Why Should You Consult An Ent Doctor For A Middle Ear Infection
Although home remedies can heal middle ear infections, you have to consult an ENT doctor, who will make the call for you if the home treatment and nose drops are sufficient or if you need any antibiotics. If the infection is more, we will need antibiotics to treat the infection under the guidance of an ENT doctor.
Middle ear infections can spread to the outer and inner ear if uncontrolled. It can even cause perforation of the eardrum, which can lead to major surgery. So, it is better to consult an ENT doctor as early as possible. When diagnosed and treated early, it might require antibiotics, but we can avoid unnecessary major surgery that can take a toll on both your body and pocket.
Prevention is better than cure
Get your sinusitis treated and under control. Follow an ENT doctorâs advice carefully and avoid complications that can lead to the use of antibiotics or surgery. Sinus surgery and sinusitis complications are entirely avoidable. Just because you donât have many sinusitis symptoms doesnât mean your sinusitis is controlled.
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Allergies Sinuses And How They Can Cause Jaw Pain
As any sufferer knows, allergies can wreak havoc on your body. In addition to the well-known sneezing, sniffling, and red watering eyes, you may experience postnasal drip, coughing, and fatigue.6 Allergies can also clog the sinuses. Because of that, they could be the source of your nagging jaw pain.7
You probably identify sinus problems with nasal pressure. But allergies can cause lower jaw pain as well as the feeling of general pressure, especially if maxillary sinuses are obstructed. Inflamed and swollen sinuses can affect a number of areas of the face and head and result in issues ranging from headaches and earaches to facial tenderness near the eyes and nose that radiates to the jaw.8
Its possible that seasonal allergies could cause jaw pain in other ways, although more research is needed on the subject. Frequent sneezing and coughing force the mouth open which could lead to muscle tension and overuse strain and create issues with the jaw. Similarly, a stuffy nose may make you breathe through your mouth at night. If your jaw is strained open all night, it makes sense that you could wake up with jaw discomfort.9
- Your cheeks may become tender, and the pain may radiate to your jaw and teeth.
- The top of your head may also hurt.
- The pain can be dull to intense.
- Itâs usually worse when you lie down and better when you sit or stand upright.
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Diagnosis Of Acute Otitis Media In Children
Your childs pediatrician will usually diagnose your childs ear infection. If needed, your child may be referred to a pediatric ear nose and throat specialist. Your childs doctor may use the following methods to diagnose acute otitis media:
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Is There Any Way I Can Prevent Future Ear Infections From Occurring
Prevention is the best medicine, and there are ways of avoiding future infections. One of the easiest and most effective ways is by breastfeeding your child. Breastfeeding has powerful antibodies that help fight infection-causing bacteria. The longer you breastfeed, the less likely your child is to develop ear infections. If you are unable to breastfeed or if you feed your child breastmilk from a bottle, place your child in an upright position during feeding times. This prevents milk from backing up into the Eustachian tube, causing irritation and infection.
If your child is no longer consuming formula or breastmilk but is suffering with frequent ear infections, your doctor may suggest medical prevention methods. For example, your child may begin a course of antibiotics at the first sign of a cold or continuously throughout cold season. Your childs doctor may also refer you to an ear, nose and throat specialist for ear tubes. These tubes are surgically placed inside the ear to aid in fluid drainage. Ear tubes dont necessarily prevent all ear infections, but they do reduce their severity and duration.
Ear Throat And Sinus Infections
Your ears, nose, and throat are all part of your upper respiratory system. They share anatomy and have similar mucus membrane linings, which means they are able to get similar infections. Understanding the anatomy of your ears, nose, and throat will help you know how to keep them in good health and free of infections.
Below youll find information regarding common ear, throat and sinus infections and how they can be treated at Windermere Medical Center.
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Corticosteroid Drops Or Sprays
Corticosteroids, also known as steroids, are a group of medications that can help to reduce inflammation.
If you have persistent symptoms of sinusitis, your GP may prescribe steroid nasal drops or sprays to help reduce the swelling in your sinuses. These may need to be used for several months.
Possible side effects include nasal irritation, a sore throat and nosebleeds.
Home Remedies For Clogged Ears Due To Sinus Infections
Here are some additional home remedies that can help alleviate ear problems associated with sinus infections and even wax build-up.
- Yawning helps redistribute the fluid in your ear.
- Take a hot, steamy shower.
- Make a mixture of hydrogen peroxide and warm water and pour it into the ear.
- Chew gum as it can help move wax out of the ear.
- Combine rubbing alcohol and vinegar and use the mixture as ear drops.
- Pinch your nose and blow to pop your ears.
- Drop warm olive oil into your ear once again this breaks up wax.
