A child’s ear hurts: what to do at home and first aid
Every parent may encounter a situation when their child suddenly and sharply begins to have severe ear pain at night or during the day, there is noise and congestion in the ears, and the ear pain can also be shooting in nature.
Table of contents:
- A child’s ear hurts: what to do at home and first aid
- Causes of ear pain
- First aid: how to relieve and relieve severe, shooting pain in a child’s ear
- Place drops in the ear
- Give painkiller
- Apply a compress to the ear
- Video on the topic
- First aid for ear pain: tips for parents
- What to do if a child has an earache: Dr. Komarovsky
- Ear hurts and shoots: what to do, how to treat with folk remedies
- A child’s ear hurts: what to do at home
- Pain reliever for ear pain in a child: what is possible?
- Causes
- First aid for a baby
- Anesthetic drugs
- Otinum
- Otipax
- Otofa
- Anauran
- Candibiotic
- Sofradex
- Garazon
- Traditional methods for relieving ear pain
- Use of boric acid tincture
- Using salt
- A 6 year old child has ear pain, what should I do?
- Otitis in children
- Otitis in children - causes and treatment
- Is it possible to treat otitis media on your own?
- What should not be done for otitis media?
- How dangerous is otitis media for a child?
- How does otitis media usually progress in children?
- How to recognize otitis media in young children?
- What is the cause of frequent otitis media?
- What to do when your ear hurts
- Ear hurts - causes
- Ear hurts due to wax plug
- Ear pain due to infection
- Rupture of the eardrum
- Ear pain when swallowing
- Why do children under 4 years old have ear pain so often? Ear pain in babies
- Categories
- Read:
- Rash on a child's nose
- Oral diseases in children
- Ear pain in a child first aid pain relief
- Pain reliever for ear pain in a child: what is possible?
- Causes
- First aid for a baby
- Anesthetic drugs
- Otinum
- Otipax
- Otofa
- Anauran
- Candibiotic
- Sofradex
- Garazon
- Traditional methods for relieving ear pain
- Use of boric acid tincture
- Using salt
- E.O. Komarovsky about ear pain in children
- Development mechanism
- Pain relief products
- The importance of otoscopy
- Other causes of ear pain
- First aid
- A child’s ear hurts: traditional and folk methods of treatment
- Ear ache
- The mechanism of ear pain in a child
- What can cause a baby's ears to hurt?
- Symptoms of ear pain
- Helping your child with ear pain
- Self-help for ear problems
- Special cases of the problem
- Traditional treatment
Here we will look at the recommendations for treatment by a pediatrician - L. Sh. Anikeeva, what needs to be done in such cases, how and with what you can treat and cure ear pain at home without complications, how to relieve and relieve severe pain in the ear by providing first aid folk remedies without harmful consequences for the child’s health.
Causes of ear pain
If your baby has recently suffered from a respiratory illness or has just had a runny nose, and now he cannot find a place to rest due to severe pain in the ear. This suggests that the infection from the nasopharynx has spread through the auditory tube into the middle ear. In children under 3 years of age, the development of otitis during or after a cold is a fairly common phenomenon associated with the anatomical and physiological features of the structure of the children's nasopharynx - a wide and short auditory tube facilitates infection in the ear.
The child does not just complain that his “ear hurts,” but screams and sobs so that no one doubts the need for urgent help. The baby cannot speak, but with anxiety and a piercing cry he will let his mother know that he needs help and care. When pressing on the tragus, the anxiety intensifies, and the reason for his unusual behavior becomes clear. To make a diagnosis, an examination by an otolaryngologist is necessary, but you must provide first aid to alleviate the child’s condition immediately.
What and how to do if a child has severe ear pain at home, see below...
First aid: how to relieve and relieve severe, shooting pain in a child’s ear
Place drops in the ear
We need to start with treatment... of the nose. It is vasoconstrictor nasal drops that, by reducing swelling of the mucous membrane of the auditory tube, improve ventilation of the middle ear cavity and the outflow of inflammatory exudate from it.
Place 3-4 drops of Otipax (Otinum, Sofradex, Otofa, etc.) into the ear, preheating them to body temperature. You can warm the medicine by holding the dropper in the palm of your hand. It is even better to insert a cotton wool moistened with warm Otipax into the ear canal.
Give painkiller
Give your child any painkiller (paracetamol, Nurofen in an age-appropriate dose). Many mothers are perplexed: why Nurofen and paracetamol, he doesn’t have a fever. These drugs have not only antipyretic, but also anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, so their use for otitis media is justified. But they do not reduce the normal temperature.
Apply a compress to the ear
Semi-alcohol compresses on the ears have a good effect. They relieve pain, improve blood supply to the middle ear and tissue nutrition, promoting a speedy recovery.
How to make a compress on the ear: cut a square from cotton fabric with sides length cm. If the fabric is thin, first fold it in 3-4 layers; gauze or a wide bandage will also work.
Make a vertical cut in the center of the square, moving 2-3 cm from the top and bottom sides. Wet the fabric with warm vodka or alcohol diluted in half with water, squeeze so that the liquid does not drip, and put the square on your ear so that the auricle fits into the cut. like a button in a loop.
On top of the fabric, place a square of cellophane or compress paper of the same size (or slightly larger) with the same cutout, so that the auricle is again on the outside. After this, place a large piece of cotton wool on your ear and secure the entire structure with a scarf or cap.
After a minute, the ear warms up and the pain subsides. Do not rush to remove the compress; it should perform a warming function for 3-4 hours. With a well-applied compress, the child can sleep all night, and in the morning you will notice an improvement in the condition. But this does not exempt you from the need to be examined by an ophthalmologist. Only he will prescribe the correct treatment based on the condition of the eardrum, including deciding whether antibiotics are needed.
Video on the topic
First aid for ear pain: tips for parents
First aid for ear pain. Advice for parents. I.V. tells Zelenkova, employee of the department of rehabilitation treatment of children with diseases of the ENT organs and maxillofacial region, Scientific Center for Children's Health, http://www.nczd.ru
What to do if a child has an earache: Dr. Komarovsky
Ear hurts and shoots: what to do, how to treat with folk remedies
The ear can hurt after swimming, after the sea, after a walk, or a foreign object can get into the ears. If your child's ears hurt, look into the ear canal with a flashlight and see if there is a foreign object in the ear - a pea, a piece from a construction set, or something else.
