Ear Infections and Diseases

An ear infection occurs when a bacterial infection attacks your middle. The best ENT specialist talking about Ear infections can be pretty painful and uncomfortable due to the pain they cause, and sometimes fluids build up. There are two types of ear infections.

Types of Ear Infections

• Chronic
• Acute

Chronic

Chronic ear infections or diseases are long-lasting and can even cause permanent damage to the ears. If you do not treat these issues quickly, then the risk of something triggering them always lurks around.

Acute

These, on the other hand, occur for a short period but are a lot more painful than chronic ones and are thus unbearable.

Common Ear Infections and Diseases

Different types of bacteria make up different types of infections; some of the most common ear infections are:

• Otitis Externa
• Otitis Media : which can be either acute or chronic
• Serous Otitis Media
• Infectious Myringitis
• Acute Mastoiditis

Common Causes for an Ear Infection

Infection occurs in your ears when one of the Eustachian tubes is either block, swell, or narrows up. These ailments cause fluids to build up and can be painful and irritating. Some common causes for that to occur are:

• Allergies
• Common Colds
• Sinuses
• Excess Mucus Buildup
• Chain Smoking
• Swollen Adenoids 
• Change in Air Pressure

What are the Symptoms of an Ear Infection?

Some indicators lead to some ear infections. These symptoms are:

• Mild pain or discomfort in the ears
• The feeling of pressure building inside the ear
• For kids and toddlers, it could be fussiness
• Pus drainage from the ears
• Loss of or difficulty in hearing

These symptoms might come and go. Therefore, consult an expert doctor if you feel any of the above.

How to Treat an Ear Infection According to Best ENT Specialist?

Mostly mild ear infections naturally heal by your body. However, the following medications and methods are helpful to relieve the pain:

• Applying a warm cloth to the infected or aching ear
• Pain medications, :
  • Ibuprofen (Advil)
  • Acetaminophen (Tylenol)
• Use of OTC or prescribed ear drops to relive the pain
• Taking OTC decongestants, :
  • Pseudoephedrine (Sudafed)

These are the primary methods and medications. However, in case of no improvement, you must consult the best ENT specialist. They may prescribe some injections to relieve the pain or antibiotics to tackle the infection.

What are the Long Term Disadvantages of Ear Infections?

Although ear infections can naturally heal, sometimes, the symptoms may reoccur, which is a sign of chronic ear illness that does not go away for a long time.

If that rare situation occurs, then you might get:

• Loss of hearing
• In children, it could be a delay in speech or language
• Mastoiditis is an infection of the mastoid bone which is present in the skull
• Meningitis (it is a bacterial infection of the membranes that cover your brain and spinal cord)
• A ruptured eardrum

How can we Prevent Ear Infections?

Following measures are beneficial to cure an ear infection:

• Washing your hands more often
• Avoiding going to overly crowded places
• Get your ears clean from ENT physician
• In children and toddlers, it could be forgoing pacifiers
• Breastfeeding the infants to keep them healthy
• Avoiding passive or secondhand smoke
• Keeping immunizations up-to-date or getting appropriate vaccinations

This blog includes:

• Types of ear infections
• Common ear diseases
• How to treat ear diseases?
• Causes of Ear diseases?
• What measures can you take to prevent ear infections?
• The long-term harmful effects of Ear infections and disease