Can ear infections be prevented? The answer is yes. With certain lifestyle strategies, you can prevent ear infections in children and adults while keeping your ear healthy. Learn the best strategies to prevent ear infections in this article. Log on to www.doralhw.org for a consultation.

Tips for preventing recurrent ear infections

Here are certain ways you can use to prevent recurrent ear infections:

• Good hygiene practices:

Practicing good hygiene can decrease the risk of catching an illness that causes congestion and disruption to your eustachian tubes. So, make sure you wash your hands often with soap and water and keep your bedroom clean. This will reduce the spread of germs and also the chances of getting a cold or flu. If you have children, make sure they avoid dirty objects that they might try to put in their mouths.

• Quit smoking:

If you have the habit of smoking, then you should quit it because it can damage the sensitive tissues in the ear, cause inflammation in the body, and affect your body’s immune system. It also increases sinus and congestion issues which can lead to blockages. So, ask your doctor how to quit it.

• Keep your ears clean and free of fluids:

You should keep your ears clean, especially when you take a bath or swim. Instead of cleaning with water, you can try to blot and dry with a towel rather than using cotton swabs because cotton swabs or other similar objects can lead to infection. You should also use earplugs when bathing or swimming to stop water from entering the ears because it increases the risk of fluid buildup that carries bacteria which leads to infection.

• Use a Humidifier:

If you live in a place where ear infections are common, you should invest in a humidifier. Humidity is one of the most common triggers of ear infections, especially in babies and young children. You can easily prevent this trigger by using a humidifier, which makes home air moist. This not only prevents ear infections but also eases the symptoms of allergies, asthma, and migraines.

• Use ear care products:

If you develop recurrent ear infections or live in a humid climate, you may need to switch some everyday hygiene products for ear-friendly alternatives. For this, you don’t need to make tremendous changes in your hygiene routine completely, you can just swap some products to prevent bacteria from growing in your ears.

For example, ear balms contain essential oils like tea tree oil, lavender, and eucalyptus to soothe irritated ears and prevent bacteria from growing in your ears. You should use ear swabs instead of cotton swabs that can remove bacteria and germs from your ear canal.

• Get regular check-ups from ENT doctor:

If you’ve been diagnosed with recurring ear infections, you should schedule regular check-ups with your ENT doctor. This allows the doctor to rule out other conditions that may cause your symptoms and find ways to prevent recurring ear infections. Your doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics to help treat your condition and prevent it from returning.

Tips to prevent ear infections in children

Here are certain things you can do to reduce your child’s risk for ear infection, including:

1. Vaccinate your child:

Keep your child up to date with vaccinations. Studies found that vaccinated children are less prone to ear infections. The pneumococcal vaccine protects against streptococcus pneumoniae, a common cause of middle ear infections. The flu vaccine also protects against ear infections.

2. Wash your hands:

Children and adults both need to wash their hands with soap and clean running water frequently to prevent the spread of germs that cause ear infections. Hand washing is crucial, especially after using the bathroom, when preparing food, before eating, and after coughing, sneezing, or blowing your nose.

3. Breastfeed:

Breastfeed your baby because breast milk contains antibodies that protect your baby against various illnesses, including ear infections. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that the first 6-month-old baby should be breastfed, and this can be continued as long as both mother and baby want it.

4. Avoid bottles in bed:

Avoid bottle feeding your baby especially when he or she is lying down because milk may pool in their throat and enter the eustachian tubes, creating a way for bacterial growth.

5. Avoid smoke exposure:

Don’t smoke and avoid exposure to secondhand smoke because smoking is linked with an increased risk of ear infections. It inflames the eustachian tubes and reduces the effectiveness of our ear’s built-in mucous-clearing mechanism in the presence of smoke. Remember not to allow smoking in or near your home or in your car. Ensure that your children’s daycare and school are smoking-free zones.

6. Decrease pacifier use:

Pacifiers are linked with an increased risk of ear infections because sucking may restrict proper eustachian tube function. The American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Academy of Family Physicians recommend that children shouldn’t have pacifiers in the second 6 months of life to prevent middle ear infections.

7. Switch your child to a smaller daycare center:

Kids in large centers tend to get exposed to more respiratory viruses, which lead to ear infections. So, switch your child to a smaller daycare center where fewer kids go.

Preventing recurrent ear infections may be difficult but not impossible. Maintaining proper hygiene, avoiding smoking, keeping your ear clean and free from fluids, using ear care products, and timely checkups with ENT doctors can help you prevent recurrent ear infections and maintain ear health.

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

Doral Health and Wellness has several urgent care clinics around New York that can cater to your family’s medical needs. We also have the best medical providers, physicians and staff that are highly trained in their respective specialties. To know more about the locations of our urgent care clinics, you can visit us at Doral Health and Wellness. If you are looking for urgent care near you, you can visit Doral Health and Wellness Urgent Care. We provide urgent care for common illnesses and injuries. Additionally, we also provide comprehensive care for any related injuries and health problems. We also offer other services, such as vaccinations, immunizations, and blood testing. For more info, visit us or call 1-347-384-5690.