When symptoms occur, the ear is blocked and there is shooting in it, perhaps it is inflammation or otitis media and the treatment will be different. For an accurate diagnosis, you need to see a doctor. A sign that you need to pay attention to the ear is an earache or an earache after visiting some place - a draft, a cold or a playground.
Many common diseases can be treated at home, and people have accumulated this knowledge over many centuries. People have collected folk recipes on how to treat at home, methods of treatment based on their experience. They searched, tried and added various methods of treating and improving their health. Nowadays there are mobile phones with cameras and many people now have a phone with video. It's now easy to quickly find and add a healthy recipe for free.
The video discusses what and how to treat a sore ear: keep the sore ear warm; treat a sore ear with boric alcohol, beet juice, almond oil.
A child’s ear hurts: what to do at home
What to do when a child has an earache. How to get rid of ear pain. How to treat otitis media. What to do at home. How to put drops in a child's ear. Ear pain in children and first aid.
Source: http://alcostad.ru/bolit-uho-u-rebenka-chto-delat-v-domashnih-usloviyah-i-pervaya-pomoshh/
Pain reliever for ear pain in a child: what is possible?
Very often, doctors diagnose ear pain in a child under the age of five. All this is due to the fact that the ear canal is located quite close to the respiratory tract and nasal cavity. Every parent should know how to identify pain in the ear and what to do in this situation. Do not forget that the baby should be examined by an experienced specialist. After the examination, he will tell you what painkiller can be given to the child for ear pain.
Causes
Before giving painkillers to children, you need to understand what caused the disease. This may include:
- Anatomical features in the structure of the ear. The auditory tube in children is much shorter than in adults and is located quite close to the nasal cavity. When any infection enters the nose, it can instantly affect the child’s ear.
- Genetic predisposition. Experts say that if parents often suffered from otitis media in childhood, then the same thing will happen to the child.
- Constant colds. Children under seven years of age very often suffer from ARVI and influenza. Otitis media can act as a complication and occur against the background of rhinovirus, adenovirus and rotavirus infections.
- Bacterial infection. There are three bacteria known in medical practice that can cause ear pain. These include streptococcus, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella. If your ear hurts as a result of a bacterial infection, then the uncomfortable feeling appears suddenly. At the same time, the baby does not have a cough or runny nose. Temperatures can rise to 39 degrees. Also, pus with an unpleasant odor is released from the ear canal.
- Tendency to allergic reactions. If children often suffer from allergic manifestations, then due to swelling of the nasal cavity, compression of the ear tissue occurs. It also prevents fluid from draining from the auditory tube.
First aid for a baby
First of all, parents need to show their child to the doctor. Only an experienced doctor will be able to accurately diagnose the disease and determine the development of the disease. If a sick baby complains of an uncomfortable feeling in the ear at night or on the go, then you can temporarily relieve the pain. For this you should:
- Give painkillers in the form of Paracetamol or Ibuprofen. The drugs are available in the form of syrup or suppositories. They not only relieve pain, but also reduce high fever. They should be given every four to six hours for three days.
- Use vasoconstrictors. They allow you to relieve swelling of the tissues and open the ear tube. The mucus that has accumulated in the auditory cavity will begin to flow down the back wall into the nasopharynx. Then the pressure on the membrane will subside and the pain will go away.
- Drop an anesthetic drug. He will be able to numb the sore ear for several hours. Moreover, they have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. They can only be used if the child does not have discharge from the ear canal.
Anesthetic drugs
Otinum
Ear drops, which are indicated for acute type of otitis externa, chronic otitis media, otitis media, gingivitis and infectious ulcers in the oral cavity. It is also recommended for use in cases of wax plugs in the ears. It should be used up to four times a day for ten days. Side effects may occur in the form of peeling, itching, redness and burning.
Otipax
Prescribed for otitis media, as a complication after influenza infection and barotraumatic otitis. It has several contraindications such as perforation of the eardrum and increased susceptibility to the components of the drug. You need to use it up to three times a day, pre-heating the bottle. The duration of the treatment course is ten days. This drug is considered the most popular and effective. It contains lidocaine, which in some cases causes an allergic reaction.
Otofa
This type of product has antibacterial properties. If a child gets sick as a result of a bacterial infection, then this medication will help fight the germs. It contains rifamycin. This component has a wide range of effects, which allows you to cope with many types of bacteria. The drug can be used even when the membrane is perforated. Doctors often prescribe this medication. You need to drip the product up to three times a day for seven days.
Anauran
This drug is prescribed to children over twelve months of age. It contains lidocaine, which has an analgesic effect, and neomycin sulfate, which fights various microbes. It should be used up to four times a day for seven days. Active components may cause side effects such as peeling, redness, burning and itching. Provides high results.
Candibiotic
Sofradex
Antibacterial ear drops. Give to children over six years old. Contains:
- framecitin sulfate, which has an antibacterial effect;
- gramicidin also has an antibacterial effect and enhances the effects of framecitin;
- Dexamethasone, which is a corticosteroid substance, relieves swelling and eliminates the inflammatory process.
Has contraindications in the form of:
- increased susceptibility to the components of the drug;
- damage to the eardrum.
The duration of use is from seven to fourteen days.
Garazon
Combined effect drug. The medication contains two main components: gentamicin and betamethasone. As a result, the medication has an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect. Can be used by children over six years of age. Drips should be made up to four times a day for a week. Allows you not only to eliminate swelling and inflammation, but also to clear the ear of wax plugs.
Traditional methods for relieving ear pain
In practice, traditional methods of treatment are often used. They can be used if children do not suffer from purulent otitis and do not have a high temperature. The most popular include:
Use of boric acid tincture
This method allows you to reduce pain in the ear and eliminate the inflammatory process. In childhood, it is strictly forbidden to drip the tincture directly into the ear canal. To use the product, you need to take cotton wool and roll it into a ball. Then warm up the boric acid tincture a little and moisten a cotton ball in it. Before putting the turunda in the ear, you need to lubricate the auricle with baby cream. This will avoid skin burns. The procedure can be performed up to four times a day.
