Are you worried that you might have an ear infection? Ear infections are widespread, particularly in younger children. However, adults can get them too, and you have no doubt experienced one at some point in your life. An ear infection will usually cause your ear to be painful and may also trigger signs of tinnitus. This is where you begin to hear sounds that aren’t there. Hearing your heartbeat or breathing echoing in your ear or your ear being increasingly itchy can be another sign that your ear is infected.
There are different types of ear infections, and some are more significant than others. While a doctor may tell you that your ear infection is not contagious, this isn’t strictly true. Though the infection can not spread from person to person, the cause of the infection certainly can. It isn’t uncommon for partners who share a bed to develop an ear infection or for the disease to spread to a group of children.
It’s also simplifying to say that an ear infection is never dangerous. It is indeed possible for an ear infection to spread to other areas of the body and cause a more severe issue. So, it is worth taking steps to control infection and avoid it extending or moving from person to person.
That’s precisely what we’re going to explore in this article.
The Main Type Of Ear Infection
Ortis media or middle ear infection is the main problem that most will experience. It often starts with an infection that impacts the throat or the nose before moving to the ear. So, symptoms can be similar to getting a cold or having the flu.
Once the infection starts, it can spread to different areas, such as the Eustachian tubes. Mucus begins to block the tubes and stops things from draining, causing bacteria development. When this happens, the mucus starts to drive the eardrum to stretch, which can be painful. If an infection occurs, the mucus will be red or cloudy. You won’t be able to see this, of course, but with a tool known as an otoscope, a doctor certainly can. The eardrum may have been torn if the mucus was flooding the canal.
The good news is that these infections will often disappear within between 3 days and two weeks. Therefore, you won’t usually be prescribed meds unless the issue persists. Even then, doctors are often unwilling to prescribe treatment because, typically, there will be no need. However, they will provide you with antibiotics like ear drops for a very severe infection.
However, a warm compress is often the best treatment for a middle ear infection. This can be used outside of the ear while taking something like ibuprofen.
You might get a middle ear infection more often if you have an issue with your immune system or are constantly around tobacco smoke. It’s also common for people who spend time around crowds to develop infections like this.
Middle ear infections are not severe; however, complications can occur on rare occasions. For instance, the infection can spread to the inner area or brain lining. This leads to meningitis. Temporary hearing loss is also possible, as is vertigo which will cause the individual to feel dizzy and potentially nauseous.
Avoiding The Spread Of A Middle Ear Infection
If you want to make sure that you avoid this type of common infection, then there are some steps you can take. For instance, you should think about making sure you are getting a flu shot regularly and cleaning the visible part of your ear. As well as this, you should avoid putting foreign objects inside your ear and ensure you are washing your hands regularly.
The Other Type Of An Ear Infection
The other type of ear infection is a swimmer’s ear. This is an outer ear infection and is also known as otitis externa. Moisture in the ear canal causes the development of bacteria and fungus. This can also be triggered by various skin conditions, such as acne and eczema. In these cases, scratches occur on the skin in the ear canal.
It can cause anything from pain to itchiness or swelling, and you may also notice a discharge. Usually, this type of infection will clear up in roughly ten days. However, it can last longer, mainly if actions cause further irritation.
Antibiotics will typically be provided for swimmer’s ear that lasts significantly longer than one would expect or causes issues such as severe pain. For instance, drops and ointment can be used as a way to get rid of the fungus or bacteria that might be present within the ear.
Similar to the other type of infection, a warm compress can be helpful to provide relief for many of the symptoms. Or, you may wish to use over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen. You also need to ensure that you keep your ear as dry as possible. To do this, you need to be careful when bathing and avoid swimming when you have an infection.
This type of infection is quite common for people on vacation. Children who dive underwater, venture into a wave pool or spend a lot of time at a water park risk developing this type of infection. This is likely because swimming and a hot climate are both causes of this type of infection.
Avoiding The Spread Of Swimmer’s Ear
If you are keen to avoid this possibility, you or your child should ensure that you wear waterproof earbuds. These will keep the water and moisture out of your ear completely. These earbuds adapt and can be molded to the specific shape of your ear to ensure that there is absolutely no way that any water can escape. However, sound can still travel in and out, so you can still hear, which means they are safe for public use. In this way, they work like ear protection you might wear for a music concert.
