Chronic Ear Disease

Chronic Ear Infection Treatment in Koramangala, Bangalore

Ear infections which recur despite treatment can be termed chronic ear disease. Ear infections are quite common, especially in children, causing earaches. It may also occur in adults, but they usually get resolved after treatment. Sometimes, the infections do not get resolved easily.

To seek treatment, you can visit an ENT hospital in Bangalore. Or you can search online for an ENT specialist near me.

What do we need to know about chronic ear disease?

Chronic ear disease is mostly caused by viruses and sometimes by bacteria. The Eustachian tube is responsible for draining the fluids from the middle ear. It may sometimes get blocked, which in turn leads to an ear infection. The fluid buildup in the middle ear causes pain as it presses on the eardrum. This, if left untreated, can lead to chronic ear disease or also ruptured eardrum. The Eustachian tubes in children are softer and smaller and can often get blocked because of common cold, allergies or sinus infections. 

What are the types of chronic ear disease?

These include:

• Acute otitis media - This is the most common type of chronic ear disease. In this case, fluids build up in the middle ear which causes ear pain.
• Otitis media with effusion - This mostly occurs after an ear infection gets resolved. It occurs when some fluids remain in the middle ear and can cause earaches.
• Chronic otitis media with effusion - This occurs when fluid remains in the middle ear for a longer time and also returns again and again. In this case, patients can also experience trouble in hearing.
• Cholesteatoma - In this case, there is an abnormal growth of skin in the middle ear. This may occur due to frequent ear infections or due to pressure on the eardrum. It can cause damage to the tiny bones in the ear and also lead to hearing loss if left untreated.

What are the symptoms of chronic ear disease?

In adults, symptoms include:

• Feeling of fullness in the ear
• Muffled hearing
• Earaches
• Some fluid discharge from the ear
• Hearing loss
•  Feeling of imbalance or dizziness

Symptoms in children include:

• Fever
• Discharge of some fluid from the ear
• Restlessness

What are the causes of chronic ear disease?

The Eustachian tube may get blocked because of:

• Common cold
• Sinus
• Allergies
• Bacterial infection
• Air pressure changes

When do you need to see a doctor?

If your child is showing any of the symptoms of chronic ear disease, then you should consider seeing a doctor. You should also visit a doctor if you are diagnosed with an ear infection and it refuses to go away.

You can request an appointment at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Koramangala, Bangalore.

Call 1860 500 2244 to book an appointment.

What are the risk factors?

These may include: 

• An upper respiratory tract infection
• Family history of chronic ear diseases
• Altitude changes
• Smoking
• Down’s syndrome
• A cleft palate

What happens if we leave ear infections untreated?

If left untreated, these may cause serious complications such as eardrum perforation, hearing loss and meningitis.

How is chronic ear disease treated?

Treatment options for chronic ear disease include:

• Dry mopping - A doctor flushes out the ears and rids the ears of earwax. This keeps the ear canal clean and frees it from any debris or discharge. This speeds up the treatment process.
•  Medicines - People with chronic ear disease are given medicines to counter ear pain and fever.  
• Antibiotics - Antibiotics are given if the ear infection is caused by bacteria. People with a perforated eardrum may be given antibiotic ear drops.
•  Ear tap - In this procedure, the doctor removes the fluid from behind the eardrum and tests it to identify the cause of ear infection. In some cases, the doctor might perform a surgery to insert a pressure equalization tube to remove the fluid from the ear.
•  Adenoids removal - Enlarged adenoids may also be the reason for ear infection. Doctors perform surgery to remove them in such cases.

Conclusion

If symptoms persist, you should immediately consult a doctor. Treatment would depend on the type of ear disease.