Ear Infection Help

How Do You Get An Ear Infection?

Ear infection help is important especially to parents of infants and toddlers who are afflicted with a type of ear infection known as otitis media, or a middle ear infection. Otitis media is an inflammation inside the ear that can be triggered by bacteria, sore throats, cold, and other breathing or respiratory problems. A middle ear infection produces ear pain, inflammation, fluid and sometimes even pus. Besides severe ear pain, ear infections can also cause fever, dizziness and reduced hearing capability.

Otitis media very common among the very young. It can keep both kids and their parents awake for hours in the middle of the night. It's estimated that 75 percent of all children get at least one ear infection before the age of three. This is due to the fact that their eustachian tubes are slanted in such a way that it's easy for fluid to build up while their bodies are horizontal during sleep.

But adults also get ear infections too.

How do you get an ear infection? An ear infection starts when bacteria or fungus get inside the ear and start to multiply. As mentioned above, these agents can be spread from a sore throat or other type of respiratory problem. But they can also come from outside sources like dirty water. "Swimmers ear," which is an infection of the outer ear, occurs when fluid gets into the ear, often from swimming in ponds, lakes, rivers, or the ocean.

An ear infection can also result from sweat produced by physical activity or exercise. People who use ear plugs sometimes get ear infections if the ear plugs are not cleaned properly and germs grow on them.

Some people introduce germs to their ears themselves by pulling their ears or trying to dislodge excess ear wax with a finger or a foreign object (like a pencil or a paper clip - never a good idea).

Sometimes, it's hard to determine why an ear infection starts. So it's important to get help from your doctor for treating an ear infection. He or she will need to determine the cause of the ear infection to recommend the course of treatment that will help most.

How long does an ear infection last? As with so many other medical treatments, the answer to the question "how long does an ear infection last" is...it depends. It depends on the type of infection, how long you wait to call your doctor, and what type of treatment is appropriate. In the most general of terms, an acute ear infection lasts from a few days to two weeks. Chronic ear infections last much longer.

For more information about ear infections, click on ear infection symptoms.