The human ear is divided into three parts, namely the outer, middle and inner ear. All these parts function in coherence with each other and help us in converting vibrations into sound and information. The middle ear consists of the air space between the inner ear and the outer ear and contains the bones that transmit the vibrations of the outer ear and translate them into information. This area is prone to infections, especially among children and thus may cause discomfort or pain. 

Symptoms of middle ear infections
Middle ear infections primarily tend to manifest themselves as inflammation of the tissues and buildup of fluids. Some of the symptoms are mentioned below.

1. Infections in children - middle ear infections primarily occur in children although it can occur in adults as well. Some of the common symptoms could be:
A. Ear pain either sitting or standing up and especially while lying down
B. Irritability and crying, which in infants could translate to more than usual crying 
C. Problems with sound and difficulties in hearing
D. Fluid buildup causing balance related problems
E. Discharge of fluid in certain cases
F. Unable to sleep and also loss of appetite
G. In some cases children may have high fever

Causes of middle ear infections 
The primary cause of middle ear infection is due to the presence of bacteria or virus in the area. The eustachian tube, which runs from the middle ear to the back of the throat, is connected to nasal passages as well. Any infection that affects the throat or the nose may also affect the middle ear through this tube. Primary causes for the infections could be
A. Cold or flu like symptoms, which then infect the middle ear as well
B. Otitis media, which is the buildup of fluid and inflammation either due to the presence of bacteria and viruses or even without it
C. Seasonal infections, which are common during late autumn or winters
D. Air pollution is also known to be a factor
E. Infection from others, especially in the case of children when they are part of a group care
F. Children from 6 months to 2 years are also susceptible to middle ear infections as their immune systems are much less developed.

Treatment of middle ear infections
Usually, middle ear infections resolve on their own within a day or so. You can try warm compress with a soft piece of cloth to ease the pain. However, if pain persists for too long then antibiotic medications may be required to fight the infection with pain relief medications to lessen the pain and discomfort.

All About Middle Ear Infections

Ringing in the ears, medically called Tinnitus, is a condition in which the individual hears a certain sound continuously in the ears.

The nature of this sound varies with different individuals. The sound may be whistling, buzzing or bell-like; it might be low or high; seeming to come from a far point or from inside of one's body.

Tinnitus in most cases is subjective where only the affected individual is able to hear the sounds. In some cases, the condition might also be objective wherein the doctor/examiner might be able to hear the sounds on examining.

Understanding the most common cause:

The process of sound waves travelling from the ear to the brain is facilitated by hair cells. When these hair cells are damaged, the brain does not receive signals which cause dysfunction in the activity of neurons. This dysfunctional neuron activity results in the illusion of sounds in the said individual. This illusion is referred to as Tinnitus.

Other causes that might result in Tinnitus are:

Damage around the hearing sections of the brain also might result in ringing sounds / tinnitus. Excessive noise might result into Tinnitus and if not prevented might even progress to hearing loss. There are also some drugs that may cause or worsen the condition.

When to seek help:

In the case of a sudden episode of Tinnitus, it may be associated with hearing loss. Such an episode should be followed by visiting the doctor immediately to prevent any further damage.

Sometimes, the ringing sound occurs rhythmically with your heart beat. It might be because of a pulsating blood vessel and/or because of a sudden hike in blood pressure. This condition would also be relatively easy to cure if reported immediately to the doctor.

If ringing sound occurs with a certain movement, it might be associated with stroke in some cases. In such incidents, conveying the exact symptoms and seeking help sooner would help in treating the underlying cause effectively.

With the first episode of Tinnitus, a regular medication that you intake should be shown to the doctor to rule out medication as the cause or to discontinue a certain medication if found to the causative agent.

Ringing In Ears - What Does it Mean and When to Seek Help

Tinnitus is when you think that there is noise when there really is no sound. It is very common and is not very serious either. It affects about 1/5th of the population. It is worth note that tinnitus is not a condition. Instead, it is a symptom of having a condition. These conditions range from hearing loss, an ear injury or even a circulatory system disorder. Even though tinnitus does worsen with age however it can also improve with treatment. If you know the cause of tinnitus, it does help treat it. Here is everything you need to know about tinnitus.

