Download EAR PROblEMS - Choice Pharmacy

Treating middle ear
infections
With the right
treatment most middle
ear infections will clear
up in about a week.
This will mean a trip to
the doctor and usually
taking some antibiotics.
Antibiotics won’t kill viruses, which account for
about a third of all middle ear infections. But
because it’s almost impossible to tell whether
it’s a virus or bacterial infection that has caused
the ear infection, doctors usually prescribe antibiotics.
Glue ear - a complication of middle ear infections
When you get a middle ear infection, the lining of the middle
ear oozes a fluid. At first this is thin, but if the middle ear stays
inflamed it can become thick - like glue. This thick fluid in the
ear is called glue ear. If your child had a middle ear infection,
pay close attention to if they’re hearing properly. Other signs to
look for are inattentiveness, irritability or a lack of balance. If you
think your child could have glue ear you should see your doctor
straight away. Glue ear stops children from hearing properly and,
left untreated, can cause your child to miss out on vital stages in
speech and developmental learning.
Swimmer’s ear (otitis externa)
A combination of humidity, heat and moisture (sweat) can make
the skin layer inside the ear swell. This is called swimmer’s ear
because when we’re at our hottest and sweatiest in summer
what do we like to do? Swim! Swimming exposes our ears to
more water making the skin lining the ear canal even softer and
liable to infection. Symptoms of swimmer’s ear include:
- Pain
- Discharge from the ear (this could be a little smelly)
- Itchy ears
- Mild hearing loss
How do I stop swimmer’s ear?
Stopping you or your child from getting swimmer’s ear doesn’t
necessarily mean giving up swimming altogether. Here are a few
other things you can try:
- Shake any water from your ears after swimming
- Use earplugs when you’re swimming
- Apply drying ear drops before and after you go swimming If you do get swimmer’s ear, avoid the temptation to try and
remove the water with cotton buds or hairpins. This will make the
pain and itching worse. The best thing to do is see your doctor.
Out of control ear wax
Wax in the ear is normal, it protects our ears. But sometimes
wax can build up and block our ears. This is quite a common ear
problem. It can affect children and adults, but especially adults. If
your ear is being clogged by wax you might have some discomfort in
the ear or have a feeling your ear is blocked. You might also notice
your hearing getting worse.
Clearing your ears
There are wax-softening ear drops available from
our Pharmacy that can help soften and remove wax.
Ask your pharmacist. If this doesn’t do the trick see
your doctor. Doctors can clean your ears out with
a syringe. They use the syringe to gently fill the ear
canal with warm water and float out the wax plug.
WARNING:
This booklet is intended to provide basic information for the general public. It is not
intended to, nor does it, constitute medical advice. Readers are warned against relying
solely on the information contained herein, or changing medical schedules or life
activities based on the information it contains without first consulting a doctor.
ear
problems
health & wellness
Our ears are amazing, complex pieces of work.
They give us our hearing and our sense of balance.
They work with our other senses to make us aware
of our surroundings.
But occasionally our ears can cause us problems.
If you’re a parent or carer of a young child, you’ll know this is
especially true. Babies, infants and children are all prone to
ear infections and most will have had a few ear infections by
the time they’re 7. This can be a worrying time for parents
because if the child is young, they can’t very well communicate
what’s wrong and how much pain they’re in.
“How can
something so
little hurt so
much?”
This brochure will tell you about some
of the most common ear problems both
children and adults face - and give you an
idea about some of the signs to watch out
for. We’ll also provide some practical advice
on how you can treat and prevent ear
problems. But first of all, let’s look at how
our ears work.
Inside the ear
Our ears are made up of three main parts:
The outer ear
This is made up of the outer ear rim (pinna) and the outer ear
canal. Here sound waves move down the outer canal to the
eardrum, which then vibrates. In this part of the ear, wax and
dead skin cells are constantly moving out towards the pinna, to
be cleared out of the ear.
The middle ear
This is the most
common site of
infection for children.
It’s made up of the
eardrum and three
small bones (the stirrup,
anvil and hammer).
These bones pick up the eardrum’s vibrations and send them to
the inner ear. Connecting the middle ear to the back of the throat
is a hollow tube called the eustachian tube. For babies and young
children, the eustachian tube is a lot shorter and narrower. This
means it’s a lot easier for any infections to travel up the tube from
the throat.
The inner ear
In this part there’s the cochlea, the auditory nerve and the organ of
balance. The cochlea changes vibrations from the middle ear into
impulses that are sent to our brain. We interpret these impulses as
sound.
The middle ear infection (otitis media)
This is one of the most common infections in children, especially
around the pre-school age. Older children and adults can also get
middle ear infections but they’re less common. Most middle ear
infections start off as a simple cold or upper respiratory infection.
This is because respiratory infections usually make the Eustachian
tube swell up, increasing the chances of blockages that trap fluid in
the middle ear. Any trapped fluid is an easy target for bacteria.
How do I know if it’s a middle ear infection?
Most middle ear infections usually flare up pretty suddenly,
with symptoms showing up within a few hours of being well.
The first symptom is usually a severe earache that
throbs. The pain is caused by the blocked eustachian
tube putting pressure on the middle ear.
Symptoms to look out for in your child include:
-
Being miserable, irritable or just not themselves
A fever - usually ranging between 38-40ºC.
Vomiting and / or a lack of interest in food
Discharge
Rubbing or pulling at the ears (usually in babies)
Temporary hearing loss is another symptom adults and older
children will be able to communicate.
Preventing middle ear infections
There are some things known to increase a child’s
chances of getting a middle ear infection, like
breathing in secondhand smoke or spending time
in childcare centres. Although you might not have a choice
about putting your child in daycare, choosing a small one with
less children for your child to catch things from is always a
better option. Making sure nobody smokes in your home is
another way you can help protect your child from colds and ear
infections.
If you know your child is prone to ear infections, take special
care if it looks like they have a cold or flu. A runny or blocked
nose can be treated with a nasal decongestant (e.g. Demazin)
to keep the infection from moving up the Eustachian tube to
the middle ear.