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Ear Infection – Causes, Symptoms and Treatment
Author: Corwin Brown | Posted: 02-05-2008 | Comments: 0 | Views: 47 | 
The ear consists of three parts: the external, middle, and interior ear. The external ear also consists of three parts—the auricle, the auditory canal, and the tympanic membrane. The auricle (pronounced OR-uh-kull) is the outermost part of the ear; the part you can see attached to the sides of your head. The auricle is connected to the interior parts of the ear by means of a narrow opening called the auditory canal. At the end of the auditory canal is the tympanic membrane, or eardrum.
Children who are around people who smoke are at a very high risk of getting ear infections. Additionally, if they have had previous ear infections or have a family history of ear infections can increase their risk. It is no big secret that children in day care are exposed to many more germs and viruses so this is a large risk. A child who was premature at birth or had a low birth weight may also be at a higher risk.
The common Causes of Ear Infection :
The cause is a germ infecting the outer ear canal. Most often this is caused by bacteria (which can be treated with antibiotics), but sometimes other causes, such as fungus infection, are to blame.
The infection can happen to anyone. Sometimes a cause can be traced, such as swimming in infected sea water (many surfers will attest to this). Most times it is not possible to be sure why it started. Excessive sweating from physical activity.
Symptoms
Older children can tell you that their ear hurts. Their ear pain may also be accompanied with fever. Babies, however, and children who are too young to tell you where it hurts may cry or pull on their ear or ears. A child with an ear infection, regardless of age, may show signs of irritability, listlessness, have difficulty hearing and may not feel like eating or sleeping. This is particularly true with breastfed babies who have an ear ache. Because a breastfed baby suckles in a certain way that is different and more difficult than suckling from a bottle, this motion can irritate the baby's sore ears causing him or her to "go off his feed."
The sensation of tinnitus is the sound of high-pitched whistling, buzzing, ringing or hissing. It can also be quite a complex sound, like the roar of an ocean. The sounds may be constant or come and go.
Whatever the cause of the tinnitus, it's almost always made worse by stress, which can be physical, psychological or emotional. Some people are able to live with the sound of their tinnitus quite happily. In others, the sound seriously interferes with their quality of life. The sound can be in one or both ears, or elsewhere in the head.
Surgery
If there is fluid in the middle ear and the condition persists, even with antibiotic treatment, a healthcare provider may recommend myringotomy (surgical opening of the eardrum) to relieve pressure and allow drainage of the fluid. This may or may not involve the insertion of tympanostomy tubes (often referred to as ear tubes). In this procedure, a tiny tube is inserted into the eardrum, keeping open a small hole that allows air to get in so fluids can drain more easily down the eustachian tube. Tympanostomy tube insertion is done under general anesthesia.
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