Is your ear hurting or is it making you lose balance? If yes, then you may have an ear infection. This type of infection affects your ears. While in children they are not severe and go away on their own but in adults, they can be severe and need medical help to prevent severe complications. Learn what causes ear infections and when you should seek medical help for it. Talk to a specialist for infectious diseases if you have any concerns.

Types of ear infections

There are many different types of ear infections, including:

1. Otitis externa:

This type of ear infection causes inflammation of the ear canal between the eardrum and the outer ear. It’s triggered when you get exposed to dirty water or mechanical damage due to overzealous cleaning. The infections can occur as either fungal or bacterial infections.

2. Otitis media:

This type of ear infection affects the middle ear and can be either acute or chronic. Most children are affected by acute otitis media when they get a cold. This infection can be either viral or bacterial.

Sometimes the eardrum will burst, leading to pus in the ear canal, but usually, the eardrum will heal again. In some cases, acute otitis media happens frequently, while one lingering attack can lead to chronic otitis media in others. Not taking timely treatment can burst the eardrum or damage the delicate structures within the middle ear. Other possible complications of chronic otitis media are meningitis, labyrinthitis, permanent hearing loss, and paralysis of the face.

3. Serous otitis media:

It is also known as glue ear. Children usually between 6 months and 2 years of age are most likely to get this ear infection. It develops after a middle ear infection and causes a build-up of fluid and pus within the middle ear.

4. Infectious myringitis:

This causes inflammation in the eardrum, caused by either viral or bacterial infection. The eardrum responds to the inflammation that causes small blisters, which is very painful. If fever is present, then infectious agents are generally bacterial.

5. Acute mastoiditis:

This infection affects the bone behind the ear called the mastoid. It causes redness and swollen skin over the mastoid, fever, discharge from the ear, and intense pain. It is a serious condition that leads to deafness, blood poisoning, meningitis, and paralysis of the face if left untreated.

6. Vestibular neuronitis:

This causes inflammation of the vestibular nerve (which connects the brain with the vestibular system), mostly caused by viral infection. The main symptom is sudden and dramatic vertigo, which may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting. Your eyes may involuntarily flutter towards the affected side of the head.

7. Herpes zoster of the ear:

This infection affects the auditory nerve and is caused by herpes zoster virus. It causes symptoms such as ear pain, vertigo, and small blisters on the outer ear and ear canal and perhaps on the face and neck. The main nerve that services the facial muscles may also become infected, leading to swelling and partial paralysis.

Causes

Ear infections are generally caused by either viral or bacterial infection, often by bacterial infections like streptococcus pneumoniae or Hemophilus influenzae. It mostly blocks the eustachian tubes (small tubes that run from each of your ears directly to the back of your throat) by building up fluid in the middle ear. Causes of Eustachian tube blockage include:

• Allergies
• Colds
• Sinus infections
• Excess mucus
• Smoking
• Changes in air pressure

Ear infections also develop from infected adenoids (these glands are found on the roof of your mouth behind your nose that protect your body from infections). Infections can spread from these glands to nearby ends of your Eustachian tubes.

Risk factors

These factors can increase the risk of ear infections, including:

• Age: Infants and young children between 6 months and 2 years are more prone to ear infections.
• Family history: Ear infections can run in the family.
• Colds: Having a cold can increase the risk of developing an ear infection. Children in daycare and group settings are more prone to ear infections because they are more likely to be around children with colds or other contagious respiratory illnesses.
• Chronic illnesses: Long-term illnesses, including immune deficiency and chronic respiratory diseases like asthma or cystic fibrosis, can increase your risk of ear infections.
• Ethnicity: Children from Native America, Hispanics, and Alaskan Natives are more prone to ear infections compared to other ethnic groups.
• Poor air quality and smoky environments: Air pollution and exposure to cigarette smoke can increase the risk of ear infection.

When to seek medical help?

If your child has any of the following signs, then you should seek medical help:

• Fever over 102.2 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Pus, discharge, or fluid leaking from your ear.
• Worsening symptoms
• Symptoms last longer than 2 to 3 days
• Hearing loss
• Other concerning symptoms

For adults, you should visit a doctor if your symptoms last longer than 2 or 3 days or if you have severe pain or fever.

Ear infections are mostly caused by bacterial or viral infections and easily go away in children. However, it can be severe in some cases if the child experiences hearing loss, worsening symptoms, or fever. For adults, it can be severe because it can be linked with severe health issues. So, if you notice any alarming ear infection symptoms, then you seek medical help to get timely treatment.

Need help with ear infections, visit our otolaryngologists (ear specialists) in the Brooklyn clinic to get professional medical help. Call us to book your appointment now!!!

Visit our team of Specialists for infectious diseases at Doral Health & Wellness on 1797 Pitkin Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11212. We also offer other services, such as vaccinations, immunizations, and blood testing. Call us on 13473845690 to get a consultation from our clinic or log on to https://doralhw.org/.