A viral or bacterial infection that affects the external, middle, or inner ear. It may follow an upper respiratory infection. Signs and symptoms include pain, ear discharge, ear fullness, hearing loss, vertigo, nausea, and vomiting
Symptoms of Ear Infection
The following features are indicative of Ear Infection:
ear pain
tugging or pulling at an ear
difficulty in sleeping
crying more than usual in children
difficulty hearing
loss of balance
fever of 100 F or higher
drainage of fluid from the ear
headache
loss of appetite
It is possible that Ear Infection shows no physical symptoms and still is present in a patient.
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Common Causes of Ear Infection
The following are the most common causes of Ear Infection:
cold
flu
allergy
Risk Factors for Ear Infection
The following factors may increase the likelihood of Ear Infection:
children between the ages of 6 months and 2 years
babies who drink from a bottle
seasonal factors
exposure to tobacco smoke or high levels of air pollution
Prevention of Ear Infection
Yes, it may be possible to prevent Ear Infection. Prevention may be possible by doing the following:
prevent common colds
teach children to wash their hands frequently and thoroughly
avoid secondhand smoke
breastfeed your baby
talk to doctor for seasonal flu shots, pneumococcal and other bacterial vaccines
Occurrence of Ear Infection
Number of Cases
The following are the number of Ear Infection cases seen each year worldwide:
Very common > 10 Million cases
Common Age Group
Ear Infection can occur at any age.
Common Gender
Ear Infection can occur in any gender.
Lab Tests and Procedures for Diagnosis of Ear Infection
The following lab tests and procedures are used to detect Ear Infection:
Pneumatic otoscope: To look in the ear and judge whether there is fluid behind the eardrum
Tympanometry: To measure the movement of the eardrum
Acoustic reflectometry: To measure how much sound emitted from a device is reflected back from the eardrum
Tympanocentesis: To drain fluid from the middle ear
Doctor for Diagnosis of Ear Infection
Patients should visit the following specialists if they have symptoms of Ear Infection:
Audiologist
Infectious disease specialist
Complications of Ear Infection if untreated
Yes, Ear Infection causes complications if it is not treated. Below is the list of complications and problems that may arise if Ear Infection is left untreated:
impaired hearing
speech or developmental delays
tearing of the eardrum
Procedures for Treatment of Ear Infection
The following procedures are used to treat Ear Infection:
Myringotomy: To help ventilate the middle ear and prevent the accumulation of more fluids
Medicines for Ear Infection
Below is the list of medicines used for Ear Infection:
The following self-care actions or lifestyle changes may help in the treatment or management of Ear Infection:
Prevent common colds and other illnesses: Help reduce the risk of developing ear infections
Avoid secondhand smoke: Help reduce the risk of developing ear infections
Alternative Medicine for Treatment of Ear Infection
The following alternate medicine and therapies are known to help in the treatment or management of Ear Infection:
Acupuncture: Helps bringing patient to normal condition
Phytotherapy: Helps Treating otitis
Vitamin D Supplement: Helps treating infections
Time for Treatment of Ear Infection
While time-period of treatment for each patient may vary, below is the typical time-period for Ear Infection to resolve if treated properly under an expert supervision: