Question 1

what are middle ear infections?

Accepted Answer

Fluid or pus: ... In the middle ear.  The middle ear is the space behind the eardrum seen when looking in the ear canal.  They are very common in young children but less common after 4 or 5 years of age.  They usually respond to antibiotics but the middle ear fliud may take several weeks to resolve even after the infection is treated.   Ear tubes are placed for chronic infections that don't clear up.

Question 2

what causes middle ear infection?

Accepted Answer

Bacterial and viral : Ear infections are more common in children due to their anatomy and predisposition for upper respiratory infections.  When the eustachian tube fails to maintain a neutral pressure relative to the outside world, the middle ear can accumulate fluid, siphon bacteria from the upper respiratory tract into the middle ear and an infection results.  Eustachian tube swelling is often initiated with a virus.

Question 3

could i flush a middle ear infection?

Accepted Answer

No: These structures are not set up to permit such a treatment. The only point where the middle ear has an opening is buried in the back of your throat.

Question 4

best way to treat a middle ear infection?

Accepted Answer

Otitis media: If acute, antibiotics and pain meds, if unrelieved needs myringotomy to let out pus. 
If chronic, you may need tubes, if mastoid infection is present may need mastoidectomy.

Question 5

how long should middle ear infection last?

Accepted Answer

Etiology: Almost all middle ear infections result from a viral infection in the back of the nose.  This, in turn causes swelling of the tube that connects the back of the nose to the middle ear space.  The virus should be eliminated in about 7 to 10 days.  However, at your age of 44, a bacterial superinfection may require an antibiotic and may last for many weeks.  See an ENT doc for evaluation.

Question 6

how easy is it to catch middle ear infections?

Accepted Answer

Ear Infection: Not very, unless there are other symptoms like cough or runny nose.

Question 7

what can i do if i have a middle ear infection?

Accepted Answer

See below: You can try controlling the pain for 3 days. Most ear infections will resolve on their own in that time frame. After 3 days, if you still have symptoms, you will need an antibiotic.

Question 8

could you have a middle ear infection without pain?

Accepted Answer

Maybe: Pain from a middle ear infection often comes from excessive pressure in the ear.  If you have a hole in the eardrum you likely wouldn't have pain because the pressure can't build up, but you would likely have a significant amount of drainage from the ear in that case.  With a cold you can have a noninfected effusion in the middle ear and these may not be painful (though you can have hearing loss).

Question 9

how long would middle ear infection normally last ?

Accepted Answer

See below: Most cases of otitis media in children will resolve without antibiotic treatment if they are older than 2 years, if they do not have moderate to severe ear pain and do not have fever over 102.2f.
If antibiotics are used in more severe cases the children improve after 2-3 days.
Fluid will frequently persist in the middle ear for a month or longer after resolution of the acute infection.

Question 10

how long will it take for a middle ear infection to go?

Accepted Answer

: The bacteria in middle ear infections are often killed off within a few days to 10. The fluid residual in the space can take weeks to clear after the germs are dead.

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Middle ear infection

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What are middle ear infections?

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Could i flush a middle ear infection?

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What can i do if i have a middle ear infection?

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Could you have a middle ear infection without pain?

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How long would middle ear infection normally last ?

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How long will it take for a middle ear infection to go?

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