Symptoms of Tinnitus
As mentioned earlier, tinnitus is a ringing, hissing, clicking or buzzing sound which only you can hear and no one else.

Causes of Tinnitus
There are many common causes of tinnitus including:
1. Age-related hearing loss: Tinnitus is commonly caused due to hearing loss.
2. Meniere's disease: Meniere's disease is a type of inner ear disorder. It is when there are abnormalities in the fluid pressure of your inner ear.
3. Medications: Many medications have a side effect of tinnitus as well including certain antibiotics, antidepressants, cancer medications and even aspirin.
4. Loud noise exposure: Exposure to loud noise once in a while will not cause tinnitus. However, constant exposure to loud noise might cause tinnitus.
5. Changes in the shape of your ear bone: Otosclerosis is an abnormal bone growth which results in the bones in your middle ear stiffening.
6. Acoustic neuroma: There is a nerve, which goes from the brain straight to the inner ear. When this nerve develops a tumor, it is known as acoustic neuroma which is a common cause of tinnitus.

Treatment of Tinnitus
Tinnitus can be only be stopped if the underlying condition is treated. However, there are certain electronic devices, which help suppress the noise including:
1. Hearing aids: Hearing aids are already helpful for people who have hearing loss; however they can also help reduce tinnitus.
2. Masking device: Wearing a masking device which continuously emits a low-level noise helps stop the buzzing, clicking, hissing or ringing sound which comes with tinnitus.

Causes and Treatment of Tinnitus

Remember how Shrek literally pulled out a candle from his ear for the dinner table? Ever tried doing it yourself? Well, the stuff in your ears may be called wax, but it can t really be used to make a candle. However, it certainly can signify a lot about your health. Though the idea of discussing earwax is rather disgusting, it actually plays a pivotal role in keeping your ears healthy and functioning. Earwax protects your eardrums by barring the entry of insects, fungi, bacteria, dust and bacteria. In clinical terms, earwax is also known as cerumen. 

Studies indicate that children typically produce more earwax than adults. The earwax in your ear is a combination of alcohol, shed layers of the ear, unsaturated and saturated long-chain fatty acids and squalene. In order to clean earwax, you should not insert objects too deep in your ear, instead, you can just wipe it off with a cotton swab.  The color and texture of the earwax removed can actually indicate your overall health condition, stress level, genetic ancestry, etc.

Know what your earwax color says about your health 
Pale yellow to yellow earwax: It is the most common type of earwax and indicates overall good health. Children typically produce soft, pale yellow earwax and in case of adults, the color should remain the same, but the texture tends to be sticky. 
Wet vs. dry earwax: Wet and dry are the genetically determined earwax types, wherein, the 'wet type' is dominant and the 'dry type' is recessive. A research, conducted on Biologic variation in health and illness: race, age, and sex differences (1985) by Overfield, Theresa, established that dry-type earwax indicates East Asian and Native American ancestry, while wet-type indicates African and European. 
Thick, dark and black colored earwax: The production of earwax is also influenced by your stress level i.e. when you are stressed out, the glands that are responsible for the production of earwax work overtime and produce excess amount of earwax. As this earwax collects, it can turn thicker and darker thus, this type of earwax is a sign of increased stress level. And, black colored earwax indicates that it has been accumulating in your ears for quite some time and has not been cleaned. To avoid this, it is essential to clean your ears from time to time and in the right way. 
Dry, gray earwax: The gray color of the wax is an indication of dust build-up and must be cleaned properly at regular intervals. However, if your earwax suddenly seems dry and brittle, it could be the sign of a skin infection. Dry earwax accompanied by itchiness in the ear is usually a sign of eczema.
Bloody earwax: Blood in the earwax should never be ignored. This could be caused by an ear infection or can be a sign of ruptured eardrum and you must consult your doctor immediately. 
Thus it is important that you take proper care of your ears so as to ensure that your hearing is maintained and although earwax protects your ears against infections and problems, it must be cleaned from time to time. It is advisable that you get your ears cleaned professionally, in case you are suffering from certain ailments such as Diabetes.

Earwax - Did You Know Its Color Can Say A Lot About Your Health?

