Ear Infection Treatment in Chunni-ganj, Kanpur

An ear infection is an infection in the middle ear caused by a virus or bacteria. It may be painful, due to inflammation and build-up of fluid in the ear.

What Is An Ear Infection?

An ear infection may be acute or chronic. An acute ear infection lasts for a short time, whereas chronic infections do not heal properly and recur several times. Chronic infection can damage your ear permanently.

What Are The Causes Of An Ear Infection?

An ear infection occurs due to the blockage of your Eustachian tube, a small tube running from each ear to the back of the throat. It causes fluid to build up in the ear and causes pain and discomfort. Factors that contribute to the blockage of Eustachian tubes include:

• Infection of sinuses
• Repeated colds
• Respiratory allergies
• Excessive mucus formation
• Smoking
• Infection of adenoids (tissues present around your tonsils that trap harmful germs)
• Change in air pressure such as moving to the hills

What Are The Risk Factors For Ear Infections?

Risk factors for ear infections include -

• Children are more prone to suffer from ear infections because the Eustachian tubes in children are short and narrow.
• Infants who feed on bottles are also at an increased risk of getting ear infections.
• Sudden climate changes can also increase the risk of ear infections.
• Active and passive smoking can increase the risk of infection.
• Using a pacifier also increases the risk of infection in infants.
• Recent illnesses or chronic infections such as asthma can cause ear infections.

What Are The Symptoms Of Ear Infections?

The most common symptoms of ear infections include:

• Pain and discomfort in the ear
• A feeling of pressure inside the ear
• Irritation in infants
• Drainage of fluid from the ear
• Itching inside the ear
• Temporary loss of hearing

The symptoms may last longer or come and go and one or both ears may be affected. If both ears are infected, a person will experience severe pain. Chronic ear infections often go unnoticed.

How Can Ear Infections Be Diagnosed?

At Apollo Spectra, Kanpur, a health care professional will examine your ears using an instrument that has a light and magnifying lens. This instrument is called an otoscope. While examining the ear, they may observe redness, pus-like fluid inside the ear, a hole in the eardrum, or bulging of an eardrum.

The doctor may also order a CT scan of the head to determine if the infection has spread to your head. Apart from this, they may perform a hearing test if you have been suffering from an ear infection for several weeks.

What Is The Treatment For Ear Infections?

Mild ear infections in people in Kanpur may not need any treatment. The best ways to treat mild ear infections include the following:

• The doctor may ask you to take pain killers to get relief from pain.
• He may give you ear drops to get relief from pain.
• The doctor may also prescribe decongestants to relieve mucus.
• If you do not see improvement in the symptoms, schedule an appointment with a doctor immediately.

Request an appointment at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Kanpur

Call 1860-500-2244 to book an appointment

A doctor may suggest surgery if usual medical treatment does not work. They would place a tube inside your ear to drain the fluid out. If the infection is due to enlarged adenoids, the doctor will remove adenoids surgically.

Conclusion

An ear infection is an infection that occurs in the middle ear and it is the most common reason to see a doctor. It occurs when a bacteria or a virus traps fluid and causes pain and swelling. Treatment includes medications such as antibiotics and painkillers and in severe cases; the doctor may perform surgery.