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Ear pain is a fairly common ailment that affects millions of people and is the most common in children. There are two types of ear pain that come with this ailment. The first is the actual pain which occurs deep within the ear. The second is the referred pain which occurs outside the ear and alerts you to the fact that something is not quite right. Ear pains can vary in their severity, with some being a gentle throbbing pain and others being so severe that it becomes difficult to walk. Fortunately, this extremely common malady has effective treatments. There are specific medicines and ear drops that are available in the market and are meant to combat ear pain. These medications often have a dual effect – they get rid of the pain that you are experiencing while also getting rid of the underlying infection that is causing that pain in the first place. Therefore, these treatments are highly effective. Your doctor will recommend the medication that you should be using as there are plenty available in the market and you will need to take your allergies into account before using any medicine. It is important to note that ear pain can sometimes be cause by other underlying conditions such as sinusitis, problems in your teeth, an infection in your nose or the pharynx, cancer in your throat, or an aura that comes right before a migraine. This is why it is important to not solely rely on home remedies for ear pain and to visit your doctor in a timely fashion.
Visiting an ENT specialist (ear, nose, throat) is the first step in ensuring that the treatment occurs. The doctor will first use an otoscope or an auriscope to have a look inside your ear. This will help determine the exact cause of the pain. Sometimes, the answer can be fairly simple, such as a blockage created due to too much ear wax, and the treatment, which includes cleaning the ear, can be administered immediately. This is followed by pain relief almost immediately or within a day. However, ear pain can also be caused due to an infection and this is where the treatment steps tend to vary. Your doctor is most likely to ask you to lie down on your side to let gravity do its magic while he or she uses an ear drop. The drops are administered internally in the ear and do not cause any pain. If you have a large amount of swelling or any abscess in the area, your doctor may use gauze to first assess the damage, and then clean it up before administering the drops. Some doctors prefer oral medication and if that is the case with your doctor, you’ll leave the clinic with a prescription and will be asked to take a certain dosage for a set number of days. The ear canal has to be kept dry during the treatment and you may be given a plug of sorts to apply to your ear when you bathe.
Anyone who is experiencing any amount of pain in a single ear or both ears is eligible for the treatment. There is no stipulated time period for which you must wait to see if things worsen. The minute you feel the pain and want to get it treated, you can visit your doctor.
If your ear pain is caused due to underlying problems with your jaw, a migraine, cancer, sinusitis, or any infection in the nose or throat, you may not be eligible for ear pain treatments as the pain you are experiencing in your ear is mainly referral. It indicates that there is a problem in your body, but since the problem is not in your ears, administrating ear drops or having oral medications for ear pain are pointless.
As is the case with most medications, there are certain side effects that you should be vary of. If your doctor has prescribed antibiotics to treat your ear infection, you can expect a mild fever to develop as most antibiotics raise the temperature of your body. Thus, it’s nothing to be alarmed about. Some ear drops can lead to drowsiness and should not be taken right before performing physical activities or driving as that can be highly dangerous. Such drops are usually meant to be administered at night when you can fall asleep without worry. If you are allergic to any substance, it is best to discuss that with your health care provider so that he or she can administer medication that does not contain the allergen.
There are no specific post treatment guidelines for ear pain, although there are guidelines that you must follow while the treatment is going on. The most important guideline is to ensure that your ears do not get wet in any circumstance. This is because it can cause the infection to spread and can also contribute to further pain and blockages. It is also generally advised not to sit in a flight or travel to high altitudes that will make your ears pop as your ears are generally sensitive during this time period and any random stimulus can increase your recovery time if you are not careful.
Most ear pain treatments last anywhere between 7-10 days. As you continue to take your medications, you will notice a gradual decrease in your symptoms or your pain on a daily basis until the whole thing is gone. If your ear pain is caused due to any other condition that you may be suffering from, then it takes much longer to recover. Until that condition is treated completely, the referral pain in your ear may not completely go away.
Ear drops are quite affordable in India. They range in price from Rs 30 to Rs 100, depending on the medication you are prescribed. The same goes for any oral medication that you might be taking in order to treat ear pain.
Treating your ear pain can be permanent. In some case, ear infections do reoccur however, those infections are usually looked upon as a fresh infection rather than the same one coming back again. If your ear pain is the result of a different condition you may have, treating the pain alone will only work for a short period of time. Whether it takes days or weeks, the pain is bound to return to alert you of whatever condition you may be suffering from. Generic ear pain treatment results are normally permanent.
There are many home remedies and alternative treatments that can be used in order to treat ear pain. Some of these are quite common and many people resort to using them before seeing a doctor. One popular home treatment is to apply a cold or warm compress to the ear to do away with the pain. Some people drop a few drops of olive oil into their ears while others drop tea tree oil. This is because both these oils have antibacterial and antibiotic properties and are great for fighting any infection that might be causing the pain. If your ear pain is caused due to a muscular problem, you can perform neck exercises to make it better. Some people use ginger or garlic to gain relief from their symptoms as well. Hydrogen peroxide is another common household remedy for ear pain, followed by brandy (administered in the ear, not swallowed). Though many home remedies are known for being successful, it is worth mentioning that it is always better to consult with a health care professional before administering any treatment as you may end up worsening the symptoms. As ear pain can be indicative of other ailments, it is in your best interests to get checked out by a doctor.
Discharge from the ear is medically termed as otorrhea. This discharge can be white (clear), yellow, brown, bloody, or with pus (purulent). Also, it can be offensive (smelly) or non-offensive. Discharge can be due to the pathologies of the ear canal, middle ear, or, rarely, from inside the skull. There are many causes of ear discharge, some are:
Ear pain is also called as an earache or otalgia. The pain may be associated with fever, malaise, sore throat etc. Sometimes, a patient can indulge in rubbing ears or pulling of ears rather than directly complaining about the pain.
Ear pain may be caused by primary affections of the ear, or it may be caused by secondary affections of other parts which can cause referred pain.
What are the primary causes of ear pain?
Following are the most common causes of ear pain in small children:
What are the secondary causes of ear pain in children?
Following are the most common causes of ear pain in small children:
In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!
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:
Risk factors:
There are several factors, which may enhance the risk of getting swimmer's ear. They are as follows:
Symptoms:
The symptoms which indicate swimmer's ear are:
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. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!
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.
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:
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
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. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!
Ear drum is a thin curtain-like tissue that separates the inner ear from the middle and outer ear. If this ear drum is somehow punctured, then that condition is referred to as an ear drum perforation. The ear drum can get perforated for a variety of reasons, but here are the major causes for the same.
Causes Of Ear Drum Perforations
Symptoms of Ear Drum Perforation
Everyone does not experience the typical symptoms that are associated with a perforated ear drum. Most people do not notice it at once, but may visit the doctor after several days of discomfort. People who have a perforated ear drum may also notice air coming out of their ears when they blow their nose. This happens as the forceful blow of air causes the air to rise inside the ear cavity and come out through the opening in the ear drum. Apart from these symptoms, pain in the ear, pus discharge, hearing loss and dizziness may also be caused due to the condition.
Treatment for Ear Drum Perforation
Ear drum perforation does not require a specific kind of treatment to heal. This is because the condition gets repaired by itself within a couple of months. Doctors may, at the most, prescribe antibiotics to ensure that the ear does not get infected prior to complete healing. If the condition is extremely painful, doctors may also prescribe certain over-the-counter pain medications to you. In some rare cases, surgery may be needed in order to completely mend the perforated ear drum.