Chronic ear infections can be really painful and keep you or someone you love from living an enjoyable life. The common cold, allergies and sinus infections are some of the things that can cause fluid to build up in the ear tube that normally keeps the middle ear dry and clean and works to keep germs away by pushing air through it, thus developing an infection. Oftentimes, an ear infection will go away on its own or with some help from prescribed medication, but if there’s an untreated or recurring problem, there are several serious ailments that can be the result. It’s important that you allow your healthcare provider to check for symptoms of a severe infection such as a ruptured eardrum or hearing loss, which can mean the use of hearing aids will be needed.

Img: ear infections, source: 1

Ruptured Eardrum

If your ear infection becomes so bad that it causes a hole in the eardrum, you can become exposed to other injuries and appropriate care needs to be taken to ensure that it doesn’t generate further complications with your hearing. Signs of a ruptured eardrum include abnormal drainage, ringing in the ear, hearing loss, consistent pain, a spinning sensation and subsequent nausea. They can take a couple weeks to heal on their own or require surgical repair.

Hearing Loss

Reversible mild hearing loss is not uncommon with more serious ear infections. The infection can actually block sound from passing through the middle ear to the inner ear, but once it’s healed, hearing usually returns back to what it was. In young children, temporary hearing loss or frequent ear infections can sometimes bring about delays in developmental, speech or social skills. Long-term or permanent hearing loss is very unusual, but if it does happen, hearing aids can help improve sound transfer from the environment and create a more comfortable lifestyle.

Mastoiditis

There can be cause for concern if an ear infection ends up plaguing the mastoid bone behind the ear. This bone aids in draining the middle air, and if it becomes infected, it creates a condition known as mastoiditis. Symptoms to watch out for include ear drainage, swelling of the earlobe, pain behind the ear, bulging and drooping of the ear and fever. If you feel that you may have developed mastoiditis, seeking treatment right away is necessary as it can cause deterioration of the bone and require extensive medication or surgical removal.

Meningitis

Recurring ear infections weaken the immune system, making your body more vulnerable to other diseases. Meningitis is an inflammation in the tissue surrounding the brain and spinal cord, which often results from common illnesses like an ear infection. It’s a very dangerous condition that can lead to seizures or permanent sensory damage.

Many people think of ear infections as a mere annoyance that causes pain every once in awhile and don’t get proper treatment until the discomfort is intolerable. However, as you now know, an ear infection can lead to some major complications, and even if it’s rare, you don’t want to take the chance that you’ll be relying on hearing aids for the rest of your life.

About the Author: My name is Tiffany Olson and I live in Northern California. I love to blog on topics that have touched my life on a personal level. My cousin suffers from hearing loss due to chronic ear infections and my family has received great help from UpState Hearing who specialize in hearing aids in Susanville.