5 Tips for Preventing Ear Infections This Winter

Ears play a role in a lot more than just hearing, though they are vital for allowing us to enjoy the sounds of the world around us. Between other tasks like maintaining balance, helping our sense of direction, and even affecting how we taste things, keeping our ears healthy is crucial. It can be affected by conditions such as ear infections.

Ear infections occur frequently worldwide, with 90% of children experiencing them by age three, and the cold days of fall and winter only increase the risk. To keep everyone safe from infection over the holidays, let’s review the common types that affect the ears, what causes them, the signs to look for, and how you can avoid them.

The audiology team at Lake Grove ENT can help Lake Oswego, Oregon, residents with many auditory needs, including the care of ear infections.

Types of ear infection

Infections can affect different parts of the ear, often causing similar issues, but may require other treatments to manage. These include:

• Otitis externa: also called swimmer’s ear, an outer ear infection affecting the ear canal

• Otitis media: the most common form, which occurs when fluid becomes trapped behind the eardrum

• Otitis media with effusion: often happens to young kids, where fluid is caught in the middle ear and eustachian tube

• Bullous myringitis: happens when blisters form on your eardrums

• Acute mastoiditis: infection of the mastoid, the bone behind your ear

• Herpes zoster oticus: the result of a shingles outbreak affecting your ears, also called Ramsay Hunt Syndrome

Causes and symptoms

Viruses and bacteria usually cause these infections, and with upper respiratory illnesses like the cold and flu rampant this time of year, the risk of contracting them is significantly higher than in the warmer months. Allergies can also cause this, and each of these issues leads to increased mucus production, which affects the fluids in the eustachian tubes.

Common signs of infection to look for include ear pain, hearing problems, ear discharge, pressure or fullness, itching, irritation, and fever and vomiting, depending on the severity of the virus or bacteria. In young children, look for tugging at their ears, restlessness and irritability, loss of appetite, balance problems, and failure to respond to sounds.

Methods of prevention

To reduce your chances of dealing with these infections, try these helpful hints:

1. Treat the underlying infections

Whether it’s a cold, flu, or allergy issues, getting medications to manage those problems will reduce the risk of developing an infection elsewhere, such as in your ears.

2. Apply a compress

Using a warm or cold compress helps induce fluid movement and relieve inflammation. You can also try alternating applications of both types, switching every half hour for best results.

3. Change sleeping positions

The discomfort you experience with infections can also be affected by how you sleep, so prop your head on multiple pillows to keep it higher than the rest of your body and allow the ears to drain properly.

4. Over-the-counter medications

Reducing symptoms can also help ease the discomfort of the infection and relieve congestion, making life easier for you.

5. Neck exercises

Both ear infections and earaches lead to swelling, which increases pressure in the ear. Neck exercises like rotating in slow circles, dropping your ears to each shoulder, shrugging your shoulders up and down, and opening your mouth wide gently for a few seconds help alleviate pressure.

Ear infections can make you miserable, so to avoid the problems they cause, make an appointment with the team at Lake Grove ENT today.