Using salt
This method is also considered common and allows you to relieve severe pain in the ear. To do this, heat a little salt in a frying pan. In the meantime, prepare a warm sock or scarf. When the salt is ready, you need to put it in a sock and wrap it. Then apply it to the sore ear and hold until the compress cools down. This method is called dry heat. There are three opinions regarding its use: some recommend using it, others categorically reject the method, and others believe that you can heat it, but not overheat it.
As a result, dry heat for a sore ear has both benefits and harms. The main advantages include:
- Improved blood circulation.
- Removing the inflammatory process.
- Reducing pain.
Dry heat can only be used in the initial stages of the disease.
But there are also disadvantages of the method. These include:
- Increased pressure in the middle ear cavity, which leads to tissue compression.
- Increased pain during the development of the inflammatory process.
You can make a completely harmless compress for your baby. It's easy to do. You need to take a piece of cotton wool and place it around the ear. Then cover with a bag and put a warm scarf on top. This method will not have a strong warming effect and will protect the ear from external irritants. It can be kept on all night.
Also, when the acute period decreases, you can do physical procedures. They are prescribed only by a doctor, based on the patient’s condition. This includes ultraviolet irradiation, UHF, phototherapy.
If the ear infection was caused by bacteria, then antibiotics for internal use are mandatory. In childhood, Amoxiclav or Augmentin are prescribed. The drugs belong to the penicillin group and allow you to quickly relieve inflammation. They also contain clavulanic acid, which has a double effect. Thanks to this, the patient recovers faster.
Source: http://lordok.ru/uxo/deti/obezbolivayushhee-pri-boli-v-uxe.html
A 6 year old child has ear pain, what should I do?
Otitis in children
Otitis in children - causes and treatment
In addition to pain, inflammation of the middle ear can be accompanied by fever, general lethargy, and a runny nose. In some cases, acute otitis media quickly turns into a purulent form, affecting the eardrum, which increases the risk of this disease becoming chronic. Minor injuries to the ear and manipulation of it with sharp objects can cause traumatic otitis media. Another common cause of this disease is chronic foci of infection in the paranasal sinuses, nasopharynx or tonsils.
Is it possible to treat otitis media on your own?
You may only suspect a disease, but a pediatrician must examine the child, make a diagnosis and choose the appropriate treatment. Modern therapy for otitis includes antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs, compresses and physiotherapy, nasal rinsing and general therapy. For a person without medical education, prescribing such treatment is an impossible task. If the child is being seen by a homeopath, his advice can also be very helpful. For chronic otitis media, removal of the adenoids is sometimes recommended. The solution to this issue does not depend on the wishes of the parents, but on objective necessity.
What should not be done for otitis media?
If a child's temperature rises above 38°186C, warming compresses are contraindicated for the baby (as are other physical procedures - for example, inhalations). This may worsen his condition. Boric alcohol, previously widely used to treat otitis, can cause burns to the skin of the ear canal and eardrum, so it is better to avoid its use.
How dangerous is otitis media for a child?
Lack of treatment, inadequate or incomplete therapy can cause complications: hearing impairment, chronic otitis media, facial nerve paresis, acute mastoiditis (inflammation of the mastoid process of the temporal bone), irritation syndrome of the meninges.
How does otitis media usually progress in children?
The disease usually begins as a normal acute respiratory viral infection. Ear damage can be unilateral or bilateral and occurs from the first day of illness or on the second or third day. Ear pain is the main symptom of acute otitis media and is often accompanied by fever, general lethargy of the child, and a runny nose. In some cases, acute otitis media can become purulent, affecting the eardrum. This increases the risk of developing a chronic form of otitis, the signs of which are a non-healing hole in the eardrum, hearing loss and discharge of pus from the ear.
How to recognize otitis media in young children?
Otitis in children under one year of age often occurs in a latent form. While the child is small, it can be difficult to establish the correct diagnosis. An infant may turn his head, refuse to eat, or turn away from his mother's breast. If your baby rubs and fiddles with his ear, this could be a sign of pain or just a habit. To determine pain, you can press the protrusion near the auricle (tragus). If the ear does not hurt, then the child most likely will not respond to this pressure.
What is the cause of frequent otitis media?
The Eustachian tube, which connects the throat to the tympanic cavity, is still very short in young children, and its wide opening is located in close proximity to the adenoids. If a baby has a runny nose or a sore throat, the discharge easily penetrates the middle ear area, infecting the eardrum. Chronic foci of infection in the paranasal sinuses, nasopharynx or tonsils, rhinopharyngitis, enlarged adenoids, and repeated colds contribute to the frequent penetration of infection from the pharynx into the ear. In addition, a constant horizontal position in children who cannot yet crawl or walk interferes with the outflow of mucus from the nasopharynx. Blowing your nose too intensely is no less dangerous.
Video. Otitis media in a child - what to do?
How to protect your child from colds:
What to do when your ear hurts
In response to the question of what to do when your ear hurts, you can get a lot of different advice. From recommendations to keep the ear warm, take plenty of warm drinks, to instilling propolis tincture or warm chamomile decoction into the ear canal. In folk medicine, everything from clove oil to crushed garlic is used. In fact, the pain can be mechanical, traumatic, infectious in nature, or even be a symptom of diseases not related to the ENT organs.
Therefore, before following the advice, you need to contact an otolaryngologist, who will determine why the ear hurts and how to treat a specific disease.
Ear hurts - causes
There are two types of pain - local and radiating. Local is felt directly in the area of the affected organ, that is, in this case, in the ear area. Such a pain impulse can occur for the following reasons:
- Pathological processes in the external canal (pimples, mechanical irritations, infection, blockage and inflammation of the hearing organ due to excess sulfur);
- Rupture of the eardrum;
- Pathological processes in the inner ear (hypothermia, infectious diseases, pressure difference between the inner and outer ear);
- Shock load on the hearing organ.
