EAR INFECTIONS

EAR INFECTIONS
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Ear Infections
Fact:
In most ear infections, the culprit is a virus.
Fiction:
Ear infections may be common, but it’s a myth that they aren’t serious.
Prevention:
Avoid secondhand smoke to help prevent attacks.
Treatment:
Treatments include surgery to place tiny tubes in the eardrum.
Ear infections do more than steal sleep from sick children—and their parents. They can interfere with learning and even cause permanent
damage.
Understanding Ear Infections
An ear infection affects the middle ear, the membrane-lined chamber containing
three small bones covered by the eardrum. An inflamed and infected middle ear is
often linked to a problem in the throat or Eustachian tube (the passageway
between the middle ear and the back of the throat).
The Eustachian tube helps equalize pressure between the throat and the middle
ear. But when infection or allergies inflame or block the opening, pressure and
fluid can build up. Bacteria can travel up the tube from the throat to this fluid and
cause an infection. However, most ear infections are caused by viruses, not
bacteria.
Ear infections may be common, but the results can be serious. They can lead to:
Significant hearing loss
A hole that won’t heal
An infection of the inner ear
A tumor in the inner ear
Rarely, brain injury, facial nerve injury and facial paralysis
Who Has Ear Infections?
Ear infections are the most common illness in children and the second most
common illness for adults and children combined.* Before age three, 85% of
children will have at least one infection and 50% will have two or more. Ear
infections are much less common after age six.
Children experience more ear infections due in part to:
Their immature immune systems
Undiagnosed allergies
Attendance at day care and exposure to other children
Symptoms of Ear Infections
An ear infection may begin a few days after a sore throat. Symptoms include:

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Decreased hearing
Ear pain (children may rub or pull on the ear)
Fever or discomfort
When It's an Emergency
More serious symptoms include:
Vomiting or diarrhea in infants
Difficulty hearing
Cloudy or foul-smelling discharge from the ear
Severe pain, dizziness and facial nerve injury (facial weakness)
Swelling, tenderness and redness behind the ear
Headache and confusion
Prevention and Treatment
To help prevent ear infections:
Avoid rooms with secondhand smoke
Breastfeed your child if possible
Have your child immunized with Pneumococcal (PCV) and Haemophilus
(Hib) vaccines
Some experts suggest careful bathing and using ear plugs during swimming to
keep water out of ears.
For treatment, a primary physician may refer the patient to an otolaryngologist, a
doctor who specializes in ears, nose and throat.
Diagnostic tests include a visual exam with a special light called an otoscope. The
doctor will look for a red and/or bulging eardrum, and observe whether the
eardrum moves. Swelling behind the eardrum may stop the movement required
for hearing. The doctor may also do X-rays, scans and hearing tests
(audiograms).
If the inner ear fails to drain, decongestant may be used to keep the Eustachian
tube open. Antibiotics may be prescribed for a bacterial infection, and may even
be administered intravenously for serious infections. Once treated, ear infections
tend to improve within a few days, although fluid may not drain fully for weeks.
If infections recur frequently, insertion of ear tubes (a myringotomy) may be
considered. In this surgery, a doctor inserts a small plastic tube into the eardrum.
For children, this may be done under anesthetic as an outpatient procedure; the
surgery may be performed in an office under local anesthesia for adults. Generally
normal activities can be resumed the next day. As the eardrum heals, the tubes
are pushed out of the ears over a number of months.
Things to Consider
Ear tube surgery usually improves hearing, reduces pain, and prevents fluid
buildup and even some ear infections. As in any surgery, ear tube surgery carries
some risk of complications:
The eardrum scars about half the time, although this usually doesn’t affect
hearing over the long term
The patient needs to keep water out of the ears
13% of patients have persistent discharge, and up to 30% need repeat
surgery
Permanent eardrum perforation can occur in about 1% of patients
Sometimes the tubes don’t push out, or they push in deeper and need to be
surgically removed
* InteliHealth
OnlineBenefits, Inc.

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The information presented in these articles is provided for educational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for medical advice or treatment. Always
seek the advice of your doctor or other medical professional if you have questions about any medical condition, diagnosis or treatment. OnlineBenefits, Inc. will
not be liable for any damages arising from the use of this information, and makes no warranties or representations of any kind with respect to the information
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