How to Prevent Ear Infection
Sometimes it’s the small things in life that cause the most pain…an earache can be quite harrowing and enough to cause sleepless nights, both for the parents as well as the kids.
A middle ear infection, also known as otitis media is basically an infection by bacteria or virus in the area behind the eardrum. The infection causes swelling and fluid build-up in the eustachian tubes that connect the ears to the back of the throat and creates pressure and pain within the ear. This pressure can also affect hearing.
Acute ear infections can be short-term, very painful and clear up within a few days. Chronic infections may not be so painful but keep recurring over time and are more dangerous as they can lead to rupture of the eardrum with permanent hearing loss and middle and inner ear damage.
Ear infections occur more frequently in children as their eustachian tubes are shorter and get plugged easily. Symptoms of ear infections include low–grade fever, fluid oozing from the ear, feeling of pressure and pain in the ear, trouble sleeping and in some cases, hearing loss.
The good thing about ear infections is that they are both preventable as well as treatable, and there are numerous things you can do to prevent infections in yourself as well as your child.
Maintaining hygiene is the most important feature of prevention and frequent washing of hands as well as toys and other things that your child touches is important. This reduces the chances of contracting colds and throat infections which can progress to ear infections.
You also need to keep up-to-date with your child’s immunization schedule for infections like pneumonia, influenza and meningitis. While the vaccines don’t control ear infections, they do control infections that could later on progress to ear infections.
Allergic episodes have also been associated with ear infections as the sinuses may swell up causing blockage and retention of fluids inside the eustachian tubes; this fluid creates an ideal medium for bacteria and virus to grow in and create pressure and pain in the ear.
The adenoids which are small tissues behind the tongue are designed to trap bacteria and viruses, but if they get infected by these germs, they swell up, leading to the spread of infection to other body parts, including the ears.
Smoking isn’t just bad for your lungs, but for your ears too. Smoking and smoke irritates the upper airways, leading to excessive mucus production. This mucus further goes onto block the eustachian tubes and increase the risk for ear infections. So avoid smoking in the house or the car, to prevent second-hand smoke from irritating your kid.
Breast-feeding the child till they are one year old has been known to reduce the incidence of ear infections. Also, avoid bottle-feeding the baby in a lying-down position. Discontinuing the pacifier early-on in babies also bring downs the incidence of ear infections.
If you’ve any questions regarding ear infections, do book an appointment with our ENT specialists here: Click here
Related Blogs
Ten Effective Remedies That You Can Refer to When You Are Suffering from Muscle Cramps
Finally starting off with the gym life can get too overwhelming until you hit those muscle cramps along with the weights.
Skin Tags - Benign Tumor or Cancerous Tumor?
Skin tag if observed is a narrow stalk that hangs about your skin, bulging at the end. They are usually freshly colored and can grow anywhere on your body.
Rotator Cuff Tear
A rotator cuff tear is a rotator cuff injury that can cause shoulder pain and loss of arm function. The rotator cuff is a set of muscles and tendons in your shoulder.
Importance of Parental Counselling
Right from the moment you tell your friends and family about your pregnancy, little hints keep coming your way on parenting your unborn child!
Taking Care of a Terminal Patient? Here Are Six Ways to Help Them to the Fullest
A terminally ill patient is someone who has a relatively short life expectancy. Terminally ill people are usually shifted from an actively curative medicinal regime
Stages of Tooth Decay and Their Treatment Options
Tooth decay refers to the degradation process of the structure of the tooth resulting in permanent damage.
12 Home Remedies for Dry Cough
The flu, common cold, asthma, cigarette smoke exposure, and other conditions can all cause a dry cough. Home remedies such as honey, peppermint, and air purifiers may be beneficial.
Shoulder Dislocation
Shoulder dislocation occurs when the bones of your shoulder joint are pushed or forced out of their normal positions.
5 Facts to Keep in Mind for Your Monthly Menstruation Cycle
Our menstruation indicates multiple activities within your body. Every month, your uterus forms a thicker lining for the ovary to release an egg for a possible pregnancy.
Different Types of Diabetes
Junk food and increasing physical activity are leading to a worldwide epidemic of obesity, resulting in diseases like diabetes
Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Dilated cardiomyopathy is a form of heart muscle illness in which the heart chambers (ventricles) weaken and stretch, becoming bigger.
Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
High blood pressure, also known as hypertension, is a condition in which the blood flow against the inner walls of the arteries is persistently high.
3 Cosmetic Dentistry Procedures You Did Not Know About
Over the past few years, cosmetic dentistry has undergone significant evolution in society. With the increasing demand for cosmetic dentistry, it is no longer a luxury; it has become a necessity.
5 Lifestyle Changes That Will Help with Your Urinary Incontinence
Urinary Incontinence is quite a painful and embarrassing condition to have. It refers to the loss of bladder control, which can vary from a slight release of urine after sneezing, coughing, or laughing, to a complete inability to control urination.
5 Tips This Summer to Avoid Heatstroke
Certain jobs demand fieldwork in the scorching heat. The warm weather, bright sun, and the blue skies are not always an excellent working environment for them at all.
6 Home Remedies for Yeast and Vaginal Infections
Yeast infection is common among women. You might have had the experience of irritating soreness and itching that prolonged for days due to not knowing about the cause.
Aortic Dissection
An aortic dissection is a tear in the aorta. This is the primary artery that transports oxygen-rich blood from your heart to the rest of your body.
Bariatric Surgery and Weight Loss
Bariatric surgery, also known as weight loss surgery, is performed on individuals suffering from obesity. It involves a variety of procedures that help maintain long-term weight loss and also aid in treating obesity.
Best Foods to Cleanse Your Liver
Your liver is one of the largest organs in your body and its primary function is to filter the system by converting toxins to waste products, cleansing your blood and process various nutrients.
Infertility and its Major Causes and Treatments
Infertility is an issue that’s on the rise – not just in India but all over the world. It’s estimated that, on average, one out of every six couples has had issues with infertility.
Precautions to be Taken to Avoid Eosinophilia
Let’s begin with talking about eosinophils – they are just a type of white blood cells that are laden with reactive chemicals which get released under specific conditions to cause mayhem in the body
What is BMD Assessment and its Significance in Treating Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is that creepy monster lurking in the dark, waiting to manifest itself as you age and get less active.
Signs of Testicular Cancer
Men have a pair of testicles located in a sac-like pouch called the scrotum. It forms part of their reproductive system and are responsible for sperm production.
Signs and Symptoms of Kidney Stone
Your kidneys are very important organs in the body; they regulate water content, filter waste from blood, and produce hormones.
Treatment For Liver Failure
Treatment for liver failure depends largely on the causative agent; for example of it’s due to hepatitis virus infection, then hydration and supportive care needs to be provided while the body’s immune system fights back. If it’s due to gallstones,
Related Blogs
Ten Effective Remedies That You Can Refer to When You Are Suffering from Muscle Cramps
Finally starting off with the gym life can get too overwhelming until you hit those muscle cramps along with the weights.
Skin Tags - Benign Tumor or Cancerous Tumor?
Skin tag if observed is a narrow stalk that hangs about your skin, bulging at the end. They are usually freshly colored and can grow anywhere on your body.