Irradiating or referred – pain comes from an organ distant from the pathological focus. In this case, when the ear hurts, the cause must be sought in nearby organs. Referring pain impulses can occur for the following reasons:
- Sinusitis;
- Piggy;
- Sinus infection;
- Inflammation of the throat, teeth;
- Pathological bite;
- Arthritis of the maxillotemporal joint.
When the ear hurts, both local and radiating impulses can be observed. There are a number of common factors that cause diseases, as well as corresponding methods of treating them.
Ear hurts due to wax plug
Earwax performs several functions - it removes foreign particles, traps fungi and bacteria, and creates a moist environment for the eardrum. Sulfur is released little by little during chewing, coughing, and talking. But when the process of self-regulation is disrupted, a so-called cerumen plug is formed, which causes ear pain. Unpleasant sensations occur when sulfur congestion reaches the eardrum.
Due to the fact that the plug puts pressure on the vagus nerve, dizziness, headache, vomiting, and cough are observed. When the congestion thickens, in addition to ear pain, the patient feels fullness, hears noise, distortion of his voice and external sounds.
To remove congestion, methods such as rinsing with a Jeanne syringe, electric suction, and the introduction of drugs that soften and remove the sulfur plug are used. At home, when the ear hurts, ear canal hygiene drops often help correct the situation. Before choosing them, you should consult with an otolaryngologist.
Ear pain due to infection
The hearing organ is conventionally divided into the outer, middle and inner ear. Infections of the outer ear canal include otitis externa, which is also called “swimmer’s ear” because it most often develops after exposure to water. However, in order to cause an infection, it is enough to unsuccessfully clean your ears with cotton wicks. If your ear hurts and the temperature rises, while a rash is observed on the skin of the external auditory canal, this is most likely associated with an infection. In addition, boils located on the outer part of the ear canal can cause discomfort.
A middle ear infection is called otitis media. Infants and children under 6 years of age are most susceptible to it. This is due to the shape of the Eustachian tube, which is wider and shorter in children than in adults. Because of this, mucus from the nasopharynx often gets into the cavity of the child’s middle ear, and in infants even food or stomach contents when regurgitated.
If the cause of ear pain is otitis media, then the discomfort will intensify when chewing, swallowing and trying to blow your nose, since in these conditions the pressure in the area of the auditory organ increases. Due to this disease, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, weakness, lethargy, loss of appetite, noise and ringing in the ears may develop. And, of course, two classic symptoms appear - ear pain and fever. In severe cases, otitis media can cause rupture of the eardrum and deafness.
Inflammation of the inner ear, or viral labyrinthitis, manifests itself in the form of dizziness and tinnitus. With bacterial inflammation, the ear hurts and the temperature rises, the head feels dizzy, the eyes move quickly and involuntarily, and pus may be discharged from the ear canal.
In the case of external inflammation of the ear, the patient is prescribed antipyretic and painkillers. Medical care consists of clearing the ear canal of pus and instilling medications. For infectious pathologies, when the ear hurts, the drops should contain antibiotics and cortisone.
For otitis media, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs are also prescribed. But specific treatment includes restoring the patency of the Eustachian tubes. Therefore, when the ear hurts, drops are instilled into the nose - these are drugs to reduce swelling. Antibiotics are also prescribed.
For inflammation of the inner ear, treatment consists of a course of antibiotics and removal of pus, which sometimes requires surgery.
Rupture of the eardrum
The eardrum is a thin membrane that separates the outer and middle ears and also transmits air vibrations to the auditory ossicle. Therefore, if the eardrum is damaged, hearing deteriorates.
When the ear hurts due to injury to the membrane described above, acute pain occurs, purulent, bloody or clear discharge appears, tinnitus, dizziness and hearing decreases until it is lost. If your ear hurts, how to treat it in this case? As first aid, it is recommended to close the external auditory canal with a wad of sterile cotton wool and apply a bandage. However, if your ear hurts, drops or other medications cannot be administered into the ear canal. The patient should be urgently referred to an ENT doctor; in severe cases, surgical intervention (tympanoplasty) will be required to restore hearing.
Ear pain when swallowing
When discomfort occurs in the ear when swallowing, the ENT doctor will first suspect acute otitis media. However, if the symptoms do not confirm this, the cause may be hidden in diseases of neighboring organs. For example, pain in the ear when swallowing is a symptom of malignant tumors of the larynx and oral cavity; in this case, the discomfort continues for a long time and is accompanied by fatigue, apathy, weight loss, and enlarged lymph nodes.
Pain in the ear when swallowing may also indicate mumps, especially if the patient has swelling around the ear, fever and flu-like illness. Pain also occurs with pharyngitis, tonsillitis and abscess of the neck area, and is radiating in nature.
Self-medication is dangerous in any case, and only an ENT doctor can prescribe the necessary medications and procedures.
Video from YouTube on the topic of the article:
Why do children under 4 years old have ear pain so often? Ear pain in babies
Children under 4 years of age are most susceptible to ear diseases, which is explained by the fact that in children the auditory tube between the middle ear and the nasopharynx is much wider and shorter than in adults. Because of this, infections get into children's ears more often. For children under 4 years of age, the most common cause of ear pain in children is otitis media, an inflammation of the outer or middle ear.
Inflammation of the external auditory canal usually develops after an injury to the ear, infection when removing earwax with a match, or exposure to water after swimming. The human outer ear is protected from the middle ear by the eardrum, so inflammation of the outer ear does not affect the child’s hearing and does not spread to the middle ear. With external otitis in a child, the pain in the ear is not severe and can only be felt when chewing or pressing on the ear. With a mild course of otitis externa, you can limit yourself to home treatment - warming with the help of lotions, ointments and balms. Antibiotics, ear drops and other medications may not be needed to treat inflammation of the outer ear. In any case, treatment with anti-inflammatory drugs should only be prescribed by a doctor.
Most often, ear pain in a child occurs after a cold with a common runny nose. In this case, the infection enters the middle ear through the wide and short horizontal auditory tube. With a runny nose, tonsillitis and inflammation of the adenoids, microbes and viruses enter the Eustachian tube through the nasopharynx and cause its inflammation. The penetration of infection is facilitated by too much rinsing of the nose or blowing the nose too much. The pain associated with inflammation of the middle ear is severe, so the child’s condition worsens sharply, he becomes weak, cries, does not eat and cannot sleep.
