Ear infection (middle ear)

Description

An infection in the ear, also known as acute otitis media is an infection of the air that fills the space behind the eardrum, known as the middle ear. Children are more likely than adults to get ear infections.

Ear infections often go away on their own. So that treatment may begin with managing pain and see the problem. Sometimes, health professionals prescribe antibiotics to eliminate the infection.

Some people have repeated ear infections. This can cause hearing problems and other serious complications.

Symptoms

The symptoms of ear infection often appear quickly.

Children

Infection in the ear of the common symptoms in children include:

  • The ear pain.
  • Pulling the ear.
  • Sleep problems.
  • Crying more than usual.
  • Irritability.
  • Trouble of the hearing or responding to sounds.
  • The loss of balance.
  • Fever.
  • Fluid coming from the ear, which may be a rupture of the eardrum.
  • The pain of a headache.
  • Loss of appetite.

Adults

The common symptoms of ear infections in adults include:

  • Ear pain or pressure.
  • Fluid coming from the andar, which may be a rupture of the eardrum.
  • Hearing problems.

When to see a doctor

Many diseases have symptoms of an ear infection. It is important to get a good diagnosis and a prompt treatment. Call your child's healthcare provider for symptoms that severe or to:

  • Symptoms that last longer than 2 to 3 days.
  • Symptoms in a child younger than 6 months of age.
  • The symptoms that are getting worse.
  • A baby or a small child that is of insomnia or in a bad mood after a cold or other infection that affected the breathing, also known as an upper respiratory infection.
  • Fluid, pus, or blood from the ear.
  • The hearing loss.

Causes

A bacteria or viruses in the middle ear that causes an infection in the ear. This infection often comes from another disease, like a cold, flu or allergy. These can cause the inside of the nose, throat, and ears to be swollen and congested.

Role of the eustachian tube

The eustachian tubes are a pair of narrow tubes that run from each ear medium to high in the back of the throat behind the nose. The throat end of the tubes open and close to:

  • Maintain the air pressure even in the middle ear.
  • Bring fresh air to the ear.
  • Drain fluid from the middle ear.

Swollen eustachian tubes are blocked, causing the buildup of fluid in the middle ear. This fluid can become infected and cause the symptoms of an ear infection.

In young children, these tubes are narrower and more level than adults are. As a result, they are more difficult and drain is most likely clogged.

Role of the adenoids

Two small pads of tissue high in the back of the nose, also known as adenoids, help you fight off infections.

The adenoids are near the opening of the eustachian tubes. The swelling of the adenoids can block the tubes. This can lead to infection of the middle ear, especially in children.

Related conditions

Conditions of the middle ear that may be related to an ear infection or cause similar problems in the middle ear are:

  • Otitis media with effusion. This is due to an accumulation of fluid, known as the effusion in the middle ear. This can happen if the fluid remains in the middle ear after an ear infection has gotten better. It can also happen due to some other cause of the eustachian tube is blocked.
  • Chronic otitis media with effusion. This occurs when fluid remains in the middle ear or keeps coming back. Children with this condition are likely to get new infections of the ear. The hearing may be affected.
  • Chronic suppurative Otitis media. This is an ear infection that doesn't go away with the userof the l treatments. This can lead to a hole in the eardrum.

Risk factors

Risk factors for infections of the ear are:

  • Age. Children between the ages of 6 months and 2 years are more likely to have ear infections. This is due to the shape and size of their eustachian tubes tubis.
  • Group child care. The children cared for in group settings are more prone to colds and ear infections than are children who stay at home. The children in group settings come into contact with a greater number of infections, like the common cold.
  • Bottle-feeding. Babies who drink from a bottle tend to have more ear infections than babies who are breastfeeding. This is especially true if you are given a bottle, while in their cradles.
  • Seasons. Ear infections are most common during the autumn and winter. People with allergies during certain times of the year may have an increased risk of ear infections when the pollen count is high.
  • The poor air quality. If you are around smoke of tobacco or a large amount of air pollution, you have a higher risk of ear infections.
  • The cleft palate. The bones and muscles in the faces of children who have a cleft palate can make it more difficult for the eustachian tube to drain.

