Directory Search
Ear Infections
Overview:
Ear infections are classified according to the area affected. The most common, otitis media, is an infection of the middle ear, and is very common in children Middle ear infections are usually very painful, the affected area being so small that the infection and pus cannot escape. The ear drum becomes red, sore and starts to bulge outwards. (In severe infection, the drum can actually burst).
Signs and Symptoms:
Adult symptoms include:
* Earache and/or a feeling of fullness in the ear
* Fever and chills
* Nasal congestion
* Nausea and diarrhoea
* Muffled hearing
* Vertigo and dizziness
Causes and Organs Affected:
Otitis media occurs when viruses or bacteria enter the eustachian tube that connects the middle ear with the back of the throat.
Cells in the middle ear create a fluid that helps defend against attacking organisms. In most cases, the fluid drains out through the eustachian tube and into the throat. When the eustachian tube becomes swollen (as in ear infections), the fluid can become trapped in the middle ear, causing the area to become inflamed and infected.
In children, the eustachian tube is shorter and more horizontal than in adults, leaving them more vulnerable to infection of this type.
Treatment:
Keep your home as free as possible from potential allergens such as cigarette smoke, dust, cleaning fluid and solvents.
Preventative doses of Echinacea may be useful to help reduce a tendency to infection in children over 2 years old.
Swimmers' ear can be prevented by using special ear-drops made of alcohol or weak acetic acid to disinfect the ear canal, immediately after swimming.
Other Information:
Dairy products increase the body's mucus production, and milk allergy is commonly behind recurrent ear infections - particularly in children. Many parents have found that removing dairy products from their children's diets strongly reduces the tendency to develop ear infections. Avoiding sugar and white flour-based foods will also be helpful. Instead, your child's diet should contain lots of fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds and fish.
Don't swim in polluted water, and at the first sign of any ear discomfort after swimming consult your health care professional.