Otitis media can lead to the accumulation of pus in the tympanic cavity, which leads to a significant increase in pain. Pain from purulent otitis is transmitted to the temple, teeth and throat, which is why the child cannot swallow. In complicated cases of purulent inflammation of the middle ear, the eardrum ruptures under the pressure of accumulated pus and pus and blood flow out of the child’s ear. The child’s condition improves after this, but the hole in the eardrum takes a very long time to heal and therefore the child’s hearing decreases. Purulent otitis media is treated only in a hospital setting.
Inflammation of the middle ear in children requires mandatory treatment. At the first suspicion of ear disease in your baby, call the doctor home. In the initial stages of inflammation of the middle ear, it is possible to save the baby from suffering by taking antibiotics or injections. The doctor prescribes antibiotics to prevent the development of complications of otitis media. In addition, vasoconstrictor drops into the nose must be prescribed to maintain the patency of the auditory tube. For example, Nazivin, Galazolin, Naphthyzin, etc. It is also recommended to warm the ear with a lamp or by applying compresses and ointments. In addition to the main treatment, courses of ultraviolet irradiation, UHF therapy and laser treatment can be prescribed.
You can prepare a warming compress for the ear yourself at home: buy camphor oil at the pharmacy and dilute it in a 1:1 ratio with vegetable oil or vodka. Take a piece of cotton cloth, soak it in an oil solution and place it on the child’s sore ear, cover it with cellophane, then with cotton wool and secure it with a scarf. When the ear warms up, the pain will subside. You can simply cover the baby's ear with a large piece of cotton wool and tie it with a warm scarf. Some parents warm the baby's ear with an ironed diaper, a hairdryer, a heating pad, or a plastic bottle filled with warm water. All warming procedures for inflammation of the ear must be carried out with precautions; they should absolutely not be done at elevated temperatures or in the presence of purulent discharge from the child’s ear.
Very often parents. Concerned about the baby’s ear pain, they begin to independently drip various drops into the ear, which are recommended to them by their grandmothers or friends. Direct instillation of ear drops without a doctor's prescription can harm the child's health and lead to hearing loss. Incorrectly chosen drops can lead to a rupture of the eardrum, causing the solution to enter the middle ear cavity, causing damage to the auditory ossicles and damage to the auditory nerve. Ear drops for otitis should be used only as prescribed by a doctor and dripped only while warm using a sterile pipette. Typically, ear drops otipax, otnum, sofradex, otofa and anuran are effective for otitis media. They should be dripped strictly following the standards specified in the instructions.
Untimely treatment of inflammation of the middle ear or cessation of treatment as soon as the pain has disappeared leads to the transition of otitis media to chronic forms. This is especially facilitated by a decrease in the baby’s immunity, frequent runny noses, adenoids and a deviated nasal septum. With chronic otitis media, a hole appears in the child's eardrum, which causes periodic leakage of purulent discharge from the ear. Chronic otitis media certainly leads to gradual hearing loss.
If your child has frequent ear infections, don't worry. By the age of 4, children's auditory tubes become harder and narrower, so frequent ear inflammations gradually disappear after this age. However, to protect your baby from ear pain, do not forget to follow these rules:
1. Breastfeed your baby for as long as possible; breastfed children are less likely to suffer from inflammatory diseases, including those of the ear.
2. When breastfeeding, try to keep the baby's head in an elevated position to avoid milk entering the auditory tube through the nasopharynx.
3. If your baby is sick, try to constantly clean his nasal passages and treat the cold in a timely manner.
4. In cold and windy weather, put a cap on your child’s head that tightly covers the ears to prevent catching a cold.
5. Do not open the front windows of the car when the child is sitting in the back seat. In this case, the wind blows directly into the child’s ear.
6. After bathing the baby, be sure to dry the ears if the baby feels discomfort from water getting into the ear. Ask the child to hop on one leg, lie down with the ear into which the water has got in; if all this does not help, then dry the ears with a hairdryer or a cotton swab.
7. Do not constantly remove earwax from your baby; it protects the ear canal from water and infection.
Sources: http://mama.ru/articles/otit, http://www.neboleem.net/stati-o-zdorove/7521-chto-delat-kogda-bolit-uho.php, http://meduniver. com/Medical/profilaktika/pochemu_u_detei_boliat_ushi.html
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Oral diseases in children
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Ear pain in a child first aid pain relief
Pain reliever for ear pain in a child: what is possible?
Very often, doctors diagnose ear pain in a child under the age of five. All this is due to the fact that the ear canal is located quite close to the respiratory tract and nasal cavity. Every parent should know how to identify pain in the ear and what to do in this situation. Do not forget that the baby should be examined by an experienced specialist. After the examination, he will tell you what painkiller can be given to the child for ear pain.
Causes
Before giving painkillers to children, you need to understand what caused the disease. This may include:
- Anatomical features in the structure of the ear. The auditory tube in children is much shorter than in adults and is located quite close to the nasal cavity. When any infection enters the nose, it can instantly affect the child’s ear.
- Genetic predisposition. Experts say that if parents often suffered from otitis media in childhood, then the same thing will happen to the child.
- Constant colds. Children under seven years of age very often suffer from ARVI and influenza. Otitis media can act as a complication and occur against the background of rhinovirus, adenovirus and rotavirus infections.
- Bacterial infection. There are three bacteria known in medical practice that can cause ear pain. These include streptococcus, Haemophilus influenzae and Moraxella. If your ear hurts as a result of a bacterial infection, then the uncomfortable feeling appears suddenly. At the same time, the baby does not have a cough or runny nose. Temperatures can rise to 39 degrees. Also, pus with an unpleasant odor is released from the ear canal.
- Tendency to allergic reactions. If children often suffer from allergic manifestations, then due to swelling of the nasal cavity, compression of the ear tissue occurs. It also prevents fluid from draining from the auditory tube.
