How do doctors diagnose ear infections. What are the most effective treatments for ear pain. Are antibiotics always necessary for ear infections. How can ear infections be managed naturally at home. What surgical options exist for chronic ear infections.

Understanding Ear Infections: Causes and Symptoms

Ear infections are a common ailment, particularly among children. These infections occur when bacteria or viruses cause inflammation in the middle ear, the space behind the eardrum. While adults can develop ear infections, children are more susceptible due to their developing immune systems and the anatomy of their Eustachian tubes.

Common symptoms of ear infections include:

• Ear pain or earache
• Difficulty hearing
• Fever
• Fluid drainage from the ear
• Balance problems
• Irritability in young children

Ear infections often accompany other respiratory issues, such as colds or allergies. This is because the Eustachian tubes, which connect the middle ear to the back of the throat, can become blocked, trapping fluid and creating an environment conducive to bacterial growth.

Diagnosing Ear Infections: What Your Doctor Looks For

When you visit your healthcare provider with ear pain symptoms, they will conduct a thorough examination to determine if an ear infection is present. The diagnostic process typically involves the following steps:

Medical History Review

Your doctor will ask about your symptoms, their duration, and any recent illnesses or allergies. For parents bringing in children, it’s helpful to come prepared with notes about your child’s symptoms and behavior.

Physical Examination

The primary tool used to diagnose ear infections is the otoscope. This instrument allows the doctor to visualize the eardrum and look for signs of infection, such as:

• Redness or inflammation of the eardrum
• Bulging of the eardrum due to fluid buildup
• Presence of fluid or pus behind the eardrum

Pneumatic Otoscopy

Does the eardrum move normally. To assess this, doctors often use a pneumatic otoscope, which puffs a small amount of air against the eardrum. In a healthy ear, the eardrum should move freely. If there’s fluid behind it, the movement will be limited or absent.

Tympanometry

In some cases, your doctor may use a tympanometer to measure the eardrum’s response to changes in air pressure. This can help detect fluid in the middle ear, even if it’s not visible with an otoscope.

Treatment Options for Ear Infections

The approach to treating ear infections depends on several factors, including the severity of symptoms, the patient’s age, and whether the infection is bacterial or viral. Here are the main treatment strategies:

Pain Management

Regardless of the cause, pain relief is often the first priority in treating ear infections. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) can help reduce pain and fever. It’s important to note that aspirin should be avoided in children due to the risk of Reye’s syndrome.

Antibiotics

Are antibiotics always necessary for ear infections. Not always. Many ear infections, especially those caused by viruses, will resolve on their own without antibiotics. However, if your doctor suspects a bacterial infection or if symptoms are severe, they may prescribe antibiotics. Common antibiotics for ear infections include amoxicillin and azithromycin.

When prescribed antibiotics, it’s crucial to complete the entire course as directed, even if symptoms improve. This helps prevent the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Wait-and-See Approach

For mild cases in older children and adults, doctors may recommend a wait-and-see approach. This involves managing pain at home and monitoring symptoms for 48-72 hours before starting antibiotics. Many infections will improve on their own during this time.

Surgical Interventions for Chronic Ear Infections

In cases of recurrent or chronic ear infections, surgical interventions may be considered. The most common procedure is the insertion of ear tubes, also known as tympanostomy tubes or ventilation tubes.

Myringotomy and Ear Tube Insertion

This procedure involves making a small incision in the eardrum (myringotomy) and inserting a tiny tube. The benefits of ear tubes include:

• Allowing fluid to drain from the middle ear
• Equalizing pressure between the middle ear and the environment
• Reducing the frequency of ear infections
• Improving hearing in cases where fluid buildup has caused hearing loss

How long do ear tubes stay in place. Most ear tubes fall out on their own within 6 to 18 months. In some cases, they may need to be surgically removed if they don’t fall out naturally.

Adenoidectomy

In some children with recurrent ear infections, removal of the adenoids (adenoidectomy) may be recommended. This can be especially beneficial if enlarged adenoids are contributing to Eustachian tube dysfunction.

