Ear Infection Symptoms Adults and Children

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Ear Infection Symptoms

Ear infection symptoms in adults and children range from runny nose, vomiting, pain in the ears, headaches, irritability, etc. This article dwells mainly on the signs of ear infection.

Ear infections do not take long to manifest themselves. Infections in the ear can be caused by a bacteria, virus or respiratory system, or as a part of head cold or sinus infection. Moreover, when water is not properly drained from the ear, it becomes a breeding ground for bacteria to grow, thereby, leading to an ear infection.

There are 3 types of ear infections: Otitis media, Otitis externa and Otitis interna. Otitis media is commonly referred to as ear infections and is associated with infections occurring in the middle ear. This article focuses on the infections occurring in the middle ear. Otitis media is caused when virus and bacteria get inside the ear. These bacterias and viruses get inside the ear canal through the Eustachian tube in the nose. The infection in the middle ear can be transferred to the inner ear. Infection symptoms amplify when the inner ear gets affected.

Signs of Ear Infection in Adults

When bacterias or viruses enter the body, they cause a cold, sore throat and other respiratory or breathing problems before spreading to the middle ear. Once the infection reaches the middle ear, the symptoms of ear infection are as follows:

• Inability to balance when standing
• Vertigo
• Runny nose
• Cough
• Discharge from ears
• Vomiting
• Headaches and pain in affected ear
• Fever

The onset of an ear infection may only be accompanied by nasal congestion and pain in the head or ear. Moreover, the ears may feel wet or very sensitive. Read more on ear infections symptoms in adults.

Symptoms of an Ear Infection in Children

Babies and small children mostly do not have sufficiently developed speech and language skills to voice out exactly what is bothering them. Thus, it is quite difficult to detect an ear infection in children. However, some of the common symptoms affecting children are as follows:

• Difficulty in sleeping
• Fluid draining from the ear
• Unusual irritability
• Tugging or pulling at one or both ears
• Loss of balance
• Fever
• Hearing difficulty

When children tug at their ears and are generally cranky, with nasal discharge, one should note that the reason can be an ear infection. Read more on ear infections in infants.

Ear Infection Diagnosis

If a person exhibits the above mentioned ear infection symptoms, the doctor will perform a physical exam and may also recommend additional tests to understand the severity of the infection. In the physical exam, the doctor will use an otoscope to look into the patient's ear. If he sees inflammation in the eardrum, he knows there is an infection. As far as checking the middle ear fluid is concerned, the doctor blows a puff of air onto the eardrum to test its movement.

Tympanometry is a test done to check middle ear function and involves insertion of a tiny, soft plug into the opening of the person's ear canal. This test provides information regarding the condition of the middle ear. A hearing test is recommended by the doctor for children who encounter frequent ear infections. This is done by an audiologist to determine the extent of hearing loss.

Ear Infection Treatment

Antibiotics are drugs that kills bacteria, which is why they are used to treat active middle ear infections. Pain relievers are also given to relieve ear pain. The patients must take the entire antibiotic course and the course should not be stopped midway. For bacterias resistant to antibiotics, these courses won't prove effective and different treatments have to be administered to clear the infection. If the fluid in the middle ear does not clear in 3 months and is associated with hearing loss, the doctor will recommend a surgery called myringotomy to treat the infection.


Ear infection symptoms can also be treated with some natural remedies. For example,garlic oil for ear infections is quite effective, as garlic's anti-bacterial properties help relieve pain and cure infections. However, people on blood thinning medicines should avoid this, as garlic is a natural blood thinner. If you notice some signs of ear infections, do not try out any cure for ear infections on your own. It is best to consult a doctor at the earliest.

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