is a middle ear infection or damage to the ear. Middle ear infections can irritate one of the facial nerves near the middle ear. As a result, this can affect the movement of muscles in the face.

5. Meniere's disease

Meniere's disease is a disorder that occurs in the inner ear. The exact cause of the meniere is not known, but scientists suspect it is caused by changes in the amount of fluid in the inner ear tube.

Medicines & Medicines

The information provided is not a substitute for medical advice. ALWAYS consult your doctor.

How is this condition diagnosed?

Your doctor diagnoses an infection or other condition based on the symptoms you mention and an examination. In addition, the doctor can also use an instrument with a light (otoscope) to see the ear, throat and nose canal.

1. Pneumatic Otoscope

This tool is usually the only specialized tool a doctor needs to diagnose an infection. This tool is used to see inside the ear and determine if there is fluid behind the eardrum.

2. Additional tests

If the diagnosis does not provide enough information, the doctor may order other diagnostic tests, such as:

Tympanometry

This test measures the movement of the eardrum. It shows how well the eardrum is moving and provides an indirect measurement of the pressure on the middle ear.

Acoustic reflectometry

This test measures how much sound the instrument makes reflected off the eardrum and is an indirect measurement of fluid in the middle ear.

Tympanocentesis

This test is used to check the source of the ear fluid to infect. This test can be useful if the infection doesn't respond well to previous treatments.

If your child has an infection that doesn't go away or a build-up of fluid in the middle ear, the doctor may refer to an ear specialist (audiologist), speech therapist or developmental therapist for tests of hearing, speech, language understanding and developmental abilities.

How are ear infections treated?

Some of these infections resolve without antibiotics. Medicines to treat this condition depend on many factors, including age and the severity of symptoms.

The goal of treatment is to treat this condition before complications develop. Treatment for ear infections usually involves treating the cause and killing the bacteria in the eustachian tube.

Wait-and-see approach

The symptoms of this condition usually improve after a few days to two weeks without any treatment. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians recommend a wait-and-see approach under the following circumstances:

Children aged 6-23 with mild middle ear pain for less than 48 hours and having a body temperature less than 39 ℃
Children 24 months or older with earache in one or both ears for less than 48 hours and have a body temperature less than 39 ℃

Medicine for ear infections

Your doctor will recommend that you take medications to reduce pain from the infection, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others).

After monitoring for a certain period of time, the doctor may perform treatment with antibiotics. Amoxicillin is an antibiotic of choice that can be used to treat bacterial ear infections because it is very effective. Amoxicillin usually clears the infection in 7 to 10 days.

In addition, it is recommended that you do not use aspirin and tonsillectomy for treatment.