Know About Earache – At one point or another we all have experienced the unpleasant discomfort of having an earache. According to the 2001 National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey, more than 9.4 million Americans visit a doctor’s office because of ear pain or an ear infection.
Not all of us are among such a large number of people who “suffered” from our earache without going to the doctor. With such a common disease, there must be some kind of
There’s a solution, isn’t it?
In this article, I’ll show you the basic symptoms associated with earache and some simple tips on what you can do to prevent you and your loved ones from experiencing this dreadful feeling associated with earache.
Why Does the Ear Hurt?
While earaches are most commonly found in children, they are something that everyone experiences at some point. The most common cause of ear pain is otitis media, an infection of the middle ear, or otitis externa, an inflammation of the outer ear canal.
Ear pain is usually caused by either a minor injury to the ear canal or fluid trapped in the inner ear. Swimming, bathing, or simply using all those normal cotton-tipped swabs can increase bacteria and cause discomfort and pain in the ear canal.
This can lead to inflammation of the Eustachian tube (a small tube that connects the ear to the nose that controls the pressure in the ear). As the Eustachian tube swells, it cannot drain through the nose and throat and the pressure builds up in the ear, causing extreme discomfort and pain. Earache usually results from a complication of a cold and is not contagious.
What Are the Symptoms of Ear Pain?
Symptoms of ear pain may include all or any of the following:
- severe, stabbing pain
- hearing loss
- o itching
- o fever
- buildup if there is fluid behind the eardrum
- nausea, or vomiting
- ear inflammation
- ringing or buzzing sound
- ear fluid
How Can I Get Rid of Ear Pain?
There are a limited number of ways to treat earache, so obviously prevention is better than cure. However, if you already have ear pain there are some things you can try to ease it. Taking pain relievers and eardrops can help ease the pain.
Antibiotics are also available if the cause of earache is an infection. However, you should not miss a dose and take the antibiotic until the bottle is empty or all the pills are used up. Do not save any antibiotic from one disease to another as they lose their potency.
What Can I Do to Prevent Ear Pain?
While there is no way to completely keep someone from getting ear pain, there are many ways to help prevent them. You can reduce your chances of “catching” an earache by regularly cleaning your nasal passages.
Also, the constant movement of the jaw by the chewing gum will help the incisions to function smoothly and exhale properly. Other things like covering your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing and using a clean tissue every time will help you prevent ear pain.
Earache is very unpleasant and should be avoided by everyone rather than waiting for the treatment. Now you are well aware of the causes of earache, what can be your symptoms when you have earache, and most importantly, what you can do to prevent earache.
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