First aid for a baby
First of all, parents need to show their child to the doctor. Only an experienced doctor will be able to accurately diagnose the disease and determine the development of the disease. If a sick baby complains of an uncomfortable feeling in the ear at night or on the go, then you can temporarily relieve the pain. For this you should:
- Give painkillers in the form of Paracetamol or Ibuprofen. The drugs are available in the form of syrup or suppositories. They not only relieve pain, but also reduce high fever. They should be given every four to six hours for three days.
- Use vasoconstrictors. They allow you to relieve swelling of the tissues and open the ear tube. The mucus that has accumulated in the auditory cavity will begin to flow down the back wall into the nasopharynx. Then the pressure on the membrane will subside and the pain will go away.
- Drop an anesthetic drug. He will be able to numb the sore ear for several hours. Moreover, they have anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. They can only be used if the child does not have discharge from the ear canal.
Anesthetic drugs
Otinum
Ear drops, which are indicated for acute type of otitis externa, chronic otitis media, otitis media, gingivitis and infectious ulcers in the oral cavity. It is also recommended for use in cases of wax plugs in the ears. It should be used up to four times a day for ten days. Side effects may occur in the form of peeling, itching, redness and burning.
Otipax
Prescribed for otitis media, as a complication after influenza infection and barotraumatic otitis. It has several contraindications such as perforation of the eardrum and increased susceptibility to the components of the drug. You need to use it up to three times a day, pre-heating the bottle. The duration of the treatment course is ten days. This drug is considered the most popular and effective. It contains lidocaine, which in some cases causes an allergic reaction.
Otofa
This type of product has antibacterial properties. If a child gets sick as a result of a bacterial infection, then this medication will help fight the germs. It contains rifamycin. This component has a wide range of effects, which allows you to cope with many types of bacteria. The drug can be used even when the membrane is perforated. Doctors often prescribe this medication. You need to drip the product up to three times a day for seven days.
Anauran
This drug is prescribed to children over twelve months of age. It contains lidocaine, which has an analgesic effect, and neomycin sulfate, which fights various microbes. It should be used up to four times a day for seven days. Active components may cause side effects such as peeling, redness, burning and itching. Provides high results.
Candibiotic
A medicine that has a combined effect. It contains chloramphenicol, which has a wide spectrum of effects. It also contains clotrimazole. This component acts as an antifungal agent. Prescribed for children over six years of age. It is effective against allergic and infectious diseases. Use up to four times a day for ten days.
Sofradex
Antibacterial ear drops. Give to children over six years old. Contains:
- framecitin sulfate, which has an antibacterial effect;
- gramicidin also has an antibacterial effect and enhances the effects of framecitin;
- Dexamethasone, which is a corticosteroid substance, relieves swelling and eliminates the inflammatory process.
Has contraindications in the form of:
- increased susceptibility to the components of the drug;
- damage to the eardrum.
The duration of use is from seven to fourteen days.
Garazon
Combined effect drug. The medication contains two main components: gentamicin and betamethasone. As a result, the medication has an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effect. Can be used by children over six years of age. Drips should be made up to four times a day for a week. Allows you not only to eliminate swelling and inflammation, but also to clear the ear of wax plugs.
Traditional methods for relieving ear pain
In practice, traditional methods of treatment are often used. They can be used if children do not suffer from purulent otitis and do not have a high temperature. The most popular include:
Use of boric acid tincture
This method allows you to reduce pain in the ear and eliminate the inflammatory process. In childhood, it is strictly forbidden to drip the tincture directly into the ear canal. To use the product, you need to take cotton wool and roll it into a ball. Then warm up the boric acid tincture a little and moisten a cotton ball in it. Before putting the turunda in the ear, you need to lubricate the auricle with baby cream. This will avoid skin burns. The procedure can be performed up to four times a day.
Using salt
This method is also considered common and allows you to relieve severe pain in the ear. To do this, heat a little salt in a frying pan. In the meantime, prepare a warm sock or scarf. When the salt is ready, you need to put it in a sock and wrap it. Then apply it to the sore ear and hold until the compress cools down. This method is called dry heat. There are three opinions regarding its use: some recommend using it, others categorically reject the method, and others believe that you can heat it, but not overheat it.
As a result, dry heat for a sore ear has both benefits and harms. The main advantages include:
- Improved blood circulation.
- Removing the inflammatory process.
- Reducing pain.
Dry heat can only be used in the initial stages of the disease.
But there are also disadvantages of the method. These include:
- Increased pressure in the middle ear cavity, which leads to tissue compression.
- Increased pain during the development of the inflammatory process.
You can make a completely harmless compress for your baby. It's easy to do. You need to take a piece of cotton wool and place it around the ear. Then cover with a bag and put a warm scarf on top. This method will not have a strong warming effect and will protect the ear from external irritants. It can be kept on all night.
Also, when the acute period decreases, you can do physical procedures. They are prescribed only by a doctor, based on the patient’s condition. This includes ultraviolet irradiation, UHF, phototherapy.
If the ear infection was caused by bacteria, then antibiotics for internal use are mandatory. In childhood, Amoxiclav or Augmentin are prescribed. The drugs belong to the penicillin group and allow you to quickly relieve inflammation. They also contain clavulanic acid, which has a double effect. Thanks to this, the patient recovers faster.
E.O. Komarovsky about ear pain in children
Ear inflammation is one of the most common complications of respiratory diseases, childhood infections, sinusitis and other ENT pathologies that occur with swelling and mucus formation in the auditory tube. For the most part, this condition is characterized by a mild course. With timely consultation with an otolaryngologist and correct treatment, the disease is prone to regression in the next few days.
However, it is in children that the transformation of catarrhal inflammation into acute purulent otitis is often observed. In his publications and appearances on television programs, Komarovsky E.O. touched on this topic more than once. This is due to the widespread prevalence of otitis media among children. There are statistical data that before the age of three, almost the entire population of the countries of the post-Soviet space has at least once experienced ear inflammation.
Development mechanism
According to modern otolaryngologists and E.O. Komarovsky, ear pain in a child develops when the evacuation function of the auditory tube is disrupted. The resulting stagnation in the middle ear leads to the development of catarrhal inflammation and pain syndrome. All efforts in this case should be aimed at relieving swelling and improving the patency of the auditory tube.
