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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.

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Fibromyalgia: The Chronic Muscle and Joint Pain

Fibromyalgia (FM): The Chronic Muscle and Joint Pain Syndrome

What Is Fibromyalgia?

About one in twenty Australians suffers from fibromyalgia, a condition characterized by widespread pain and fatigue of the muscular and skeletal system. Fibromyalgia is a musculoskeletal syndrome that targets the muscles, tendons (the fibrous collagen tissue that connects muscle to bone), and ligaments (connective tissue that connects one bone to another). It causes chronic pain and fatigue and a host of other symptoms. Sadly, fibromyalgia is incurable but it can be managed.

How Does FM Manifest?

Fibromyalgia causes an individual to feel sore all over, much like having muscle aches and pains. Pain and tenderness are the predominant markers of this condition and its severity varies. Some people feel mild muscle aches all over while others report on feelings higher up on the pain scale such as stabbing and burning sensations in the muscles and joints. FM patients may feel like their muscles have been pulled or stressed from a strenuous workout. In other cases, the muscles may feel a throbbing weakness just as they would feel under a bad case of the flu. Most also feel an abnormal exhaustion despite having just gotten up from sleep.
Up until 2006, FM was thought to be a psychosomatic condition, a side effect of emotional disorders. Part of the symptoms it carries is anxiety and depression; so, no wonder it has also been miscategorised. Presently, it is recognized as a true physical condition, one in which an inflicted person processes pain abnormally.
Because the symptoms of muscle and joint pain usually mimic arthritis, chronic fatigue syndrome, and some mental disorders, among others, many a diagnosis have been thrown off the FM scent towards these other similar conditions. The severity and combination of symptoms for fibromyalgia are also so varied among individuals. It is for these reasons that some patients have been misdiagnosed as suffering from other conditions other than FM.
The symptoms for the FM syndrome include the following:

• Soft tissue pain – can mimic thyroid problems and other endocrine disorders
• Tenderness in certain areas like the shoulders, neck, chest, elbow, hip, knee
• Pain all over the body
• Decreased pain threshold
• Muscle cramps, weakness
• Fatigue – ranging from plain tiredness to exhaustion. About 75% of chronic fatigue (CFS) patients actually fulfil the FM criteria as well.
• Gut problems such as frequent indigestion, diarrhoea, constipation, or cramps---much like irritable bowel syndrome
• Sleep problems; insomnia
• Problems with cognition --- memory problems, inability to focus well
• Depression; anxiety
• Headaches and migraines
• Itchy or burning skin

These symptoms by no means form a complete listing but these are the common ones.

Who Are At Risk?

Women, especially between the ages of 35 and 55, are more susceptible to developing FM than men are. Although the syndrome commonly hits individuals in their middle age, anyone including kids and adolescents can come down with fibromyalgia.
Certain personality types are also at high risk. Type A personalities or high achievers are at risk because their personal habits may negate nutrition, exercise, and rest. Studies have also linked obesity to FM, as many patients with the syndrome tend to be obese.
Fibromyalgia could also be a genetic hand-me-down; so the syndrome could run in families.
Other causes of FM may be attributed to:

• Infections
• Lupus
• Rheumatoid arthritis
• Previous pain syndromes
• Injury or trauma
• Emotional disorders
• Substance abuse

How Is FM Treated?

Unfortunately, there is no cure for FM; but you can live with it by following a good management program. Usually your doctor tailors the program to your specific needs which generally involves:

• Education – you need to understand your condition
• Stress management – FM usually brings with it the symptoms of anxiety and depression; so, you need to plan how to relax and manage your emotions
• Medication --- for pain, sleep promotion, and possibly, depression
• Exercise – Although painful at first, you must work your way up to exercising at least 30 minutes a day, 3-4 times a week. The goal is to be aerobically fit. Low impact exercises such as walking, swimming, or tai-chi will go a long way in managing pain, anxiety, and sleep issues.
• Massage – to aid as a muscle relaxant and stress reliever
• Nutrition planning --- You can’t fight or manage a condition without proper nutrition. You need to increase your energy levels by managing your weight as well.
• FM Support groups --- There are several support groups for FM which can be invaluable sources for information and encouragement. One such group you can check on is the Arthritis and Osteoporosis Victoria.

To manage fibromyalgia well, you must be prepared to make some lifestyle changes. Although it may be difficult, success here will enable you to kiss the debilitating side of fibromyalgia out of the way. Bringing a condition to heel is never easy; but the rewards are great when you can learn to live with it.