Ear
Infection Symptoms: Ear Ache, Hearing Loss, and More
Did
you know there are at least three different areas in which
your child’s ear, or your ear, may become infected?
Depending on what type of ear infection your child has,
the ear infection symptoms will be different. Whether your
child suffers from an ear ache, headache, dizziness, or
swelling, it’s best to understand which ear infection
symptoms are possible and what those symptoms suggest.
An
outer ear infection, or otitis externa, would involve the
visible part of the ear and the outer ear canal. Outer ear
infections are often called “swimmer’s ear”
because exposure to water may easily lead to an infection
of the outer ear canal. If your child has an outer ear infection,
the ear infection symptoms he or she may experience include
earache, itching in the ear, hearing loss, ringing in the
ear, drainage of the ear, and the feeling of ears being
blocked from sound.
The
next area of the ear that may become infected is the middle
ear. The middle ear has a tube inside it that provides drainage
into the throat. One common way a child experiences a middle
ear infection, or otitis media, is when the tube in the
middle ear becomes blocked by fluid. Bacteria or viruses
are then able to grow in the middle ear tube and create
a middle ear infection.
Ear infection symptoms for the middle ear are ear ache (which
may be severe), hearing loss, fever, discharge, and a feeling
that the ear is plugged. Small children with a middle ear
infection may also experience ear infection symptoms like
vomiting, poor appetite, pulling at the ears, and difficulty
sleeping.
Finally,
the next most common ear infection is an inner ear infection,
or labyrinthitis. Located deep within your ear, the inner
ear contains a network of fluid-filled tubes. These tubes
help your ear and brain with two functions: (1) distinguishing
sounds, and (2) being aware of the position of your head.
When you have an inner
ear infection, the ear infection symptoms are vertigo,
nausea, and vomiting. Reminiscent of motion sickness, an
inner ear infection will give you the sensation of whirling
or spinning, especially when you move your head suddenly
or turn over in bed.
All
symptoms you experience are a sign that your body is trying
to tell you something. Any time you or your child suffer
from what you believe are ear infection symptoms, you should
investigate the cause of the symptoms to make sure they
do not indicate a more serious health problem.
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