Ear Conditions Symptoms, Causes, and Treatments

What causes ear problems?

Common ear conditions result from a blockage or swelling of the Eustachian tubes. These tubes connect the back of the throat to the ears.

Blockages and swelling often occur due to the following factors:

Infection or swelling of the adenoids
Sinus infections
Excessive mucus production
Colds
Allergies
Smoking
Air pressure changes
Can I lose my hearing from an ear condition?

Hearing loss is unlikely to happen despite getting an ear condition. Hearing impairment may be present, but total hearing loss won’t happen immediately. Lasting ear damage that may lead to permanent hearing loss may occur if the ear conditions are not treated or they occur persistently.

To help lessen the risks of future hearing loss due to severe ear conditions, you must see a doctor at the first severe signs of ear problems. Watch out for the following:

Leakage of pus, blood, or fluids from the ear
Extreme ear pain
Symptoms that last more than a day
Ear infection symptoms are seen in children less than 6 months old

Who is at risk of developing ear problems?

Children are the most susceptible people who can easily contract an ear infection. These particular groups of kids tend to get more ear infections:

Children 6 months old up to 2 years old
Bottle-fed babies, especially those who take in milk lying down. Babies who use dummies or pacifiers
Kids who get cared for in group settings
Seasonal allergy sufferers, especially during high pollen count months of autumn and winter seasons
Those who are regularly exposed to tobacco smoke
Those who live and work in high-pollution areas

What are the symptoms of ear problems?

Ear problem symptoms in adults generally include the following:

Difficulty in hearing
Pain in the ears
Fluid leakage from the ears

Children experiencing ear conditions have a broader scope of possible symptoms, which includes the aforementioned three adult symptoms plus the following:

High-grade fever or temperatures of 38 degrees Celsius and up
Loss of appetite
Balance loss
Headaches

Can I avoid developing an ear condition?

Yes. You can do specific actions to help you and your kids avoid inner and outer ear infections.

For inner ear infection avoidance:

Avoid using dummies and pacifiers for babies older than 6 months of age
Updating you and your child’s immunizations
Avoiding high-pollution and smoky environments

For outer ear infection avoidance:

Covering ears while swimming using earplugs or by pulling down your swimming hat
Stop putting your fingers or cotton wool buds on your ears
Avoid letting your shampoo or soap get into your ears while bathing or showering

What types of ear conditions are there?

Here are the most prevalent types of ear conditions in the whole world today:

Hearing Loss
Swimmer’s Ear
Tinnitus
Ear Infection

How are ear conditions diagnosed?

The diagnosis of ear conditions begins by inspecting the ears using a device called an otoscope. This instrument uses light and magnifying glasses to see through the insides of your ears.

If fluids or pus are present in your ears, your physician will obtain a small sample and check them at the laboratory. This helps identify the bacteria that invaded the ears and will help physicians determine the proper antibiotic to ward off the bacteria.

Severe ear symptoms may need specialized hearing tests and computed tomography (CT) scans to diagnose the root cause properly.

How are ear conditions treated?

Simple ear conditions can be managed well at home through the following interventions:

Using over-the-counter decongestants or eardrops
Taking over-the-counter painkillers like ibuprofen or paracetamol
Using a damp wool cloth to clean and remove ear discharges
Placing alternating warm and cold flannel cloths on the ear (never place them inside the ear)

Worsening symptoms despite these home treatments warrant a prompt visit to the physician. Your doctor may prescribe antibiotic courses when it is confirmed that antibiotic-resistant bacteria don’t cause your infection. Sometimes, surgery may be required to correct your ear problem.

How are recurrent ear conditions treated?

Reoccurring ear conditions may happen even if the initial ear problems haven’t cleared up with home treatments or doctor-prescribed antibiotics. If this is the case, speak once again to your physician. Persistent ear conditions are severe and must be treated immediately to prevent long-term hearing loss.