Medically Verified By: Dr. Poonam Kathe
Your ears are one of the most important sensory organs of your body and yet you manage to neglect it the most. They do their job in silence and hardly vie for your attention, but when they do, they do it with a vengeance. Ear infections can be painful and cause much trouble if you end up having one.
Your ears are one of your body's most important sensory organs, yet you neglect them the most. They do their job in silence and hardly vie for your attention, but when they do, they do it with a vengeance. As a result, ear infections can be painful and cause much trouble if you have one.
The ear is divided into three parts: the external ear, middle ear and inner. Therefore, an infection can take hold in any of these ear regions.
External ear infection
The external ear infection is usually limited to the outer ear and is an outcome of a bacterial or fungal invasion. Some common reasons for superficial ear infection are:
Whether it is an external, middle or internal ear infection, some of the common symptoms that one can suffer from following an ear infection are:
An ear infection is usually caused due to a bacterial or fungal attack and is more common in children than adults. In general, it can give rise to acute pain and cause a lot of disturbance at the onset.
Certain risk factors increase one’s chances of getting an ear infection.
The organisms which cause ear infections, such as viruses or bacteria, are contagious, not the ear infection itself. It is, therefore, vital to keep the following things in mind to prevent ear infections. The standard preventive measures include –
Breastfeeding- Breastfeeding can build immunity in your child and should be exclusively done for the first six months. It is important to maintain an angle while breastfeeding to prevent the milk from going into the eustachian tube and becoming a cause of infection.
Vaccinations- As pneumococcal bacteria is the most commonly occurring ear infection, vaccinating your child with a pneumococcal conjugate vaccine can help protect against several strains of this bacteria.
Keep your ears dry: Avoid cleaning your ears with an earbud at home. Instead, go for a professional clean-up at least once a year to remove the wax developed in your ears. If you get fluids in your ears while using a hairspray, during the rains, or while swimming, make sure to clean the outer ear with a clean cloth to avoid bacteria or fungal growth that can lead to an infection. Avoid excessive use of earphones and keep the decibel levels low. Do not put in cotton swabs inside your ears as that can lead to trapping bacteria within.
Precautions- If your child goes to a day-care, insist on good hand hygiene practices and avoid sharing food to minimize infections. Also, avoid exposure to smoke and people who smoke.
Don’t ignore a warning sign: If you suffer from an ear infection symptoms, it is wise to get tested by an ENT specialist.
To diagnose an ear infection, history taking and physical examination will be initially done. The doctor will ask about any signs of ear pain or related symptoms in history taking. In the physical examination, the doctor will pass a scope into the ear to identify any signs of infection, swelling or pus. He may also assess the stiffness of the eardrum, which indicates infection, by passing a small puff of air into the ear. Certain tests can be done to differentiate between recent infections or chronic infections. This is important as the treatment for both is different. Other tests may also be performed, which are as follows.
If the infection is not severe usually medical management takes care of it with antibiotics and nasal decongestants. However, chronic middle ear infections with ear perforations and bony destruction require surgical management.
Some of the common treatments and procedures to treat ear infections are as follows:
Cleaning of the wax:
If wax build-up in your ears gives rise to an infection, a cleaning needs to be done to address the problem. The doctor does this professional cleaning under a head light with specialized micro instruments. Many practitioners also practice the syringing technique to clean the wax but it is highly condemned and obsolete now. Also, do not use ear buds to clean the ear as they are unsterile and may cause an injury if not used properly.
Using ear drops:
Sometimes if a professional cleaning is not needed then some ear drops might be suggested to help dissolve the wax and address the infection. Many OTC ear drops are also available to address the problem of wax buildup. It is advisable not to use any ear drops without a proper examination from your ENT specialist
Sometimes surgeries like the following might be suggested to treat an uncontrolled ear infection:
Tympanoplasty: ‘If a middle ear infection has made certain perforations on the eardrums of the ear, then a tympanoplasty is done wherein surgically a new eardrum is grafted for the patient to counter hearing loss and fight the infection.
Recent advances now allow endoscopic surgery which has no stitches and faster recovery.
Mastoidectomy: In case the ear infection erodes the bones in the ear leading to a condition called cholesteatoma, an immediate surgical intervention is necessitated. In mastoidectomy, the disease or infected part of the mastoid bone behind the ears, is drilled out to stop the infection from reaching the brain. Else it could lead to a permanent hearing loss in the individual.
A surgery to address ear infection can be an OPD procedure or might need a day’s stay in the hospital; following proper after care instruction provided by the doctor can help one get back to normalcy pretty soon.
Certain home remedies can help relieve ear pain till you show it to the doctor.
Cold or hot compression: Using heat or cold on the affected ear, can help relieve pain.
Sleeping position: Taking a position that places your affected ear at a height above the rest of your body or alternating sleeping sides, depending on which ear is affected, can help relieve pain. These simple techniques will help relieve pressure on the affected ear, which will, in turn, reduce pain.
ppropriate medication, most ear infections clear up within a few days, and pain relief may occur within a few hours. However, if untreated, the infection may spread, leading to mastoiditis (infection in the mastoid bone) or, in rare circumstances, even meningitis. Some individuals may also face difficulties in hearing. In younger children, it may impair the development of speech and language.
Complications of ear infection are rare but may occur if left untreated.
Some natural therapies are seen to be beneficial in ear infections.
Herbal ear drops- A mix of St. John’s wort, garlic and calendula effectively reduces ear pain in cases of ear infection.
Xylitol- This natural sugar is effective in ear infection when taken several times a day over some months as it has been found to be effective against the progress of certain bacteria.
However, it is precautionary to talk to your physician before starting any natural therapy as there may be certain interactions between this treatment and the treatment you are currently on. Herbal remedies can be effective and safe, but topically may be irritating when used. Xylitol has also been found to be safe but can cause an upset stomach and diarrhoea, if doses exceed 30 grams in a day.
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