Home Remedies and Natural Treatments for Ear Infections

While medical treatment is often necessary for ear infections, several home remedies can help alleviate symptoms and support healing:

Warm Compress

Applying a warm compress to the affected ear can help reduce pain and promote drainage. Use a clean cloth soaked in warm (not hot) water and hold it against the ear for 10-15 minutes at a time.

Elevation

Sleeping with the head elevated can help facilitate drainage from the Eustachian tubes. Use extra pillows to prop up the head while resting.

Hydration

Staying well-hydrated can help thin mucus and promote drainage. Encourage plenty of water intake, especially for children.

Gargling with Salt Water

For older children and adults, gargling with warm salt water can help soothe a sore throat and may assist in clearing the Eustachian tubes.

Avoid Smoke Exposure

Secondhand smoke can irritate the Eustachian tubes and increase the risk of ear infections. Keep children away from smoky environments and encourage smokers to quit or smoke outside.

Preventing Ear Infections: Strategies for Reducing Risk

While it’s not always possible to prevent ear infections, several strategies can help reduce their frequency:

• Breastfeeding infants, when possible, as breast milk contains antibodies that can help protect against infections
• Avoiding bottle-feeding while lying down
• Keeping up to date with vaccinations, including the pneumococcal vaccine and annual flu shots
• Practicing good hand hygiene to reduce the spread of germs
• Avoiding exposure to secondhand smoke
• Managing allergies effectively

When to Seek Medical Attention for Ear Pain

While many ear infections resolve on their own, it’s important to know when to seek medical care. Contact your healthcare provider if:

• Symptoms persist for more than 2-3 days
• Pain is severe or worsening
• There’s discharge of blood or pus from the ear
• Fever is high (102°F or higher) or persistent
• There are signs of hearing loss
• Symptoms occur in an infant under 6 months old

Prompt medical attention can help prevent complications and ensure appropriate treatment.

Long-Term Management of Recurrent Ear Infections

For individuals prone to recurrent ear infections, long-term management strategies may be necessary. These can include:

Regular Check-ups

Scheduling regular follow-up appointments with an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat specialist) can help monitor ear health and address any recurring issues promptly.

Allergy Management

If allergies contribute to frequent ear infections, working with an allergist to develop an effective management plan can help reduce the risk of ear-related complications.

Lifestyle Modifications

Identifying and addressing environmental factors that may increase the risk of ear infections, such as exposure to secondhand smoke or frequent swimming, can be beneficial in long-term prevention.

Consideration of Prophylactic Antibiotics

In some cases, particularly for children with recurrent infections, doctors may consider prescribing low-dose antibiotics as a preventive measure during high-risk periods, such as cold and flu season.

By understanding the causes, symptoms, and treatment options for ear infections, individuals can better manage this common condition and seek appropriate care when needed. While ear infections can be painful and disruptive, with proper treatment and preventive measures, their impact can be minimized, allowing for improved ear health and overall well-being.

Ear Infection Treatments, Antibiotics, & Medications

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

• What Is My Doctor Looking For?
• Treatments
• Pain Relief
• Antibiotics
• Drainage
• Natural Remedies
• More

If you care for children, you likely know already how often they come down with earaches. Adults get them, too, but youngsters have them much more often. That’s because they don’t fight off viruses and bacteria as well, and their little ears aren’t good at draining fluids yet.

You or your child may have a sore throat, stuffy nose, or fever along with an earache. These are signs of a possible infection.

Call your doctor so she can find out for sure what’s going on. If it is an infection, she can recommend the best treatment for your case.

Your doctor will ask you about any symptoms you’ve had. Be sure to come to the office with any notes you might need and questions on your mind.

She will look at the eardrum with an instrument called an otoscope for signs of infection. This is a tough task with a fussy infant, so be ready to help calm the little one if it’s your child with the earache.