- Combine rubbing alcohol and apple cider vinegar as ear drops to help treat infection.
- Apply warm compresses to the ears.
- Gargle with warm water and salt.
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Chronic Ear Infection Causes
The Eustachian tube goes from the middle of each ear to the back of the throat and is supposed to drain fluid from the ear. When you have a cold or allergies, the tube can swell and become blocked causing fluid to build up behind your eardrum.
A middle ear infection occurs when this fluid builds up and becomes infected. A chronic ear infection means that the initial infection did not completely go away. This is likely because the infection didnt respond to treatment or was never treated.
Seasonal Allergies And Hay Fever
Seasonal allergies can even become the primary cause of sinus inflammation. Allergies can cause blockage of drainage containing the regular sinus aspect and also predispose any person to the development of sinus infections.
Any person can experience sinus irritation or congestion during the hay fever season. The pollen count can jump even high during the season, and the exposure to allergens is even high, like the mould or animal dander.
It is necessary to see the doctor for treatments to alleviate symptoms.
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Seek Help For Clogged Ears
Although weve covered four of the most common reasons you ears may feel clogged, its always wise to seek the advice of a hearing healthcare professional whenever you are having trouble hearing. Unclogging your ears at home using home remedies such as ear candling or a cotton swab is never a good idea.
Heres a tip: Find a doctor, hearing specialist or audiologist near you and have your hearing evaluated before trouble starts. The baseline information the initial test provides will be a good benchmark for your medical team to use in an emergency situation and to monitor your hearing health.
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Do I Need Antibiotics For Every Sinus Infection
Many sinus infections are caused by viruses, the ones that cause the common cold. These types of infections are not cured by antibiotics. Taking an antibiotic for a viral infection unnecessarily puts you at risk for side effects related to the antibiotic. In addition, the overuse of antibiotics can lead to antibiotic resistance, which may make future infections more difficult to treat.
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How To Treat The Infection
First, you can try some home remedies to reduce the pain. But if it does not go well, then you should contact an ENT specialist. The expert may give medications or antibiotics to reduce the symptoms if you are suffering from mild to moderate infection. But if the problem is severe, then the doctor may lance the eardrum to let the infection drain out.
Stuffiness Ear Discomfort And Sinus Pain
Get moisture. Use a nasal saline spray several times a day, or hold a warm, moist washcloth to your face. This can ease the pressure and pain.
Humidifiers will also help keep your sinuses from drying out. Or you can sit in the bathroom with a hot shower running for 15 minutes to curb pain.
Check the medicine cabinet. Try an over-the-counter pain reliever, such as acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen, to ease an earache or pain from sinus pressure.
Try a . Over-the-counter tablets or nasal sprays can ease sinus blockage which in turn can relieve clogged ears. But don’t use nasal decongestant sprays for more than 3 days, or you will rebound⦠meaning the more you use it the more you need it because youâre congested.
Avoid extreme temperatures. They can make sinus-related ear problems worse. If your ears bother you, it isnât the time to go jogging on a hot day or build a snow fort with the kids.
Keep your head up. If you bend forward with your head down, it can make the pressure worse. Youâll want to skip yoga class until the sinus problem is over.
Blow your nose gently. Block one nostril while you blow through the other.
Drink plenty of fluids. Down lots of water in the evening. When you stay hydrated, it keeps nasal mucus thin. That helps it drain and means less nighttime stuffiness.
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Treatments For Postnasal Drip
You can take steps to relieve the symptoms of postnasal drip. Exposure to steam, by taking a shower or drinking hot soup, for example, can help to thin the mucus and open the nasal passages. You can also prevent mucus from collecting in your throat while you sleep by lying on propped-up pillows. If your postnasal drip is caused by allergens or other irritants, nasal irrigation can help clear these foreign bodies away.
Postnasal drip can also be treated with medication, but the specific drug you should use depends on what is causing your symptoms. Steroid sprays or certain antihistamines, for example, are common treatments for postnasal drip caused by allergies. If your postnasal drip is caused by a bacterial infection, your doctor will likely treat it with antibiotics. Decongestants and expectorants may also be effective.
If you have persistent upper respiratory symptoms, schedule an appointment with your primary care provider. He or she can help determine the cause and formulate an appropriate treatment plan.
Treatment Of Chronic Otitis Media In Children
Treatment for chronic otitis media depends on the stage of the disease and the type of the damage that has occurred. Initially, efforts are made to control the cause of the eustachian tube blockage. Chronic fluid in the ear is typically treated with antibiotics. Often, ear tubes are surgically placed to allow for normal airflow until the child grows and the eustachian tubes can function properly.
