A viral or bacterial infection that affects the external, middle, or inner ear. It may follow an upper respiratory infection. Signs and symptoms include pain, ear discharge, ear fullness, hearing loss, vertigo, nausea, and vomiting

Symptoms of Ear Infection

The following features are indicative of Ear Infection:
  • ear pain
  • tugging or pulling at an ear
  • difficulty in sleeping
  • crying more than usual in children
  • difficulty hearing
  • loss of balance
  • fever of 100 F or higher
  • drainage of fluid from the ear
  • headache
  • loss of appetite
It is possible that Ear Infection shows no physical symptoms and still is present in a patient.

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Common Causes of Ear Infection

The following are the most common causes of Ear Infection:
  • cold
  • flu
  • allergy

Risk Factors for Ear Infection

The following factors may increase the likelihood of Ear Infection:
  • children between the ages of 6 months and 2 years
  • babies who drink from a bottle
  • seasonal factors
  • exposure to tobacco smoke or high levels of air pollution

Prevention of Ear Infection

Yes, it may be possible to prevent Ear Infection. Prevention may be possible by doing the following:
  • prevent common colds
  • teach children to wash their hands frequently and thoroughly
  • avoid secondhand smoke
  • breastfeed your baby
  • talk to doctor for seasonal flu shots, pneumococcal and other bacterial vaccines

Occurrence of Ear Infection

Number of Cases

The following are the number of Ear Infection cases seen each year worldwide:
  • Very common > 10 Million cases

Common Age Group

Ear Infection can occur at any age.

Common Gender

Ear Infection can occur in any gender.

Lab Tests and Procedures for Diagnosis of Ear Infection

The following lab tests and procedures are used to detect Ear Infection:
  • Pneumatic otoscope: To look in the ear and judge whether there is fluid behind the eardrum
  • Tympanometry: To measure the movement of the eardrum
  • Acoustic reflectometry: To measure how much sound emitted from a device is reflected back from the eardrum
  • Tympanocentesis: To drain fluid from the middle ear

Doctor for Diagnosis of Ear Infection

Patients should visit the following specialists if they have symptoms of Ear Infection:
  • Audiologist
  • Infectious disease specialist

Complications of Ear Infection if untreated

Yes, Ear Infection causes complications if it is not treated. Below is the list of complications and problems that may arise if Ear Infection is left untreated:
  • impaired hearing
  • speech or developmental delays
  • tearing of the eardrum

Procedures for Treatment of Ear Infection

The following procedures are used to treat Ear Infection:
  • Myringotomy: To help ventilate the middle ear and prevent the accumulation of more fluids

Medicines for Ear Infection

Below is the list of medicines used for Ear Infection:

Self-care for Ear Infection

The following self-care actions or lifestyle changes may help in the treatment or management of Ear Infection:
  • Prevent common colds and other illnesses: Help reduce the risk of developing ear infections
  • Avoid secondhand smoke: Help reduce the risk of developing ear infections

Alternative Medicine for Treatment of Ear Infection

The following alternate medicine and therapies are known to help in the treatment or management of Ear Infection:
  • Acupuncture: Helps bringing patient to normal condition
  • Phytotherapy: Helps Treating otitis
  • Vitamin D Supplement: Helps treating infections

Time for Treatment of Ear Infection

While time-period of treatment for each patient may vary, below is the typical time-period for Ear Infection to resolve if treated properly under an expert supervision:
  • In 1 - 4 weeks

Last updated date

This page was last updated on 2/04/2019.
This page provides information for Ear Infection.
Middle Ear Infection
Otomycosis