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Understanding Ear Infections:

An ear infection is a fairly common medical condition that most of us suffer from, at one point of time or the other. This medical condition is normally faced when a bacterial or viral infection impacts the middle ear, which is the section of the ear just behind the eardrum. This disorder can be very painful, because of resultant symptoms like inflammation or fluid build-up in the middle ear.

Ear infections can be both chronic or acute. While the latter are painful but short in duration, the former can recur many times or not clear up at all. Chronic ear infections, if left untreated, can cause permanent damage to the middle and inner ear. Let’s look at this medical condition in a little more detail:

Common Causes Of An Ear Infection:

In most cases, an ear infection occurs when one of your ear’s Eustachian tube (small tubes that run from each ear directly to the back of the throat) becomes either swollen or blocked, resulting in fluid build-up in the middle ear. The cause of this can include:

• Allergies
• Colds
• Sinus infections
• Excess mucus
• Tobacco smoking
• Infected or swollen adenoids (tissue near your tonsils that trap harmful bacteria and viruses)

Common Symptoms of Ear Infections:

Some of the commonly faced signs that can indicate an ear infection includes:

• mild pain or discomfort inside the ear
• a feeling of pressure inside the ear that persists
• fussiness in young infants
• pus-like ear drainage
• hearing loss

Depending on the nature of the ear infection, these symptoms can either persist, or come and go. In addition, these signs may occur in one or both ears.

Treatment Procedures For Ear Infections:

In most cases, mild ear infection tends to clear up on their own. In case the symptoms for a mild ear infection tend to persist, patients can choose to try out a few methods that can help to relieve the pain cause by the same. This will include: 

• Applying a warm cloth to the affected ear
• Taking over-the-counter pain medication such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen
• Using over-the-counter or prescription ear drops to relieve pain
• Taking over-the-counter decongestants such as pseudoephedrine.

In cases where symptoms begin to worsen or do not improve, a visit to a doctor can be critical. Depending on the case, the medical expert may prescribe antibiotics, if the ear infection is chronic or does not appear to be improving. In extreme cases, i.e. where traditional medical treatments don’t work, surgery may also be suggested. Most commonly followed surgical procedures focus on placing tubes in the ear to allow the fluid build-up to drain out. In cases where enlarged adenoids are faced, surgical removal of the same may be required.

The Apollo Clinic Experience -

Ear infections have the potential to wreak havoc on your lifestyle, and can have grave consequences. Understanding the gravity of this medical condition, our medical practitioners bring years of experience and state-of-the-art tools to help diagnose and treat your ear infection. From physical examinations that use otoscopes to computed tomography (CT) scans, every type of test is available at our clinic.  If you are facing any symptoms that can indicate an ear infection, get in touch with one of our experts today.