{"id":10988,"date":"2020-10-13T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-13T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/?p=10988"},"modified":"2021-03-16T10:12:43","modified_gmt":"2021-03-16T15:12:43","slug":"ear-infections-causes-symptoms-and-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/osf-blog.live.imagescape.com\/blog\/ear-infections-causes-symptoms-and-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Ear infections: Causes, symptoms and treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Ear infections are one of the most common reasons kids go to the doctor. In fact, most children have had at least one by the time they turn one.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAn ear infection is a collection of fluid \u2013 and infection of that fluid \u2013 behind the eardrum, that causes pressure,\u201d said\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/providers.osfhealthcare.org\/provider\/Kristine+L.+Ray\/1465754?name=Kristine%20L.%20Ray&amp;sort=relevance%2Cnetworks\">Kristine Ray, MD<\/a>, an <a href=\"https:\/\/providers.osfhealthcare.org\/search?alias_term=Pediatricians&amp;display=Pediatrics&amp;in_what=Pediatrics&amp;specialty_synonym=Pediatrics.*&amp;sort=relevance%2Cnetworks\">OSF HealthCare pediatrician<\/a>. \u201cThe eardrum is like a piece of tissue paper. That fluid and pressure causes the eardrum to bulge out into the canal of the ear, which can cause pain.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2>Symptoms of an ear infection<\/h2>\n<p>Ear pain is the tell-tale sign of many ear infections.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Other symptoms include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Ear tugging or general fussiness (in babies)<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/whats-considered-a-fever-and-when-to-see-a-doctor\/\">Fever<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Runny nose or congestion<\/li>\n<li>Cough<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Treatment for ear infections<\/h2>\n<p>Ear infections often resolve on their own.<\/p>\n<p>And while ear infections caused by bacteria can be treated with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/blog\/antibiotics-arent-always-the-answer\/\">antibiotics<\/a>, ear infections can also be caused by a virus.<\/p>\n<p>For these reasons, antibiotics are not always prescribed right away for an inner ear infection.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt depends on the severity and age of the patient,\u201d Dr. Ray said.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Children <strong>under 6 months old<\/strong> usually receive antibiotics for an ear infection.<\/li>\n<li>Children<strong> 6 months to 2 years<\/strong> old may not receive antibiotics if their infection is mild, but it\u2019s still likely your provider will recommend antibiotics.<\/li>\n<li>Once children are<strong> over the age of 2<\/strong>, your provider is more likely to recommend waiting a few days to see if symptoms improve without treatment before prescribing antibiotics \u2013 unless symptoms are severe.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>\u201cOnce they get to 2 years old and up, we are trying to be better stewards with our antibiotics. We usually give 48 to 72 hours to see how symptoms evolve. If they are getting better, we usually don\u2019t need antibiotics,\u201d Dr. Ray said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIf, in the course of 48 to 72 hours, they are getting worse, we are likely to prescribe antibiotics.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>Outside of antibiotics, treatment for ear infections focuses on controlling pain and discomfort:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Over-the-counter pain relievers, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen<\/li>\n<li>Hot or cold compress<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Recurring ear infections<\/h2>\n<p>If ear infections come back over and over again, your provider may refer you to see an <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/childrens\/services\/ear-nose-throat\/\">ear, nose and throat specialist<\/a> for a more effective treatment for preventing infections.<\/p>\n<p>The most common treatment is pressure equalization tubes, also called ear tubes or ventilation tubes. These tiny tubes are surgically inserted into the eardrum and create a pathway for fluid to drain, so it can\u2019t build up in the ear canal.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Children may benefit from ear tubes if they have:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Three or more ear infections in a six-month period<\/li>\n<li>Four or more ear infections in a 12-month period<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Ear infection prevention<\/h2>\n<p>While ear infections are quite common, certain behaviors can put children at higher or lower risk for developing an ear infection.<\/p>\n<p><strong>To limit your child\u2019s risk of ear infections:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Avoid tobacco smoke. Exposure to tobacco smoke is a significant risk factor for ear infections and recurrent ear infections.<\/li>\n<li>Breastfeed, if possible. <a href=\"http:\/\/healthlibrary.osfhealthcare.org\/Search\/90,P02636\">Breastfeeding<\/a> can be protective and preventive for those ear infections.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If your child has symptoms of an ear infection, see your <a href=\"https:\/\/www.osfhealthcare.org\/primary-care\/\">primary care provider (PCP)<\/a> or visit an urgent care facility for treatment. If your child has recurring infections, talk with your PCP or pediatrician for more information about what\u2019s causing your child\u2019s infections and how to prevent them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Ear pain is one common symptom of an ear infection in children and infants, but there can be others including fever and cough.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":60,"featured_media":11030,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[129],"tags":[317,390,371,215],"coauthors":[757],"class_list":["post-10988","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-miscellaneous","tag-antiobiotics","tag-ear-infection","tag-pediatrics","tag-urgent-care"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Ear 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