Ear Infections: Risk Factors, Symptoms, and Treatment

As ear infection is one of the most common of childhood ailments, it is not surprising if most of us have had a bout with this malady at some point in our lives. About one in ten young Australian children suffer from otitis media every year, especially after an attack from colds or throat infection. Kids aged four and under are particularly susceptible to ear infection. Adults can also be afflicted by this painful malady; but, the odds are a yearly one in a hundred.

A Closer Look at the Ear

The most common infections of the ear affect the outer and the middle portions of the ear.
To understand what ear infections particularly affect, let us take a closer look at our hearing organ:

Image reference: http://www.rch.org.au/
The ear has three general parts, namely the outer ear, middle ear, and the inner ear. The outer ear encompasses the external parts you see, from the lobes down into the ear canal, ending at the eardrum barrier. The middle ear starts at the eardrum and contains the tiny bones that amplify sound. Sounds are transmitted to the inner ear of which the cochlea is a part of. The cochlea transmits sound as nerve impulses for the brain to interpret.

Types of Ear Infection

Virus, bacteria, and even fungi can play havoc on the ear, particularly in the outer and middle ear areas. Infections can range from mild to severe with a discomfort level ranging from slightly annoying to very painful. Infants and toddlers, more often than older children, are especially prone to ear infections because they are highly susceptible to head colds. Young children’s Eustachian tubes are shorter and more horizontal, offering an easier path for bacteria or viruses to traverse the ear from the nose and throat.
More often than not, it is the outer and middle ear sections that usually bear the brunt of an infectious assault. Inner ear infections are less common but no less painful or dangerous when it strikes. Ear infections must be treated with the proper medical care.

Outer Ear Infection (Otitis Externa)

When the outer ear is compromised, the condition is called otitis externa. Also known as swimmer’s ear or tropical ear, acute otitis externa is a painful condition in which the outer ear is irritated or inflamed by fungi or bacteria in dirty water. As swimmers often swim in public pools, dirty water sometimes get trapped in their ears. The bacteria or fungi in this water spread in the outer area and infect it; hence, the apt cognomen. Of course, the pool is not the only source for the swimmer’s ear condition. Swimmer’s ear can be caused by:

• Excessive swabbing or cleaning of the ear canal which can injure the skin or eardrum.
• Eczema or seborrhoea
• Contact with chemicals such as hairsprays or hair dyes
• A wound in the skin of the ear can invite bacterial and fungal infection

Swimmers or kids in dirty pools are not the only targets. Outer ear infection can affect those with eczema and those who happen to produce excessive earwax.

Middle Ear Infection (Otitis Media)

Head colds, the flu, or some upper respiratory illness often bring middle ear infections down on children. Three prevalent versions of this middle ear malady are:

• Acute otitis media - This condition comes about when infected fluid from colds travels to the Eustachian tube and builds up there as pus. Pus puts pressure on the eardrum and causes hearing problems and pain. Sometimes, the pressure is enough to rupture the eardrum. The burst allows us to drain out and effect a leaky ear.
  Although most kids are often diagnosed with this condition, treatment must be sought immediately because the infection can deteriorate to one as bad as facial paralysis, meningitis, and deafness.
  

• Chronic Otitis Media (COM) - The word chronic tells us that this condition is a result of repetitive infections because the infection has actually never fully healed. COM can cause hearing damage. This is especially true in Aboriginal kids and those from the Torres Strait Islands. As these children sometimes do not get adequate treatment, hearing loss due to COM is a frequent result among them.

• Glue Ear - Instead of air, a sticky fluid with a glue-like consistency fills the middle ear. This substance dampens sound vibrations, causing affected individuals to hear a very muted or “turned down” volume. Sometimes, glue ear goes unnoticed and this condition in kids gives rise to learning disabilities, bad balance, delayed speech development, impaired social interactions, and other psychological issues stemming from weakened hearing.

Inner Ear Infection (Labyrinthitis)

Respiratory illness, middle ear infection, stomach virus, and herpes virus can cause inner ear infection. Prominent symptoms are dizziness and vertigo which may result in vision, balance and hearing problems. Labyrinthitis is rare in children. Adults are more prone to developing this as other causes for the condition may include:

• Smoking
• Drinking a lot of alcoholic beverages
• History of allergies
• Extreme stress
• Chronic fatigue
• Medicating with aspirin

Symptoms of Ear Infections

Because ear infections vary, so do the symptoms. These more or less hold true though across the many types:

Sharp, intense pain. Babies or toddlers may have uncomfortable crying bouts and be extremely irritable. You may see a child pulling or rubbing his ear or sticking their finger in it.

• Nausea/vomiting
• Impaired hearing
• Discharges from the ear
• Loss of appetite
• Diarrhoea
• Impaired balance; vertigo
• Loss of appetite
• Fever
• Headache
• Fatigue

Outer ear infections may also manifest as a feeling of fullness in the ear which may appear red and swollen. Sometimes it will be painful to touch or movement. With middle ear infections, pus can leak out of the ear as a result of the pressure of fluid build-up.

Treatment

External ear infections would be treated with cleaning of the ear and antibiotics. Pain medication may be given to relieve pain. Middle ear infections may also require antibiotic treatments. A child afflicted with glue ear may need to have his ears drained.
It is important to know that children can have recurring ear infections in a year. Always see to their immediate treatment so that they are ensured to outgrow ear infections with normal, perfect hearing. Avoid home treatment with over-the-counter drops to loosen wax or ear candling. These practices often yield no treatment value and may make your child’s ear condition worse.

Prevention

It is quite difficult to prevent ear infection in children as it is equally tough to prevent them from coming down with some upper respiratory infection. The onset of flu, for instance, is bound to happen. The key here is to try to minimize the occurrences of colds and influenza. Boost your kid's immunity from colds and flu by seeing to and instructing him on good personal hygiene. Support your efforts at bolstering your little one's immunity with a healthy diet and exercise.