If a child has an earache, Komarovsky considers it necessary to use vasoconstrictor nasal drops. The use of these funds will help relieve swelling of the nasopharynx, reduce mucus, and improve the drainage function of the Eustachian tube.
Among the recommended ear drops, the expert suggests using
When using them, you must remember that they can cause addiction and the development of other associated effects. The duration of their use should not exceed 7 days.
Pain relief products
The next direction of treatment is the use of painkillers.
If a child’s ears hurt, Komarovsky suggests using non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (preferably paracetamol).
This remedy is not only an effective analgesic, but also a safe remedy for the child’s body.
Pain in the ear is aggravated by air movements and sound vibrations. To create rest for the affected ear, experts recommend using cotton wool. By inserting it into the external auditory canal, you can ensure that no touching of the auricle or skin of the outer ear will increase the pain.
Regarding the use of dry heat or compress for the treatment of otitis media in children, the expert opinion is negative.
Komarovsky E.O. considers any physiotherapeutic procedures for children to be ineffective or dangerous.
The doctor claims that the use of physiotherapy has a calming effect only on the child’s parents, creating the appearance of taking emergency measures. As for the direct benefits of their use, there are no scientific works with an evidence base on the effectiveness of physiotherapeutic treatment. He determines the need to use a cotton turunda precisely by immobilizing the ear.
The importance of otoscopy
Further actions become possible only after consultation with an otolaryngologist. After using paracetamol, instilling vasoconstrictor nasal drops and closing the external auditory canal with a cotton swab, the child should be taken to a medical facility for consultation with an otolaryngologist. In case of ear inflammation, a specialist must examine the patient, conduct an instrumental examination of the eardrum, and only then prescribe the correct treatment. Otitis media can occur in catarrhal and purulent forms.
Perforation of the eardrum and suppuration indicate the development of purulent inflammation and the need for antibiotics.
At the same time, an injured eardrum is a contraindication to the use of topical medications containing ototoxic components.
Hazardous substances that should not be contained in ear drops used include:
- some antibiotics (gentamicin, kanamycin, neomycin);
- ethanol;
- non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Thus, ear drops Otinum and Otipax, widely used for the catarrhal form of otitis media, cannot be used in the presence of a perforated eardrum. At the same time, the use of ear drops containing safe antibiotics is very reasonable in this condition.
In case of catarrhal inflammation, the use of local antibiotics is inappropriate, since the intact eardrum does not allow them to penetrate into the middle ear cavity.
Other causes of ear pain
Ear pain in a child can be caused by a number of other reasons, such as lymphadenitis, dental disease, inflammation of the oral mucosa, or traumatic injury. Lymphadenitis is characterized by enlarged lymph nodes, which appear as round formations and are caused by an inflammatory process in the nasopharynx or oral cavity. According to E.O. Komarovsky, a lump behind a child’s ear should cause concern if
- rapid growth of this formation is detected, and the enlarged lymph node persists for more than 5 days;
- painful formation is noted;
- there is redness of the skin over the lymph node;
- There is a local increase in temperature in the area of the enlarged lymph node.
Enlarged lymph nodes also characterize some other, more dangerous pathological conditions, such as immunological diseases and tumor processes. If the lymph nodes are enlarged, the child should be examined by a doctor. A general blood test, which reflects changes occurring in the lymph nodes, can help in diagnosis. Ultrasound of these formations also helps in the diagnosis, allowing one to determine the nature of the contents and its structure. In some cases, antibiotic therapy or surgery may be prescribed.
First aid
Thus, answering the question of what to do if a child has an earache, Komarovsky E.O. invites parents, first of all, to examine the child for visible lesions in the oral mucosa or skin of the parotid area, pay attention to nasal congestion and other signs of respiratory diseases or childhood infections. If there are signs indicating involvement of the middle ear in the process, the following actions must be taken:
- Place vasoconstrictor drops into the child’s nose;
- Close the opening of the external auditory canal with a cotton swab or turunda;
- The child must take an anesthetic orally or in the form of suppositories;
- In the near future, the child should be examined by an otolaryngologist to clarify the diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment.
Without a doctor's prescription, the use of ear drops with any components is strictly prohibited. At the same time, a timely consultation with an ENT doctor and prescribed treatment will prevent the development of severe complications and the disease becoming chronic.
Author: Gaevaya Natalya
A child’s ear hurts: traditional and folk methods of treatment
Diseases associated with the ears can be caused by many reasons and have a different nature of origin. When a child’s ear hurts, he becomes very capricious, whiny and restless. Ear pain negatively affects the overall well-being of the baby and can contribute to hearing impairment.
Ear ache
Ear pain is medically called otitis media. Otitis is an inflammatory process that develops in any part of the ear. When the ear begins to hurt, it means that the inner, outer or middle part has become inflamed.
Otitis media is considered the most dangerous and common. If it is not treated in time, it can cause hearing problems in the baby. You need to know how to treat ear pain and how to treat it.
Therefore, even with minor pain and clearly increased discharge from one ear or both at once, it is better to contact a qualified specialist to exclude the occurrence of complications. Inflammation can develop very quickly, so emergency measures must be taken.
The mechanism of ear pain in a child
The mechanism of ear pain in a baby directly depends on the anatomical structure of the ear. It consists of three sections: external, internal and middle. The outer section consists of the auricle.
The middle section consists of the eardrum and three bones. The main cause of pain in the middle section is a violation of the pressure in it. As long as the pressure is normal, the baby does not feel any discomfort. But as soon as the pressure level is violated, the body immediately lets you know about it.
Pressure can “jump” for various reasons. As a result, ear pain begins in children. It can be of a different nature: pulling, shooting, radiating into the ear due to a disease of another organ, or acute. Regardless of the nature of the pain, it can negatively affect the baby's hearing.
What can cause a baby's ears to hurt?
What to do if your baby has an earache? There are various causes of ear pain. To find out why exactly your child is complaining of pain, you need to remember the last days of his life. The reason may be that the baby could be outside in windy weather without a hat, and his ears could become inflated.