Signs of infection include a red eardrum or a bulging eardrum with fluid behind it. The fluid may be thin like during a cold, or thick like pus. It is located in the middle ear, just behind the ear drum. Otitis media means inflammation of the middle ear. A puffer attached to the otoscope blows air to see if your thin eardrum moves. With fluid in the middle ear, the eardrum is more rigid and doesn’t move back and forth.

She might also look for signs of infection with another instrument. It’s called a tympanometer, and it uses sound and air pressure to check for fluid in the middle ear.

Often, a virus causes an ear infection, in which case antibiotics won’t help. If, based on the history, your doctor suspects that bacteria may have caused the infection, she may prescribe an antibiotic.

You may also talk to your doctor about things you can do at home.

If a virus or bacteria are causing the infection and you have to wait for it to get better, you don’t need to live with the pain.

Your doctor may recommend a pain reliever, typically acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), which also helps reduce a fever. Aspirin should be avoided in children because of the threat of Reye’s syndrome, a rare condition that can cause swelling in the brain or liver.

Pain can also be reduced by using low heat from a heating pad. Be very careful using a heating pad with children.

If your doctor decides to go with antibiotics, follow all the instructions. Take all of the doses even if you or your child are feeling better. Call your doctor or pharmacist if you skip a dose or feel sick from the medicine.

If you don’t take the whole course, your infection could come back and become resistant to more treatments.

If an infection causes serious complications, fluid remains in the ear for a long time, or your child has ear infections that keep coming back, your doctor might want to do a procedure called a myringotomy.

She creates a small hole in the eardrum so fluids such as water, blood, or pus can drain out. In many cases, she will put in a tube so it won’t get backed up again.

The tube, which will usually fall out on its own in about 6 to 18 months, lets the fluid out and air flow through to keep the middle ear dry. Tubes also:

• Reduce pain
• Improve hearing
• Cut down on the number of infections your child may have

When younger children get these ear tubes, it’s surgery. They will need to go to the hospital and take something to sleep during the procedure, which usually lasts about 15 minutes.

Older children and adults can have it done while they’re awake. For them, it can be done in their doctor’s office.

This surgery rarely leads to infection or scarring and usually prevents long-term symptoms. If the tubes come out and the infections return, talk to your doctor about more treatments.

Doctors generally don’t consider the removal of tonsils helpful for ear infections.

You can do things at home to ease your symptoms. Talk to your doctor first about these tips:

Warmth: You may find a heated compress brings comfort.

Feedings: If you feed your baby with a bottle, do it standing up. Don’t put your infant to bed with one. Try to take your child off it as soon as the doctor thinks he’s ready.

Gargling: In older children or adults, salt water helps soothe a raw throat and may help clear the Eustachian tubes.

Stand tall: Holding your head erect can help drain your middle ear.

Fresh air: Smokers should refrain from smoking inside the house or anywhere near your child.

Top Picks

Ear Infection Treatments, Antibiotics, & Medications

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

• What Is My Doctor Looking For?
• Treatments
• Pain Relief
• Antibiotics
• Drainage
• Natural Remedies
• More

If you care for children, you likely know already how often they come down with earaches. Adults get them, too, but youngsters have them much more often. That’s because they don’t fight off viruses and bacteria as well, and their little ears aren’t good at draining fluids yet.

You or your child may have a sore throat, stuffy nose, or fever along with an earache. These are signs of a possible infection.

Call your doctor so she can find out for sure what’s going on. If it is an infection, she can recommend the best treatment for your case.

Your doctor will ask you about any symptoms you’ve had. Be sure to come to the office with any notes you might need and questions on your mind.

She will look at the eardrum with an instrument called an otoscope for signs of infection. This is a tough task with a fussy infant, so be ready to help calm the little one if it’s your child with the earache.

Signs of infection include a red eardrum or a bulging eardrum with fluid behind it. The fluid may be thin like during a cold, or thick like pus. It is located in the middle ear, just behind the ear drum. Otitis media means inflammation of the middle ear. A puffer attached to the otoscope blows air to see if your thin eardrum moves. With fluid in the middle ear, the eardrum is more rigid and doesn’t move back and forth.

