Overview
An ear infection happens when germs grow in part of the ear or when inflammation and fluid buildup affect the ear. Infections may involve the outer ear canal, the middle ear behind the eardrum, or less commonly the inner ear area. Symptoms can range from mild discomfort to severe pain, balance problems, or hearing changes.
Key Symptoms
Common symptoms include ear pain, a feeling of fullness, muffled hearing, fever, irritability in children, and trouble sleeping. Some people have fluid draining from the ear, itching, ringing, or dizziness. Babies and young children may tug at the ear, cry more than usual, or feed poorly.
Causes and Risk Factors
Ear infections can follow colds, flu, sinus problems, or allergies that lead to swelling and trapped fluid. Swimming, moisture in the ear canal, skin irritation, and inserting cotton swabs or other objects into the ear can raise the chance of outer ear infection. Young age, exposure to tobacco smoke, crowded settings, and some immune or structural problems can also increase risk.
Who Is Affected
Ear infections can affect people of any age, but middle ear infections are especially common in infants and young children. This is partly because the tubes connecting the middle ear to the back of the throat are smaller and can block more easily. Adults can also get ear infections, especially after upper respiratory infections, swimming, or skin irritation of the ear canal.
Prevention
Reducing exposure to respiratory infections, keeping vaccines up to date, and avoiding tobacco smoke can help lower the risk of some ear infections. Drying the ears gently after swimming or bathing and avoiding putting objects into the ear canal may help prevent outer ear infections. Managing allergies and handwashing may also help by lowering illness spread and swelling in the nose and throat.
Diagnosis and Tests
A healthcare professional usually diagnoses an ear infection by asking about symptoms and examining the ear. They may use a lighted instrument to look at the eardrum and ear canal and may check hearing or pressure behind the eardrum. Further testing is sometimes needed if infections keep coming back, hearing loss lasts, or symptoms are severe.
Treatment Categories
Treatment depends on which part of the ear is affected, the person’s age, and how severe the symptoms are. Care may include symptom relief, monitoring, ear drops, or other medicines recommended by a clinician. Keeping the ear dry and avoiding further irritation are often important, and some recurring or complicated cases may need specialist care.
When to Seek Medical Care
Seek medical care if ear pain is strong, symptoms last more than a short time, hearing seems reduced, fluid drains from the ear, or a child has fever or seems unusually unwell. Babies, people with weakened immune systems, and anyone with repeated ear infections should be assessed promptly. Medical review is also important if symptoms come after ear injury or recent air travel.
When It May Be an Emergency
Get urgent help right away for swelling or redness behind the ear, a stiff neck, severe headache, confusion, facial weakness, high fever with worsening illness, or severe dizziness with vomiting. Emergency care is also needed after a serious head injury, sudden major hearing loss, or if the person is very drowsy or hard to wake. These signs can point to serious complications or another urgent condition.