When someone talks about an ear infection almost everyone can say they have suffered from one at some time or another. The ear is a common area in the body to become infected. The majority of ear infections are actually in children and teens but adults are not immune to them. The problem is that ear infections have a lot of misunderstanding surrounding this topic. They are not all treated the same and that is because there are several types. The different types of ear infections are due to different reasons and need to be treated in a particular manner. You want to be sure you know what kind you have to know how to best care for it. The first step is to understand the different types of ear infections and what they mean.
Outer Ear Infection: This is a very common type of ear infection and the other name it is known by is swimmer’s ear. Don’t let the name fool you because you don’t actually have to be a swimmer to get this type of ear infection. Those that are given this diagnosis can be people that swim often but can be people that live in a humid place as well. The moisture in the air can be enough to infect the external part of the ear. The outer ear canal will become swollen and can be quite painful. The usual treatment for this type of ear infection is a drop that is used as prescribed to treat the infection on contact. There are times that the swelling makes it so that the drops cannot reach the canal and a steroid may be required.
Middle Ear Infection: This is by the far the most common ear infection. The part of the ear that actually becomes infected is located behind the ear drum. The infection will then cause the area to become inflamed and pus to form. That causes the membrane of the eardrum to expand. It is similar to a balloon that is blown up. The air extends the outer portion of the balloon. The problem is that the balloon if overfilled will pop and explode and the same goes for your eardrum. If the infection is not handled quickly a rupture will occur and may alleviate some of the pain from the pressure. You need to have the infection treated with an oral antibiotic since no drops can get to the area behind the ear drum. This type of infection happens mostly to children and too many will lead to the child needing to have tubes placed in the ear to help with drainage.
Inner Ear Infections: One of the weirdest things about an inner ear infection is that you won’t feel pain in the ear. The most common sign that you have this type of ear infection is vertigo or some level of hearing loss. The test to determine an inner ear infection is more in-depth and the treatment is often a prescription that is taken orally.
ENT Specialists offers expert diagnosis and custom treatment for ear infections. Contact us to schedule an appointment today.
