Chronic Ear Disease

Chronic Ear Infection Treatment in Chembur, Mumbai

When virus or bacteria infect the space in the middle ear (behind the eardrum), it causes pain and fluid retention. This painful infection is known as Acute Otitis Media (AOM) in the medical field. This ear disorder turns chronic, if a patient cannot recover from the ear infection or if the infection returns.

What do we need to know about chronic ear diseases?

Chronic ear disease could also be the result of cholesteatoma, which is another type of ear disorder. Patients, who suffer from cholesteatoma, have abnormal skin growths in the middle ear portions, behind their eardrums. These skin growths cause inflammation of the ear tissues as the middle ear bones get eroded. 

To seek treatment, you can search for an ENT specialist near you or an ENT hospital near you.

What are the types of chronic ear diseases?

There are two types of chronic ear diseases:

1. AOM - Acute Otitis Media
2. Cholesteatoma 

These two ear disorders cause chronic ear pain, which is often accompanied by the symptoms of fluid retention, fluid discharge, ear pain, tissue inflammation, irritation, etc. If a patient suffers from either of these disorders, he or she is bound to experience extreme ear pain that does not go away by itself. The untreated fluid buildup and the infection can cause partial or permanent hearing loss.

What are the symptoms of chronic ear diseases?

1. Ear pain
2. Fluid formation and retention in the ear
3. Fluid discharge from the ear
4. Inflamed tissue of the inner ear
5. Pressure in the ear canal
6. Hearing loss
7. Difficulty in sleeping
8. Ringing sensation
9. Headache
10. Nasal congestion
11. Fever

Depending on the exact type of the disease, the symptoms and their intensity could vary. Even so, continuous or throbbing ear pain is the most commonly observed symptom of such chronic ear diseases.

What causes the chronic ear diseases?

Chronic ear diseases can have multiple causes, depending on the frequency of the recurrence, the type of ear disease and the severity of symptoms. Some of the common causes of chronic ear disease are:

1. Bacterial or viral infections from cold/flu
2. Allergies
3. Ear injury
4. Sinusitis
5. Congestion
6. Nasal polyps
7. Blockage in the auditory tube
8. Chemical irritants
9. Barotrauma

When do you need to see a doctor?

If the nature of the infection is recurring/chronic, don’t ignore the symptoms. The symptoms of an ear infection usually go away on their own within 3-4 days. If you are facing severe symptoms of acute otitis media or cholesteatoma for more than a week, consult an ENT specialist near you. 

If your ear infection is not responding to medication or if the pain and severity of the infection increase, you should see a doctor at the earliest. If your child is suffering from ear discharge, you should book an otoscopic examination with an ENT doctor.

You can request an appointment at Apollo Spectra Hospitals, Chembur, Mumbai.

Call 1860 500 2244 to book an appointment.

What are the complications?

If the symptoms of chronic ear disease are ignored, it can lead to complications such as:

1. Partial or total loss of hearing
2. Cysts in the auditory tube
3. Damage to the vestibular system (balance)
4. Damage or inflammation in the brain
5. Facial paralysis
6. Infected mastoid bone

What is the treatment for chronic ear disease?

To treat AOM or cholesteatoma, home remedies such as using a cold compress at the pain site, using ear drops or OTC pain medication such as NSAIDs can be helpful.

Beyond these, professional medical treatment is often essential to prevent the recurrence of ear infection. An ENT specialist can recommend: 

1. Antibiotics
2. Perforating the eardrum
3. Ear tubes to drain the fluid (bilateral tympanostomy)
4. Myringotomy
5. Mastoidectomy

To treat your chronic ear disease, before the symptoms get exacerbated, you should visit an ENT specialist doctor near you. 

Conclusion

Thus, a chronic ear disease can turn out to be a painful disorder with repeating infections and harsh symptoms. Discharge from the ear can lead to further infections, and ignoring these symptoms in their early stages can harm the health of a patient. If you suffer from acute otitis media or cholesteatoma, you should consult an ear doctor near you.

References

Chronic Ear Infection: Signs, Treatments, and Prevention (healthline.com)

Otitis Media With Effusion: Treating Fluid in the Ear (verywellhealth.com)

What Can Cause Chronic Ear Infections? | Patient Care (weillcornell.org)