Complications

The majority of ear infections do not cause long-term complications. Ear infections that happen again and again can lead to serious complications:

  • The hearing loss. Mild hearing loss is common with an ear infection. But the audience usually gets better after the infection clears. Ear infections that happen again and again or a constant of the fluid in the middle ear can worsen hearing loss. If there's lasting damage to the eardrum or in other parts of the middle ear, the ear could not be better.
  • Delays in speech or development. The loss of hearing in infants and young children can cause delays in speech and the development of age-related skills. This may be true, even if the hearing loss does not last.
  • The spread of the infection.Untreated infections or infections that do not respond well to treatment, it can spread to nearby tissues. Rarely, an ear infection can cause infections of the bones of the section behind the ear, known as mastoiditis. This infection can damage the bone and cause pus-filled cysts. Also, on rare occasions, serious infections in the middle ear can spread to other tissues in the head. This can infect the brain or the membranes around the brain, a known infection such as meningitis.
  • Tear in the eardrum. Most of the eardrum tears heal within 72 hours. In some cases, surgical repair is needed.

The spread of the infection. Untreated infections or infections that do not respond well to treatment, it can spread to nearby tissues. Rarely, an infection of the ear can cause infectiontion of the bones of the section behind the ear, known as mastoiditis. This infection can damage the bone and cause pus-filled cysts.

Also, on rare occasions, serious infections in the middle ear can spread to other tissues in the head. This can infect the brain or the membranes aroundthe brain, a known infection such as meningitis.

Prevention

The following tips can reduce the risk of getting ear infections:

  • Prevent colds and other diseases.Teach children to wash their hands well and often. Tell the children not to share cups, forks and spoon,s. how to Teach children to cough or sneeze into their elbows. Children may have less risk of getting sick if they spend less time in the group care of children. Or the risk of the disease might be lower if they were in the care of children with fewer children. Try to keep sick children at home.
  • Avoid second-hand smoke. Make sure that no one smokes in your home. Away from home, staying in places that are smoke-free.
  • Breast-feed. Breast milk may help protect babies from infections of the ear if you breast-feed for at least six months.
  • Keep bottle-fed babies in an upright position while feeding. Do not hold the bottle in the mouth of a baby who is lying down. Do not put the bottles in the crib with a baby.
  • Get vaccinated. Ask your child's health care professional what are the vaccines your child needs. Vaccines against seasonal flu and ottheir vaccines can help prevent ear infections.

Prevent colds and other diseases. Teach children to wash their hands well and often. Tell the children not to share cups, forks and spoons. Teach children to cough or sneeze into their elbows.

Children may have less risk of getting sick if they spend less time in the group care of children. Or the risk of the disease might be lower if they were in the care of children with fewer children. Try to keep sick children at home.

Ear infection (middle ear)

Diagnosis

A professional professional can often diagnose an ear infection based on the symptoms and an examination. The exam is likely to include looking inside the ears of the child with a lighted instrument called an otoscope. If the eardrum is red and bulging, it is likely that there is an infection.

Other tests may be necessary if there is a doubt about a diagnosis, if the condition has not improved with treatment, or if there are other problems.

What a diagnosis means

  • Acute otitis media. The diagnosis of infection in the ear often means acute otitis media. This implies having fluid in the middle ear or symptoms of an infection, such as liquid suddenly comes out of the ear.
  • Otitis media with effusion. This means that there is fluid in the middle ear, but does not have symptoms of the infection.
  • Chronic suppurative Otitis media. This is caused by a long-term ear infection that caused a rupture in the eardrum. This condition often involves the pus from the ear.

Treatment

Many of the children of ear infections will resolve without antibiotics. The treatment depends on the age of the person and the severity of the symptoms.

Watchful waiting

The symptoms of ear infections usually get better in a couple of days. Most ear infections go away in a week or two without treatment. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians recommends a wait-and-see approach as an option for:

  • Children 6 to 23 months with a mild pain in one ear for less than 48 hours and at a temperature of less than 102.2 F (39 C).
  • Children 24 months of age and older with mild pain in one or both ears for less than 48 hours and at a temperature of less than 102.2 F (39 C).