She might also look for signs of infection with another instrument. It’s called a tympanometer, and it uses sound and air pressure to check for fluid in the middle ear.

Often, a virus causes an ear infection, in which case antibiotics won’t help. If, based on the history, your doctor suspects that bacteria may have caused the infection, she may prescribe an antibiotic.

You may also talk to your doctor about things you can do at home.

If a virus or bacteria are causing the infection and you have to wait for it to get better, you don’t need to live with the pain.

Your doctor may recommend a pain reliever, typically acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), which also helps reduce a fever. Aspirin should be avoided in children because of the threat of Reye’s syndrome, a rare condition that can cause swelling in the brain or liver.

Pain can also be reduced by using low heat from a heating pad. Be very careful using a heating pad with children.

If your doctor decides to go with antibiotics, follow all the instructions. Take all of the doses even if you or your child are feeling better. Call your doctor or pharmacist if you skip a dose or feel sick from the medicine.

If you don’t take the whole course, your infection could come back and become resistant to more treatments.

If an infection causes serious complications, fluid remains in the ear for a long time, or your child has ear infections that keep coming back, your doctor might want to do a procedure called a myringotomy.

She creates a small hole in the eardrum so fluids such as water, blood, or pus can drain out. In many cases, she will put in a tube so it won’t get backed up again.

The tube, which will usually fall out on its own in about 6 to 18 months, lets the fluid out and air flow through to keep the middle ear dry. Tubes also:

• Reduce pain
• Improve hearing
• Cut down on the number of infections your child may have

When younger children get these ear tubes, it’s surgery. They will need to go to the hospital and take something to sleep during the procedure, which usually lasts about 15 minutes.

Older children and adults can have it done while they’re awake. For them, it can be done in their doctor’s office.

This surgery rarely leads to infection or scarring and usually prevents long-term symptoms. If the tubes come out and the infections return, talk to your doctor about more treatments.

Doctors generally don’t consider the removal of tonsils helpful for ear infections.

You can do things at home to ease your symptoms. Talk to your doctor first about these tips:

Warmth: You may find a heated compress brings comfort.

Feedings: If you feed your baby with a bottle, do it standing up. Don’t put your infant to bed with one. Try to take your child off it as soon as the doctor thinks he’s ready.

Gargling: In older children or adults, salt water helps soothe a raw throat and may help clear the Eustachian tubes.

Stand tall: Holding your head erect can help drain your middle ear.

Fresh air: Smokers should refrain from smoking inside the house or anywhere near your child.

Top Picks

Drops for inflammation of the ear, treatment of otitis with ear drops

There are many diseases affecting the hearing organs. However, it is primarily a childhood infection and is the most common childhood infection for which antibiotics are prescribed ¹ . When this disease is detected, the otolaryngologist prescribes various drugs and medicines, among which there may be local remedies, including antibiotics, antiseptics, glucocorticoids, etc.

But with the wrong choice of drug, as well as due to non-compliance with the dosage, the treatment may be ineffective and lead to hearing loss and balance dysfunction ² .

First of all, you need to see a doctor so that he can determine the degree of the inflammatory process. Depending on the affected department, there are three types of this disease:

• External . The disease can occur as a result of water entering the lumen of the auditory canal (which is why it is often called “swimmer’s ear”), traumatic injuries or the presence of a foreign body ³ .
• Medium . The risk factor is an increase in the incidence in the autumn-winter months due to the activity of respiratory viruses ⁴ .
• Internal (labyrinthitis) can rarely occur due to both acute and chronic ear infections and presents with nausea, vomiting, dizziness, tinnitus and hearing loss ¹ .

Types and features of ear drops for otitis externa

Proper application of topical agents to the site of infection is a key element in the effective treatment of otitis externa ² .

In modern medicine, the following types of such drugs are distinguished:

• antibiotics – topical antibiotics are highly effective in treating otitis externa ² ;
• glucocorticoids – topical glucocorticoids reduce inflammation resulting in relief of itching and pain relief ² ;
• antiseptics and acidifying solutions – antiseptics such as alcohol and acetic acid have broad spectrum antimicrobial activity ² .

However, these medicines are not completely safe. Each local medication has contraindications and side effects. Therefore, it is necessary to carefully treat the medicine and strictly follow the rules of administration.

How to use drops for ear infections?

Such a medicine is not universal, so there is no single rule for their use. Depending on the stage of the disease and the components of the drug, different dosages are used.

For example, you can read the instructions for Otipax® ear drops for ear inflammation, which are suitable for both children and adults. This remedy is actively used for pain in the middle ear, as well as for viral or barotraumatic otitis media. It belongs to the group of anti-inflammatory drugs, as it effectively relieves pain. Otipax® acts very quickly: the pain begins to disappear within 5 minutes after instillation, and after 15 minutes, the inflammatory process decreases. It consists of two components – phenazone and lidocaine. The first reduces the temperature and relieves inflammation, and the second has an analgesic effect. These medicines work long enough, so you should not bury it often. 4 drops 2-3 times a day are enough to get rid of otitis media as quickly as possible. On average, the course of treatment takes 10 days ⁵ .

OTIPAX® drops can be purchased at various pharmacies throughout Ukraine. You just need to follow the link and select your city. However, before using them, be sure to consult your doctor.

References:

: Apr 06, 2022.

2. Laura A Goguen, MD Marlene L Durand, MD; “External otitis. Treatment”, UpToDate, Literature review current through: Jul 2022. | This topic last updated: Jul 13, 2022.

3. Otorhinolaryngology Secrets, Bruce W. Jafek; Bruce W. Murrow; BINOM Publishing House LLC; second scientific edition; Art. 82-93.

4. Acute otitis media in children: Epidemiology, microbiology, and complications. UpToDate. Stephen I Pelton, MDPaula Tähtinen, MD, PhD.

5. Instructions for the medical use of Otipax®.

Otipax 016 25.08.22

What not to do if your ear hurts

What not to do if your ear hurts – Polyclinic news

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October 15, 2020

Ear pain is considered one of the most unpleasant and excruciating pains. It can completely disrupt night sleep and significantly worsen the quality of life.

The main causes of ear pain are infections and injuries (improper cleaning of the ear canal, various bumps and injuries can lead to an inflammatory process).

If the lesion is in the outer section, then you will feel itching in the auricle, pain (most often acute). As for the middle ear, here diseases can “come” from the nasopharynx. Most often, we experience shooting pain in the ear, a sensation of throbbing, hearing loss, a strong and unusual perception of our own voice. With damage to the inner ear, pain is extremely rare. Symptoms such as incoordination, nausea, noise are characteristic.

Sometimes excruciating pain can occur due to disease in neighboring organs (dental disease, trigeminal neuralgia, inflammation in the throat, nose or paranasal sinuses, diseases of the esophagus, cardiovascular pathologies, etc.). In this case, the pain simply “gives” to the ears.

Causes of ear pain can be caused by both infections and injuries

Do’s and Don’ts for ear pain:

⠀

• Warm up the ear. If the cause of the problem is not established (and it is very difficult to do it yourself), then you can seriously harm yourself. In the inflammatory process, the risk of spreading the lesion is high.
• Use antibiotics. Antibacterial drops, at best, may be ineffective (with fungal otitis), at worst (in some pathologies they have a toxic effect on the nerve endings) – they can lead to deafness.

⠀
If there is no purulent discharge from the ear cavity, and the body temperature remains normal, you can take an anesthetic drug. Vasoconstrictor drops in the nose will also help. They reduce internal pressure on the membrane and thereby significantly reduce pain.

The best thing, of course, is not to get sick! So be sure to take care of your ears. Always wear a hat in the winter, carefully clean your ears from wax and do not start the disease.