Fact Checked
Children are prone to develop ear infections that can be caused by bacteria, viruses or fungi. It is projected that most children end up with a middle ear infection usually once. The ear is comprised of 3 parts – outer ear, middle ear and inner ear.
Indications of ear infections
The indications of ear infections are usually based on the type but might include the following:
- Ear pain
- Drainage from the ear
Minor deafness or sensation that the sound is muffled. - Minor deafness or sensation that the sound is muffled
- Headache
- Itchiness in the outer ear
- Appetite loss
- Formation of blisters on the exterior part of ear or in the ear canal
- Vertigo
- Noises such as humming or buzzing
What are the usual reasons?
Some of the various causes of ear infections and contributing factors include the following:
- Abrupt changes in the air pressure
- Upper respiratory tract infections
- Cleft palate
- Having a small or blocked Eustachian tube
- Swimming in dirty water
- Not able to dry the outer ear after bathing or swimming
- Excessive cleaning of the ears that can cause scratching of the delicate inner tissues
What are the types of ear infections?
It is vital to note that ear infections can be diagnosed by the doctor with a physical examination and laboratory analysis of the drainage. In some instances, a CT scan might also be taken. The common types of ear infections include:
- Otitis externa
- Otitis media
- Serous otitis media
- Acute mastoiditis
- Infectious myringitis
- Vestibular myringitis
- Herpes zoster of the ear