When damage to the middle ear or eardrum has occurred, more aggressive and complex treatment is needed which usually involves surgery. The type of surgery needed depends on the damage and the underlying cause. Surgeries are performed to eradicate the disease, to remodel the middle ear or mastoid bone, and to preserve or improve hearing. Some surgeries to achieve these objectives include:
If you would like an appointment with one of our physicians at Fort Worth ENT & Sinus please complete an online appointment request or phone .
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Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery
Functional endoscopic sinus surgery or FESS is another approach your doctor may recommend to treat chronic sinusitis.
An ear, nose, and throat surgeon will use a special tool with a lighted camera on the end to visualize the inside of your nose.
They will then use small instruments to remove excess tissue, nasal polyps, or nasal cysts to widen your sinuses.
Your ENT surgeon will perform the procedure under anesthesia. They may use general anesthesia or conscious sedation .
How Long Do Symptoms Last
Typically, a sinus infection clears up within 2 to 3 weeks. COVID-19 lasts for about a week or two depending on its severity and your overall health.
A 2020 study surveyed 270 outpatients with COVID-19. Among them, 175 people reported returning to their usual level of health about 7 days after a positive COVID-19 test.
Some symptoms like cough and loss of smell or taste may linger temporarily after COVID-19. Some people may experience long-haul COVID-19, a group of symptoms that persist in the weeks and months following an infection.
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Clogged Ears Home Remedy: Salt Water
Salt water is so gentle in unclogging ears that you can even use it to treat small children and babies. It does just as good a job on adults, too.
- First, dissolve 1 teaspoon of salt into around one half a cup of lukewarm water and squirt some of the salt water mix into your clogged ear.
- Leave the mixture in your ear for around 15 minutes, then thoroughly rinse out your ear with warm water.
- While the salt water mixture is at work in your ear, you can seal your ear with a cotton ball.
Heres a tip: Fill a small spray bottle with this home remedy and apply your clogged ears remedy gradually over the course of a day instead of all at once.
Can Sinus Infections Lead To Ear Infections
Yes. A sinus infection can cause fluid to be trapped in the ear behind the eardrum. Bacteria and viruses can grow and can cause an ear infection. Its especially important to get to the doctor if youre feeling pain or pressure in the ear.
When you have a sinus issue, its important to understand that the nose and sinuses are a unit. This means you could be dealing with rhinosinusitis, which is inflammation of the nasal and sinus cavities. Sinusitis refers to an infection of the sinuses only.
There are many reasons why the nose and sinuses become inflamed it can be an anatomical issue or an infectious one. A former injury or birth defect, as well as sensitivities to allergens can cause some of the physiological impairments that lead to sinus issues.
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How Do I Know If My Child Has An Ear Infection
Unfortunately, young children are often unable to communicate their discomfort, forcing parents to identify symptoms via a process of deduction. Most ear infections are preceded by a normal cold. Children may have a runny nose with clear drainage that begins to turn yellow or green at the first signs of infection. Ear infections can also cause many other symptoms usually a combination of at least two of the following:
- Fussiness and irritability, often appearing suddenly
- Grasping or pulling at the ear
- Interruptions in sleep patterns
- Low grade fever, usually 101º 102º F
- Changes in balance
- Verbal complaints of ear pain
- Difficulty hearing
- Drainage from the ear, often tinged with blood or pus
Sinus Surgery For Chronic Infections
If medical therapies dont clear up chronic sinusitis, your doctor will usually recommend surgery.
Several surgical approaches can enlarge the sinus cavities to make breathing and drainage easier. In the past, sinus surgeries required bone and tissue removal. Recent advancements mean this isnt the case.
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Use Humidifiers Within The Home
Wherever you can, keep your sinuses moist. When they dry out, the pressure feels worse, and you can suffer more symptoms, such as dizziness and headaches. Humidifiers are the easiest and quickest way to keep your sinuses moist throughout the day, especially when you are in the home. They help to add moisture to the air, regardless of the temperatures and humidity outside. If you live in an area known for dry heat, you will want to consider a humidifier for other reasons. They are excellent for keeping the skin moist and supporting the heat of the rest of your body.
Keep the humidifiers running throughout the night. This is often when most people experience drier temperatures and need the help. You can avoid waking up with the feeling that you have been in the sauna.
If you cannot use a humidifier for any reason, you will need to consider your other options to keep your sinuses moist and clear. One of the best options is a nasal saline spray.
Most people will think of the pharmaceutical options, but they are not necessary. You can make your own with just some filtered or pre-boiled water. You will want to make sure the toxins and minerals are removed from the water before using it as a saline spray.
Dont use the saline mixtures within the ears. You can cause damage to your hearing. Only opt for ear saline treatments when used by a trained professional.