Ear aches are a common complaint for many children. An ear infection can be explained as an inflammation of the middle ear. Unlike other aches, this one cannot be soothed by scratching or applying pressure and hence makes children cranky. Ear infections are usually triggered by bacteria or viruses. 
This causes inflammation that narrows the tube in the ear and allows fluid to build up. This fluid buildup is responsible for the pain.

However, not all ear infections need to be treated with medication. When it comes to treating ear aches in children, picking a natural remedy is a much better option ,since it has no side effects and can address the root cause of the infection. Here are a few natural remedies for earaches:

1. Compress: Hot and cold compresses are very effective ways of treating pain and can be used for earaches as well. Place an ice pack or a warm, moist compress over the ear to soothe the ache. Heat relaxes the muscles and stimulates blood flow while ice controls inflammation and swelling. Hot and cold compresses should not be applied for over 20 minutes at a time. 

2. Water: Some actions can help open up the eustachian tube to the middle ear. Swallowing is one such action. To encourage your child to swallow, offer him lots of fluids. 

3. Oil: Before using oil to treat an earache ensure that your child is not suffering from a ruptured eardrum and there is no fluid leaking from the ear. Pouring a few drops of warm olive oil or sesame oil can help soothe the pain by opening up the eustachian tube. It can also prevent the buildup of excessive ear wax and form a protective layer on the outer ear against bacteria and other infections. 

4. Elevate the head: Elevating a child's head can help improve sinus drainage. When it comes to children, instead of using a pillow below their head, place the pillow below the mattress to create a gradual slope. 

5. Onion: Onions can be used in many different ways to treat earaches. You could either juice an onion and put a few drops of the same in the ear or slice an onion in half and heat it before placing it over the ear like an ear muff. Onion contains anti inflammatory and antibacterial properties that help soothe earaches effectively and quickly. 

If the earache does not reduce or if there is a discharge from the ear, do not continue to self treat it and consult a doctor immediately.

Natural Remedies for Ear Infections in Children

Swimmer's ear is a medical condition, which involves inflammation, irritation or infection of the ear. It may affect the outer ear and also the ear canal. Swimmer's ear is called Otitis externa in medical terms. The condition may be acute to chronic in nature.

Causes
Swimmer's ear is an infection that's usually caused by bacteria commonly found in water and soil. Infections caused by a fungus or a virus are less common. This condition is more common in teenagers and young adults. It may occur due to a middle ear infection or because of a respiratory infection such as cold.
Swimmer's ear can occur as a result of swimming in unclean or contaminated water. These waters contain pseudomonas and other harmful bacteria, which can lead to such ear infections. The infections are rarely caused by fungus.

Swimmer's ear may also result due to other reasons. They can be:
1. Scratching the inside or outside of the ear.
2. Having something stuck in the ear. When you clean ear wax with cotton swabs or small objects, damage may occur. Using headphone or ear plugs for a long period of time may also cause swimmer's ear.
3. Allergic reaction to some object or anything placed in the ear may also cause Swimmer's ear. These may be hair products or jewelry.
4. Some chronic skin conditions like eczema and psoriasis may also lead to this infection.

Risk factors
There are several factors, which may enhance the risk of getting swimmer's ear. They are as follows:
1. Swimming in water, which has got elevated levels of bacteria. This includes lakes and ponds.
2. People having narrow ear canals are at a more risk of swimmer's ear.
3. Aggressive cleaning and scratching of the ear canal.

Symptoms
The symptoms which indicate swimmer's ear are:
1. tching of the ear canal. This becomes intense as the condition progresses.
2. Redness on the inside parts of the ear, which get more extensive in later stages.
3. Discomfort which worsens by pulling on the outer ear or pushing on the tragus of the front part of the ear.
4. Drainage of a fluid which is clear and odorless. As the condition worsens, there is excessive drainage of fluid along with the discharge of pus.
4. A fullness feeling in the ear and a partial blockage of the ear canal because of swelling and fluids.
5. In advanced stages, fever and swelling of lymph nodes in the neck is indicated. Hearing impairment may occur.

Swimmer's ear is a health condition, which involves the ear. The ear gets inflamed because of a certain bacterial infection. Although it is not a very severe condition, in some cases it can do significant harm.

Causes of Swimmer's Ear

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