Ear Infection (Otitis Media)

Ear Infection (Otitis Media) Treatment in MRC Nagar, Chennai

An ear infection occurs when a viral or bacterial infection affects the middle section of the ear, which is the portion just behind the eardrum. An ear infection is painful due to fluid build-up and inflammation in the middle ear.

Ear infection can be acute or chronic. Acute ear infections are painful but usually persist for a short period. But a chronic infection in the ear either recurs several times or doesn't clear up. Chronic ear infections might lead to chronic damage to the inner and middle ear. In case of chronic infection, you need to consult ENT doctors in Chennai.

What are the symptoms of ear infection?

The onset of symptoms and signs of ear infection is generally rapid. It can vary with age.

• Children

  The symptoms of ear infection in children are:

  • Ear pain, particularly when lying down
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Pulling or tugging at an ear
  • Fussiness
  • Loss of balance
  • Trouble responding to sounds or hearing
  • Fever of around 100 degrees Fahrenheit or higher
  • Headache
  • Fluid drainage from the ear
• Adults

  Common symptoms of ear infection in adults include:

  • Ear pain
  • Trouble hearing
  • Fluid drainage from the ear

What causes ear infection?

You develop an ear infection when one of the Eustachian tubes is blocked or swollen causing fluid build-up in the middle ear. These are small tubes running from one ear to the back of the throat.

Here are some things that can lead to Eustachian tube blockage:

• Excess mucus
• Colds
• Allergies
• Sinus infection
• Viruses
• Smoking
• Changes in air pressure

When do you need to see a doctor?

In case the only symptom you are experiencing is earache, you should wait a day or two prior to seeing a doctor. At times, the ear infection goes away within a few days. But if the pain does not get any better, you need to see a doctor as soon as possible. If you have trouble hearing or experience fluid drainage from the ear,

request an appointment at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, MRC Nagar, Chennai.

Call 1860 500 2244 to book an appointment.

How is an ear infection treated?

Ear infection treatment depends on the age of a person, the nature of the infection, the severity of infection and for how long the fluid has remained in the middle ear.

An ear infection specialist in Chennai will recommend medication to relieve you of the pain and other symptoms. In case the symptoms are mild, a healthcare provider might wait a few days before prescribing medicine to see if the infection goes away on its own.

If the ear infection specialist in MRC Nagar thinks that bacteria are the cause of the ear infection, he/she might prescribe antibiotics. Usually, a healthcare specialist waits for up to 3 days before prescribing antibiotics to see if the ear infection clears up on its own.

Don’t take antibiotics on your own. In case it is an outer ear infection, it has to be thoroughly cleaned followed up by anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial medications.

How do you prevent ear infections?

To prevent ear infections, you can follow the tips given below:

• Wash your ears and clean with cotton swabs. Dry your ears after taking a shower or swimming
• Avoid smoking
• Wash your hands properly and stay away from people who have upper respiratory issues like a cold
• Manage allergies by taking allergy medications or avoiding trigger
• Check if vaccines are up to date

What are the risk factors?

Children are more likely than adults to develop ear infections. This is because they have smaller Eustachian tubes than adults. So, if you have tubes that don’t have much slope or are smaller, you run the risk of developing an ear infection.

Also, if you smoke or encounter passive smoking, you can develop an ear infection.

No matter what the reason is behind your ear infection, you need to reach out to an ear infection hospital in Chennai to get it treated.

Conclusion

Proper ear infection treatment in MRC Nagar should eliminate any complications. In case you let an ear infection go untreated, you can risk having the infection spread to the other regions of the head or permanent hearing loss. In case you think you have an ear infection, get it checked by ear infection doctors in MRC Nagar, Chennai.

Sources

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/319788#treatment

https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/ear-infections-children

https://www.entcolumbia.org/health-library/otitis-media-middle-ear-infection-adults