Ear Infections

Ear infections are among the most common disorders of early childhood. An infection (say: in- fek -shun) occurs when germs like bacteria and viruses get inside the body and cause trouble. A tiny tube, called the eustachian tube, concretes the middle ear to the back of the throat and nose. Hearing begins when sound waves which travel through the air reach the outer ear, or pinna, that is the part of the ear you can see.

Risks are, that by the time a child attains the age of 6 they will have suffered an ear infection of some form. When the nose is blown, mucus and bacterial can be labored into the eustachian tube and cause blockage. As pressure and moisture build in the ear, a intact environment for bacterial growth is produced. If the eustachian tube is not draining correctly, these secretions build up in the middle ear, with the result that pressure in the ear rises and the ear becomes painful and, often, infected. You have a middle ear infection when germs get into the middle ear and the area fills up with fluid (pus), that contains germ-fighting cells. When the pus builds up, your ear begins to feel like a balloon that is ready to pop, that can really hurt. Most ear infections clear up on their own within a few days, and most children stop having ear infections once they attain school age.

Middle ear infections are one of the most common childhood disorder. The inner ear paraphrases the vibrations into electric signals and sends them to the auditory nerve, which connects to the brain. For instance, when a child has a cold or an allergy affecting the nasal passages, the eustachian tube may become blocked by congestion in its lining or by mucus within the tube. Seventy-five percent of children experience at least one incident of otitis media by their third birthday. Almost half of these children will have three or more ear infections during their first 3 years. The clinical term for middle ear infections is otitis media.

Otitis refers to inflammation of the ear, and media means middle. As a child grows, the eustachian tube begins to curve downward, allowing fluids to drain more easily. This condition is harder to descry than acute otitis media because except for the fluid and usually some mild hearing loss, there are often no other noticeable symptoms. When you yawn and hear a pop, your eustachian tube has just sent a tiny air bubble to your middle ear to stabilize the air pressure.

Causes of Ear Infections

The common Causes of Ear Infections :

• A chronic middle ear infection is caused when bacteria or viruses which get in the nose or throat reach the middle ear through the Eustachian tube (a small tube in the ear).
• If the tube is blocked, fluid can't drain from the ear.
• When fluid is in the ear, it's easier for the ear to get infected again.
• Allergies, colds, or swelling and scarring from other ear infections can block the tube.

Symptoms of Ear Infections

Few Symptoms of Ear Infections :

• Hearing loss in the affected ear.
• Fullness in the ear.
• Dizziness.
• Vomiting.
• Feeling of general illness.
• Have trouble sleeping.
• Fever.
• Nausea.
• Have headaches.
• Diarrhea.
• Hearing loss in the affected ear.

Treatment of Ear Infections

• The doctor will look in your child's ears to diagnose for redness and fluid.
• In many countries, the standard treatment for otitis media has been a course of antibiotics. There is currently some debate as to whether this should indeed be the treatment.
• The doctor may recommend an antibiotic to kill the infection and medicine to help with your child's cold, allergies, pain, or fever.
• In the operation, a small opening would be made in the eardrum to help drain fluid.
• Treatment may last months. The doctor might recommend an operation to help prevent future infections.
• Make a follow-up appointment with the doctor to assure the ear infection is gone.