What causes an ear infection, what are the symptoms and how can I get treated?

What is an ear infection?

Otitis Externa:

• Otitis externa or outer ear canal infection usually results from swimming and water remaining in the ear afterwards and ear probing. This may be caused by bacteria or fungi. The outer ear becomes red, warm and painful.

Otitis media:

• Otitis media or middle ear infection affects the air-filled area behind your ear drum (tympanic membrane). This area houses 3 small bones that connect the eardrum to your hearing apparatus behind. These bones help amplify or reduce the volume of sound you hear.
• This is usually the result of other infections like flu, cold or allergies that spread through a thin tube called the Eustachian tube that connects the nasal cavity to your middle ear and helps to balance the pressure on both sides of your ear drum. This tube can be equated to the port or the hole you find on your box speakers that help balance pressure on both sides of the diaphragm. These tubes also help to keep the air in the cavity refreshed and drain secretions from the middle ear.
• When this tube gets blocked, the fluid and pressure build up in the middle ear. This fluid can get infected and cause symptoms. In children, this tube is narrow, soft and straight and is more prone to getting blocked and infected.
• Enlargement of Adenoid glands that are near the opening of these tubes can also contribute to them getting blocked often
• The infection that develops may be bacterial or viral or there may be no infection at all:
  • Otitis media with discharge, swelling and fluid buildup without infection
  • Chronic (recurring) otitis media with discharge occurs or fluid remains in the middle ear and symptoms keep returning without infection
  • Chronic suppurative otitis media which has an infection and may end up damaging the eardrum leading to discharge coming out of the ear canal.

Symptoms:

• Pain in ear
• Irritable or crying (in children)
• Feeding issues (in children)
• Sleep problems
• Fever
• Discharge from the ear
• Hearing problems
• Abnormal ringing sensation in the ear
• Giddiness
• Facial Paralysis
• Headache

Risk Factors:

• Children between 6 months and 2 years of age
• Children who visit child care facilities with other children (Cross Infections)
• Bottle feeding while lying down
• Seasonal factors, Allergies
• Poor air quality
• Cleft palate
• Adenoid or Sinus infections

Complications:

It is important to understand that although this is a common condition, leaving it untreated, especially when it is recurring can lead to serious consequences that affect the quality of life like:

• Decreased Hearing
• Language development & Speech problems
• Hole or tear in the eardrum
• Facial Nerve paralysis
• Spread of infection to the bone or brain

Prevention:

• Stay safe from the common cold and other illnesses
• Hygiene and hand washing habits in children
• Avoid smoke in the environment
• Breastfeeding till at least 6 months of age (Immunity of the children are better)
• Avoid ear cleaning and probing

Treatment:

Your doctor will evaluate the severity of the condition, and the chance of recurrence and provide you with the right medication or suggest corrections, as per your child’s situation, age and weight. It is important to get this evaluated by your doctor.