The main cause of an earache is a small tube that links the throat with the inner ear. The ear has three parts: the outer ear, middle ear and inner ear. To hear, the middle ear must maintain a pressure that’s equal to the outside world, which is done by the Eustachian tube, a small highway that allows air to travel from the back of the throat to the inner ear.
The Eustachian tube equalizes air pressure in the middle ear and drains mucus from the inner ear into the throat. Children have a smaller tube than adults, so when congestion in the throat or adenoids causes them to swell, the Eustachian tube may get blocked. This will create a fluid buildup, which often results in bacteria or viruses building up in the location. Eventually, they develop into an ear infection, which can cause the earache.
Beyond pain, there are several symptoms that indicate ear problems. They include tugging at the ear, extreme irritability, excessive crying, fluid draining from the ear, temporary loss of hearing (usually indicated by turning up the volume on the television, radio or computer), talking louder than normal and not hearing instructions delivered in softer tones as well as before.
When infections get worse, the child may develop dizziness, nausea, a fever and start vomiting. Additionally, the child may experience pressure in the head or a headache, difficulty walking, appetite loss, and difficulty sleeping.
That’s one of the ways that an earache can develop. Here are some others:
Six Potential Causes of Ear Infections
1) Swimmer’s ear – This occurs, as the name implies, when water becomes trapped in the middle ear, causing bacteria to form. The technical name is acute otitis media or otitis externa. The infected fluid, which usually becomes pus, causes extreme pain, fever and redness of the ear drum.
2) Otitis media with effusion – Usually caused by a throat problem, this ear infection will clear up on its own in a week to 10 days, usually with pain management and warm compresses helping to relieve symptoms. But some stubborn cases refuse to get better. That’s when a simple ear infection becomes Otitis media with effusion, which means having fluid for six weeks or longer in the inner ear. This isn’t necessarily painful, but it can affect hearing so it needs prompt medical attention.
3) Exposure to smoke – Kids who live in homes where there is a lot of second-hand smoke tend to develop more ear infections. The theory is that airborne irritants cause the Eustachian tubes to contract, and fluid build-up occurs.
4) Bottle feeding or sippy cups – Young children tend to drink their bottles or sippy cups from a reclining position. This means that the fluids may wind up in the inner ear, where they may fester and cause infections
5) Exposure to others – If you are a working parent, you may have to put your child in daycare or nursery school. This increases the likelihood of developing common childhood ailments, including earaches. Other parents in the same situation may drop off less-than-well children, exposing yours to a host of ailments.
6) Adenoids – If your child has a problem with this tissue, it can lead to more earaches. The diseased adenoids will expand and block the Eustachian tubes, resulting in earaches. Have a doctor check them frequently on your visits.
There are some other issues that may cause an earache. Teething may push the alignment of developing mouths and cause Eustachian tube blockages. Foreign objects in the ear can cause pain, or an excessive amount of ear wax may cause problems. A doctor’s examination can pinpoint the issue.
Diagnosis and Treatment
A doctor typically will use an otoscope, a flashlight-like medical device, to peer into the inner ear to see if the eardrum is red and infected.
Doctors usually recommend pain management using warm compresses and over-the-counter pain medications like Tylenol, ibuprofen and aspirin. They may also provide a prescription for ear drops that can be warmed and then inserted into the ear to help speed healing and ease pain. Because most ear infections eventually clear up without much outside interference, doctors tend to avoid antibiotics in treatment. They do this to avoid resistance and because antibiotics have their own side effects. They also realize that antibiotics won’t help infections caused by viruses and that pain relief from their use is rather minimal.
However, children who have multiple ear infections may need to use antibiotics to ward off future infections. This is particularly true if the child has a cleft palate, Down syndrome or an immune system disorder, all of which contribute to persistent and recurring ear infections.
Prevention
While most children eventually outgrow the ear infection stage, there are some steps you can take to minimize exposure to risk factors. It’s suggested infants be breastfed for six months or more after birth as a way to minimize the chance of ear infections. If the baby must be bottle fed, prop up the child rather than lying him or her flat with the bottle pointed down. This will help drainage issues.
While secondhand smoke is becoming less of an issue as Americans kick the habit, it’s still around, particularly in apartment buildings or homes with older people. It’s suggested that you isolate the baby in a smoke-free room as much as possible to prevent exposure.
It’s also a good idea to practice good hygiene by frequently washing hands and avoiding contact with the child when possible if you have symptoms of a cold or other respiratory infection.
The age of ear infections that cause earaches is usually up to age 5 and should lessen after that as the child grows. While adults can also get earaches, they are less common and usually accompany a severe cold or another respiratory issue.