Interesting Facts About Ear Infection Symptoms

Interesting Facts About Ear Infection Symptoms:

Pain is usually a prominent early symptom announcing an earache. Pain can be occasional or unvarying, and the degree from slight to severe. Causitive factors may be infectious, obstructed by earwax or foreign objects or injury. Symptoms vary from one individual to another depending on age, severity, and cause of the earache.

Infants present with non-verbal clues with excessive, crying, irritability, fever, vomiting and diarrhea, discharge from the ear, ear tugging and difficulty sleeping, especially when laying flat. The pediatrician will use an otoscope to assess for redness and fluid in the middle ear. Acute otitis media is common in infants and young children due to the small structure of eutaschian tubes and the mechanics of drainage in predominantly supine position. Milk allergies can be manifested in infant otitis media. Adults with otitis media present with symptoms that may include a feeling of stuffiness, some hearing loss, and deep, throbbing pain. If left untreated, the pain increases over hours or days with the possibility of rupture of the eardrum, at which time the infectious material will drain and relieve the pain. Otitis media is common following a viral or bacterial infection in the nose, throat or sinuses.

Swimmer’s ear, otitis externa, is associated with slightly elevated temperature, septic fluid discharge and diminished hearing. Ear pain can be aggravated by earlobe pulling. With progression of this infection, the whole side of the face may be affected with boring pain and a high temperature may ensue. At this point in the illness, the patient may feel dizzy with generalized uneasiness.

Mastoiditis presents suddenly as an infection accompanied with blunted ear discomfort that is situated behind the ear with a low grade fever. Perforated eardrum can occur with septic discharge into the external ear canal.

Tinnitus is an accoustic perception heard in one or both ears as a repetitious noise when there is no environmental sound. This symptom is a common part of most ear problems and is a part of many other medical conditions. This symptom is sometimes present in the absence of disease. This annoying symptom can precipitate mental anguish and extreme duress in it’s persistence.

Meniere’s is an inner ear disease that presents with a sensation of blockage and ringing in the ears ^(http://www.gethelpfortinnitus.com/). Severe vertigo may be present with nausea and vomiting, clammy skin and nystagmus.

Overproduction of wax by glands in the external ear canal can cause a plugged feeling and ringing in the ears, in addition to pain and loss of hearing.

Trauma involving barometric changes can cause slight to severe pain. There is the possibility of bleeding into the inner ear that can be visualized using an otoscope.

Herpes zoster at the ear results in extreme pain that is described as stabbing or burning sensations. Shingles is responsible for resultant hearing loss and vertigo. There may be temporary one sided facial paralysis, diminished sense of taste, raw tongue in addition to systemic symptoms of nausea and vomiting. Seniors with a history of chickenpox are advised to seek the shingles vaccine.

Referred pain that radiates from an infection in the TMJ shows symptoms that include pain on one side that is initiated with jaw movement. This type of radiating acute discomfort can extend from the jaw up to and including the temple.

Tags: interesting facts in ear structure
Interesting Facts About Ear Infection Symptoms By doctor | June 3, 2011

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