The Anatomy of an Ear Infection

Ear infections affect thousands of kids each year. Some children may have up to 10 ear infections in their first year of life. While ear infections are not fun for anyone involved, they are usually only minor infections that clear up to a full recovery shortly after treatment is started. I'll cover the cause, symptoms, treatment, and complications of an ear infection in this article.

An ear infection is caused by an accumulation of fluid in the inner ear. This fluid usually becomes trapped and eventually the bacteria may start to grow. Once the bacteria begin to grow, the ear becomes painful and thus the ear infection begins. The fluid that accumulates in the inner ear is usually the by-product of having a cold and results from the sinuses draining. If your child's body is strong enough to fight the initial cold infection early, the cold generally will not spread to the ear to cause the ear infection. Children tend to have less resistance and their bodies are not as strong as adults, so the cold can back up into the ears very quickly. The child's throat, tonsils, adenoids and Eustachian tubes are all very close due to the small size of the child. Because of the close quarters, the infection can spread very rapidly to the child's ears. Some research has shown bottle feeding your infant and smoking in your child's living quarters may increase their chances of developing an ear infection. It is always recommended to breast feed, and not smoke near your children.

The main symptom of an ear infection is the discomfort. Young children and infants may pull on their ear, rub their ear and feel very discontent. The outer ear may become slightly swollen and appear red when the infection is present. The child generally has other cold symptoms such as a runny nose, cough and a fever. Often children are very uncomfortable and they become crabby and difficult to make happy. If the infection is very severe you may notice drainage from the ear. Swallowing may be very uncomfortable for a child with an ear infection, so if your child is not drinking well, that is a symptom of an ear infection as well.

The doctor can see an ear infection very easily. They will examine your child's ear and when an ear is infected the ear drum is red and swollen. The doctor will most likely prescribe a 10 day treatment of antibiotics to destroy the bacteria. Once the bacteria are killed, the fluid can drain and the ear can clear up to its original state. The fluid may remain in the ear even though the infection is gone, but should drain within 2 weeks of starting antibiotics.

There are a few complications of ear infections. The most common complication is the rupturing of the ear drum. If the inner ear becomes so swollen with fluid, the pressure may build up enough to cause a tiny tear in the ear drum. This is extremely painful. Ringing and buzzing in your ear along with drainage can be a sign that your ear drum has ruptured. The ear drum will generally heal itself, but it may take up to 2 months. If your child has recurring ear infections, his or her pediatrician may recommend a myringotomy. This is a surgery to insert small tubes placed inside the Eustachian tube to prevent fluid from accumulating. This is a fairly simple surgery, and the tubes will fall out by themselves after a while.

No parent likes their child to suffer, and ear infections are extremely uncomfortable for your child. While it is hard to suffer for a few days, the outlook is good and your child should be back to normal before you know it. If you ever suspect your child has an ear infection, be sure to take them into the doctor as soon as possible.