The management of pain

Relieve the pain of an ear infection may include:

  • The pain medication that you can get without a prescription.These include acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others). Follow the instructions on the label. Use of the ccaution when giving aspirin to children or teenagers. Even though aspirin is approved for use in children older than 3 years of age, children and teenagers recovering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms should never take aspirin. This is because aspirin has been linked with Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal in these children.
  • Anesthetic drops. These can be used with caution for short-term relief of pain if the eardrum does not have a hole or tear in it.

The pain medication that you can get without a pre -scription. These include acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) and ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others). Follow the instructions on the label.

Use caution when giving aspirin to children or teenagers. Even though aspirin is approved for use in children older than 3 years of age, children and teenagers recovering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms should never take aspirin. This is because aspirin has been linked with Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially fatal in these children.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics can be helpful for some children and adults with ear infections. But the use of antibiotics too often can cause the drug to not work as well against the bacteria. Talk with your health care professional about the pros and cons of the use of antibiotics.

Weusually after a watch-and-wait time, a health care provider may suggest the use of an antibiotic for an ear infection to:

  • Children 6 months of age and older with moderate to severe ear pain in one or both ears for at least 48 hours or a temperature of 102.2 F (39 C) or higher.
  • Children 6 to 23 months of age with mild middle ear pain in one or both ears for less than 48 hours and at a temperature of less than 102.2 F (39 C).
  • Children 24 months of age and older with mild middle ear pain in one or both ears for less than 48 hours and a temperature less than 102.2 F (39 C).

Children under 6 months of age who have acute otitis media are more likely to be treated with antibiotics without the watch-and-wait time.

It is important to take the antibiotic as prescribed even after their symptoms improve. Not to take all of the medication can cause the infection to return. Talk to a healthcare professional or pharmacist about what to do after missing a dose.

Tubes in the ears

Ear tubes to drain fluid from the middle ear. Tubes in the ears can help children who have repeated, long-term infections of the ear, also known as chronic otitis media. Ear tubes can also help children who have an accumulation of fluid in the ear after an infection disappeared, known as otitis media with effusion.

The tubes are placed during ambulatory surgery, called a myringotomy. A surgeon makes a small hole in the eardrum to the aspiration of fluid in the middle ear. Then, the surgeon places the tube into the ear opening to the help of air reaches the middle ear and to prevent the accumulation of more liquid.

Young children will probably be given medicine to make you sleep during surgery, also known as general anesthesia.

Some of the tubes stay in place for 6 months to 2 years. They fall out on their own. Other tubes are designed to last over time. They may need to be removed with another surgery.

The hole in the eardrum usually closes again after the tube falls out.

The treatment for chronic suppurative otitis media

Chronic infection that causes a rupture in the eardrum, it is called chronic suppurative otitis media, is difficult to treat. Antibiotic drops to put in the ear can treat the condition. You can get the instructions on how to suction of fluid through the channel of the ear before putting the drops.

Monitoring

Children who have frequent infections or that you always have fluid in the middle ear are needed to be observed. Talk to your child's health care professional about how often to schedule follow-up appointments. The monitoring can include regular hearing and language of the tests.

Preparing for your appointment

You will most likely see your family health care provider. You may be referred to a specialist in ear, nose and throat (ENT) conditions.

You or your child can answer the questions of a health professional is likely to ask. These may include:

  • What are the symptoms?
  • When did the symptoms begin?
  • Is there ear pain? We say that the pain is mild, moderate, or severe?
  • Have you seen your baby or small child pulling of the ears, difficulty to sleep or to be more irritable than usual?
  • Your child has had a fever?
  • There has been liquid that comes out of the ear? Is the fluid clear, cloudy or bloody?
  • Does your child seems to have trouble hearing?
  • Has your child recently had a cold, flu or other symptoms that affect breathing?
  • Does your child have allergies?
  • Has your child had an ear infection before? When?
  • Your child is allergic to any medicines, such as amoxicillin?
Symptoms and treatment of the Ear infection (middle ear)