Ear Infection

Ear Infection Treatment in Sadashiv Peth, Pune

The infection that occurs in the middle ear is known as an ear infection. Ear infections generally get better on their own. The middle ear is located behind the eardrum and is an air-filled space. Usually, children are more prone to ear infections when compared to adults. Ear infections are also known as Acute Otitis Media.

What are the Causes of Ear Infection?

The ears have eustachian tubes, which are a small tube that goes from the ear to the back of our throat. When this tube gets swollen or blocked, an ear infection occurs. The reasons why eustachian tubes get swollen or blocked can be because of;

• Allergies
• Cold
• Sinus infections
• Presence of excess mucus
• Due to smoking
• Adenoids, which are the tissues near the tonsils can get infected or swollen
• Air pressure changes

What are the Symptoms of Ear Infection?

Some of the most common symptoms of an ear infection are;

• Feeling pain or a sense of discomfort inside the ear
• Feeling pressure inside the ear
• In young children, you might notice them to be fussy and irritable
• Noticing pus-like drainage
• Loss of hearing

either come and go or can continue. And if one is suffering from a double ear infection, the pain can be severe. For children who are below the age of 6 months and have an ear infection with a fever need immediate medical intervention.

You must also see a doctor if;

• The symptoms last more than a day
• In children, if they are extremely fussy

Request an appointment at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Pune

Call 1860-500-2244 to book an appointment

How to Prevent Ear Infections?

Some of the things you can do to prevent ear infections include;

• Wash your hands frequently
• Try to avoid areas that are overly crowded
• If you have an infant or a small child, try to avoid the use of pacifiers
• Breastfeeding infants can help prevent ear infections
• Avoid smoking and second-hand smoke
• All the immunizations and vaccinations must be up-to-date

How Are Ear Infections Diagnosed?

To diagnose an ear infection, your doctor will use an instrument known as an otoscope. With the help of this examination, your doctor will be able to determine;

• Any redness inside the ear, air bubbles, or any pus-like fluid
• If any fluid draining from the middle ear
• Any hole in the eardrum
• Swelling or any other problems in the eardrum

If your ear infection is severe, your doctor might also test the fluid sample from inside the ear to check for any bacteria. CT scan can also be ordered to further detect the infection.

How to Treat Ear Infections?

In most cases, the ear infections get cleared without any intervention. However, when it continues, your doctor might prescribe;

• Ear drops for pain relief or other pain medication
• Decongestants to get rid of any blockage
• If the symptoms are severe, antibiotics may be prescribed
• For severe ear infections in children to antibiotics may be prescribed

To combat severe pain, warm cloth compression can be used on the affected ear after consulting your doctor.

If despite the medication the ear infection persists, surgery might be an option where tubes are placed in the ear to drain out the fluid.

Wrapping up, it is important to understand that without timely medical intervention, the condition can deteriorate causing serious problems, such as hearing loss, speech delay in children, ruptured eardrums, and infection of mastoid bone in the skull. Therefore, if the symptoms continue for more than a day, talk to your doctor immediately.