updated: Mar. 15, 2024
Ear infections are often painful, they can affect your hearing, and they can also affect your balance, causing dizziness and headaches. The good news is your ENT specialist can help you get relief from an ear infection.
Ear infections are most common in children, but they can affect adults too. They can develop after a viral or bacterial illness, due to bacteria spreading into the ear. The most common signs and symptoms of an ear infection in both adults and children include:
Additional signs and symptoms of an ear infection in a child include:
Ear infections are caused by bacterial transfer, so it’s important to prevent bacteria in your ears. You can do this by:
Ear infections should be treated by an ENT specialist, who may prescribe a course of antibiotics to take for a full 7 to 10 days, or as prescribed by your ENT doctor. Prescription ear drops may also be prescribed to decrease inflammation, swelling, and pain.
For children, you can administer Children’s Tylenol and place a warm washcloth on your child’s ear to ease painful symptoms. Chronic ear infections in children are often treated with the placement of ear tubes in your child’s eardrum to prevent fluid from accumulating and to promote better airflow.
To find out more about how the causes, signs, symptoms, and treatments for an ear infection, talk with your ENT specialist today.
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