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A member asked:
What can happen if you leave an ear infection untreated ?
3 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
Usually ok: Most ear infections will resolve without any complication. In many parts of the world, antibiotics are reserved for infections that don't resolve. Potential issues are: mastoiditis, eardrum perforation, abscess or meningitis. These are all rather rare.
Answered 11/28/2018
3.6k views
Varies: Some are viral that self heal in a few days. Some bacterial will self heal in 6-8 weeks with persisting fluid for months. Some will perforate the ear drum, become chronic & may cause the ear bones to knit together causing some hearing loss. Rarely they can eat a hole into the bone behind the ear & require surgical drainage/hospital stay.This all happened before antibiotics & could happen today.
Answered 7/23/2017
634 views
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