Ear infection can occur to anyone, but unfortunately it occurs mostly in infants and young children. This type of infection is very common in outer ear “otitis externa” and in middle ear “otitis media”. It is usually accompanied with pain (earaches) and unpleasant feeling, furthermore, main complication of a chronic ear infection is the partial loss of hearing, due to accumulation of mucous and fluid within the ear tube.
Ear infection occurs as a result of bacterial, fungal or viral invasion of the ear tissues, this invasion happens due to many reasons ranging from accumulation of mucous, especially after exposure to common cold, allergy, sore throat, or in cases of applying a non-sterile foreign object or material into the ear. Sharing hearing aids and earnings or spending prolonged periods in unclean swimming pools, increase massively the susceptibility of acquiring ear infections.
Earaches (pain), raised temperature, feeling unwell, nausea, gagging, and vomiting are most common symptoms of an ear infection. Usually this condition subsides within a few days, but if
symptoms like continuous high temperature, sharp pain, or presence of discharge (blood or pus) occur, then medical interference is a mandatory.
Inflammation and swelling (due to accumulation of pus or fluid inside the ear) in untreated cases of the ear infection can lead to perforation of the ear drum causing permanent loss of hearing.
Antibiotics and analgesics (painkillers) are usually enough to treat an ear infection.
