Ear Infection in Doylestown, Lansdale, & Sellersville, PA
An ear infection occurs when the middle ear is infected, and it can be extremely painful to deal with. Ear infections are more likely to occur in children, but often can go away on their own. When they’re particularly painful or continue to happen often, it can be difficult to handle, and you may need treatment. Your ear, nose, and throat doctor at Otolaryngology Plastic Surgery Associates can help you deal with your ear infections so that you don’t have to continue living with pain.
What Causes an Ear Infection?
Ear infections are caused by bacteria or a virus that reaches the middle ear. This often results from other issues like a cold, the flu, or allergies. An ear infection often occurs with issues that affect the sinuses and cause congestion and swelling. Ear infections most often occur in children because of the shape and size of their developing ears.
Treating an Ear Infection
The first thing that your ENT doctor may recommend is to just wait it out. Often, infections clear up within one to two weeks without any treatment and symptoms should go away in just a few days.
If pain is really bad, your doctor might recommend using over-the-counter pain medication to manage your irritation. If an ear infection doesn’t seem to heal on its own, your doctor may prescribe antibiotics to combat your infection. If you continue to have ear infections on a regular basis, your doctor might recommend having tubes inserted into your ears. These tubes help drain fluid from their ears and stop these infections from happening so regularly.