Aren’t you one of them who uses an earbud to clean up earwax?
Many people use cotton swabs to clean their ears. However, while it’s safe to clean the outside of the ear with a cotton swab, it’s best to avoid using them inside your ear. Well, this practice is not medically advised as it can lead to ear infections.
As we delve deeper into this topic to know more about it continue reading.

Overview

An ear infection is medically acknowledged as acute otitis media. So, an ear infection occurs when a bacterial or viral infection disrupts the middle ear in some way. Children are more likely than adults to get ear infections. Generally, ear infections get treated on their own but require medical attention if it is a chronic ear infection, treatments may begin with managing pain and monitoring the problem. Sometimes, antibiotics are used to clear the infection. Some people are prone to having multiple ear infections. This can cause hearing problems and other serious complications.

Types of ear infection

Ear infections can be both chronic and acute. Chronic infections may last longer as compared to acute infections. Infections can be classified as per the type of bacteria. The major type of ear infections are:

1. Acute otitis media (AOM)
AOM is the most common and least serious form of ear infection. The middle ear becomes infected and swollen, and fluid is trapped behind the eardrum. Fever can also occur.

2. Otitis media with effusion (OME)
After an ear infection has run its course, there may be some fluid left behind in the eardrum. An eardrum A person with OME may not experience symptoms, but a doctor will be able to spot the remaining fluid.

3. Chronic otitis media with effusion (COME)
COME refers to fluid repeatedly returning to the middle ear, with or without an infection present. This leads to a reduced ability to fight other infections and hurts the hearing ability

Symptoms

In adults, the symptoms are simple, Adults with ear infections experience ear pain and pressure, fluid in the ear, and reduced hearing. Children experience a wider range of signs. These include:

• Ear pain, especially when lying down
• Tugging or pulling at an ear
• Trouble sleeping
• Crying more than usual
• Fussiness
• Trouble hearing or responding to sounds
• Loss of balance
• Fever 100 F (38 C) or higher
• Drainage of fluid from the ear
• Headache
• Loss of appetite

Causes

There can be several factors behind ear infections from congestion to usage of earbuds. Parents have to provide special care and attention to their kids as it is common at a younger age. Ear infections are caused by viruses or bacteria. They often result from a blockage of your Eustachian tubes, which causes fluid to build in the middle ear. Eustachian tubes are small tubes that run from each of your ears directly to the back of your throat.

Causes of Eustachian tube blockage include:

• Allergies
• Colds
• Sinus infections
• Excess mucus
• Smoking
• Changes in air pressure

Prevention and Treatment of ear infection

One must visit an ENT specialist after experiencing the symptoms of an ear infection. Mahabir Doctor’s Hub has the best specialist of ENT in Siliguri and effective treatment depends on getting the right diagnosis as soon as possible. Our specialists collaborate across disciplines to listen to your problem and evaluate your condition from every angle and develop a diagnosis and treatment plan. The diagnosis is done by taking a fluid sample of your ear or by doing a hearing test. Ear drops are provided to relieve the pain in some cases. Treatment of ear infections depends on age, the severity of the infection, and the nature of the infection. Your healthcare provider will recommend medications to relieve you or your child’s pain and fever. Your healthcare provider may choose to wait a few days to see if the infection goes away on its own before prescribing an antibiotic.

Here are some ear infection prevention tips-

• There is a social norm of heating oil and putting it in the ear. The public should be cognizant not to do so as we are harming our ears more by such activities.
• The eardrum is of the same delicacy as the eyes. But, still, people can be seen putting anything in the ear that comes in their hand, starting from keys, pencils, or wires and they damage their ear. So mostly it’s a self-induced infection.
• The other tip is that the public should be educated not to use earbuds. The earbud is a western concept. However, here the climatic conditions are different. The wax secreted is more in the liquid form, so it is safe in those countries to use earbuds to clean the ear. But, in our country, the wax is more of a dry nature. Therefore, using earbuds pushes the wax further rather than taking it out.