Other causes and issues that may result in a swimmer’s ear would be using earphones or earbuds and using anything to clean out your ears that should not be there. This is virtually everything. You shouldn’t insert anything inside your ear if you think it is dirty. This can be dangerous and potentially cause an infection to spread. If you are worried that your ear or your child’s inner ear is clogged up with ear wax, then always consult a professional. They will be able to provide the correct type of clean-out that won’t cause a risk of infection.
You can clean parts of the ear yourself, but this should only be the absolute outer ear. You can do this with a damp cloth. When you wash your outer ear, ensure that you are using a clean towel and that any earbuds or anything near the ear is also clean. Don’t share towels when you visit a swimming pool or water park. This will cause an infection to spread.
Are These Infections Dangerous?
Typically, a swimmer’s ear will not be considered dangerous. However, they can have painful repercussions. For instance, there is a reason that doctors will generally recommend that a child should not fly with an ear infection. It isn’t dangerous, but it will be excruciating, particularly for children who may not know why flying hurts them. It’s common for ears to ‘pop’ on a plane due to the high-pressure level. When you have an ear infection, there is even more pressure resulting in more pain and potential loss of hearing or a burst eardrum.
Aside from this, the infection may spread, and children could experience repeated infections. Generally speaking, more serious issues will occur when there is an underlying medical condition. For instance, if you or your child has a weakened immune system, then ear infections can and perhaps should be more of a concern. At the very least, you will need to keep an eye on them and take more care to ensure they do not spread.
Signs To Watch Out For In Children
Parents are often worried about the impact of an ear infection on their children. Indeed, from anywhere between six and eighteen months, an ear infection can be pretty severe. If your child is commonly experiencing ear infections around this age, it can lead to developmental to language delays. It can even cause permanent hearing loss.
As such, you must ensure that you are watching out for the signs of an issue here. It is crucial that if ear infections occur regularly in a child of this age, you take them to see a doctor so that they can get appropriate treatment.
One of the issues is that children during this age are often non-verbal. You might know they are in pain due to their actions or emotions. However, you won’t be able to pinpoint the cause of their pain, and they won’t be able to tell you. So, how can you know if your child suffers from an ear infection?
A child can show several different signs that they are suffering from an ear infection. You might not be aware that an issue with the ear can cause a problem with balance. So, this could be a sign if a child is stumbling or seems more clumsy than usual. It’s also likely that they will be tugging at their ear or even sticking their fingers in. They will do this to try and remove whatever is hurting them, which isn’t possible and can worsen the issues. You might even find they develop a fever, and at this point, you must get them the treatment they need. A fever is anything around 102 degrees.
Why Are Ear Infections Common In Children?
You might be wondering why ear infections are more common in children. Well, there are several reasons for this. The leading cause, though, is their eustachian tubes, which get clogged with mucus, are shorter. The horizontal angle also means the connection is far more likely to get infected and clogged.
There are other factors to consider too. For instance, a child born prematurely has Down syndrome or a Cleft palate could be more likely to develop this issue. Using a pacifier may also be an issue, mainly if it is not kept clean as this will spread bacteria. Another reason is that children often lie back while feeding or drinking.
So, how many ear infections are too many? Typically, if a child is experiencing three infections each six months or four infections within a year, this should be a cause for concern. This is when long-term effects can become an issue and why you must make sure that you visit a doctor as soon as possible.
Don’t Underestimate An Ear Infection.
Ear infections are not serious by themselves, but they can have severe complications and cause issues. It’s best to take the steps we have mentioned to avoid them where possible. If you can’t do this, you must ensure that the infection does not spread.
This will be possible if you keep the ear clean, do not insert any foreign objects inside the ear, practice good hygiene and be careful about public items you are using.
If you feel an ear infection is severe or you are worried about symptoms that are growing increasingly worse, make sure that you contact a doctor immediately for advice and treatment. This is particularly important with young children or anyone with a weakened immune system.