Symptoms of an Ear Infection
By Dr. Monroe
There are plenty of symptoms of an ear infection that can prompt you to take action. A person can feel just fine but they can end up with such an infection in no time at all. It isn't uncommon for children to wake up and be screaming in pain due to an ear infection. Most of the time it will occur in one ear, but the accumulation of fluid can quickly spread to the other ear as well.
Small children can give some signs that they have an ear infection. They may be crying non stop, and nothing will console them. They may be pulling at their ear and being very irritable. They may have a fever that is over 100 Fahrenheit. If they are lying down, you may notice that they have some type of yellowish drainage from their ear.
Many adults will know they have an ear infection right away due to the amount of pain they experience. If the infection is just getting started, they may notice they are having trouble hearing people or sounds around them. The loss of coordination can occur too because the equilibrium of a person is off balance when they have an infection in the ears.
A sore throat can also be a sign of an ear infection. Many people assume they have the flu at that point or strep throat. The number of symptoms that a person can have can be just a few or several. The severity of the pain can be mild, moderate, or severe. If it is due to a viral infection it will start to get better in a day or two. Pain medication can be given to help reduce the discomfort.
However, the symptoms are likely to get worse if the ear infection is due to a bacterial infection. Then it will be necessary for the person to take antibiotics. After the first few doses the ear should feel better but the entire medication that was prescribed should continue until it is gone. Any time there is blood that comes from the ear, immediate medical attention should be sought.