It is possible that the day before the baby suffered an illness that caused complications in the ears.
Ears may hurt if water gets into them during bathing and does not drain out on its own immediately after the end of the water procedures.
We all know that our ears need to be cleaned every 3-4 days to prevent a large amount of wax from accumulating, which forms a plug and causes pain. But you shouldn’t be overzealous and clean your ears every day: the complete absence of wax is also bad, because it acts as a protection between the inner ear and external pollutants.
The possibility of mechanical damage to the head and ear area must also be taken into account. This factor also entails pain in children's ears.
In childhood, the leading activity is play. Kids are always interested in something and play. Some toys, especially small ones, can be very dangerous for them. Children can stuff various objects into their nose, mouth, and ears. This may lead to trauma to the internal membranes.
If we go a little deeper, it turns out that ear pain can be caused by other factors that are more serious. It could be:
- complication after acute respiratory viral infection;
- bacteria that can cause damage to the ear area;
- the ear may become sore after exposure to an allergen;
- one should not exclude a genetic tendency and predisposition to diseases associated with the ears;
- At birth, the child may be diagnosed with certain anatomical abnormalities, due to which infectious and bacterial damage to one or both ears may develop more often than usual.
In any case, only an otolaryngologist can find out the true nature of your baby’s poor health.
Symptoms of ear pain
Ears can hurt both very young and older children. Therefore, this issue must be taken seriously to avoid complications.
If your child complains of ear pain, then you need to help him get rid of it.
To do this you need:
- Check to see if there is any foreign object in the ear.
- Press on the outer cartilaginous protrusion of the sore ear, if painful sensations appear, this means that the pain is localized elsewhere and only radiates to the ear area.
- If an accompanying sign of ear pain is increased body temperature, then this may indicate the development of an inflammatory process in the ear area.
- If there are no other symptoms other than ear pain, a pressure surge may be a possible cause.
- The presence of an infectious nature of ear pain can be determined by the presence of pus discharged from the ear canal.
If you find out the nature of the ear pain in a timely manner, it will not be difficult to help your child. If the problem cannot be solved at home, then you need to call an ambulance or go to the clinic yourself and see a qualified specialist.
Helping your child with ear pain
My child has an earache, what should I do? Only a doctor can answer your question. To ensure that ear pain affects your child as little as possible, the first thing you need to do is work on increasing the defenses of his body. Many complications can be avoided if the baby's immune system works consistently well.
But if it already happens that the child’s ear pain still bothers him, then it is necessary to take measures to improve the well-being of the little patient.
If your baby complains of severe pain in the ear area, then you should not hesitate. Call an ambulance. While the doctors are traveling, you can try to provide first aid, but this must be done very carefully. Ear pain is sometimes comparable in intensity to toothache; it grows very quickly and negatively affects the general condition of the child.
What do we have to do:
- First, you should check if the baby has a fever. If available, you can give an antipyretic.
- If you found ear drops in the medicine cabinet and were glad that they would now help your baby, then remember that no ear drops should be used on a child without a doctor’s prescription.
- You can use nasal drops, they will help dilate blood vessels, reducing pressure on the eardrum.
- Parents also often try to reduce the pain intensity by applying a warm towel to the sore ear. This method has the right to life only if the cause is not a foreign body entering the auricle or an inflammatory process.
You should not experiment if you are not sure of the true nature of the ear pain. It is better to wait for a doctor who will examine your baby’s sore ear and prescribe appropriate treatment.
If after a doctor’s visit it turns out that the child’s ears hurt due to the development of an inflammatory process, then the treatment should be comprehensive. The doctor will prescribe medications in combination with conservative methods.
If the ear has been hurting for a long time and the process is in an advanced state, then the doctor may recommend hospitalizing your baby.
Self-help for ear problems
It also happens that pain in the ear catches a baby at the most unexpected moment, for example, somewhere outside the city in nature, and it is impossible to call an ambulance. In such a situation, you should take action yourself.
This issue must be taken seriously. The most correct thing in such a situation would be regular heat applied to the sore ear.
- Even doctors advise using an alcohol-based compress for ear pain. To prepare a compress, you need to prepare a cloth, alcohol, a bowl and water.
- The compress should be applied to the sore ear so that the auricle is open. To do this, you need to cut out the middle of the napkin, moisten it in an alcohol solution and put it on the sore ear.
- When preparing a solution, you can take concentrated alcohol, but first dilute it with water. To prevent burns from forming on the baby’s delicate skin, it is necessary to lubricate the area where the compress is applied with cream or ointment.
- After this, you need to wrap the sore ear with cotton wool and bandage it with a bandage to speed up the desired effect.
It is worth remembering that at the slightest sign of an inflammatory process, warming cannot be used, because the process will only accelerate.
If a child has an earache and has a fever, then boric alcohol should be used. To do this, you need to take a cotton swab and soak it in boric alcohol, then carefully insert the flagellum into the ear canal.
Sometimes parents heat boric alcohol before use, hoping to increase its effectiveness. But they do this completely in vain, because as the temperature increases, all the useful components of boric alcohol evaporate along with the steam released.
If a child suffers from a runny nose for a long time, this can also cause otitis media. In this case, you first need to get rid of the cause, that is, a runny nose, after which the ear pain will go away on its own.
Special cases of the problem
Ears can also hurt after water gets into the ear cavity. This often happens after water procedures. After the baby comes out of the water, you need to make sure that there are no residual water in the ears and dry the ears thoroughly. To do this, simply dry them well with a towel or dry them with a gentle stream of air using a hairdryer.
Many parents believe that their baby’s ears most often hurt due to inadequate ear hygiene and try to clean wax from them every day. But it is strictly not recommended to do this, because sulfur performs a protective function for the ear and prevents particles of dust, dirt and water from entering it.
Applying a warm compress can help soothe ear pain after swimming. It is not necessary to use alcohol; just wrap a bottle of warm water in a towel and apply it to your ear. After some time, the baby will feel much better.
Traditional treatment
Until recently, ear pain was treated at home using improvised methods.
The following can be used as folk remedies:
- camphor alcohol as ear drops;
- warmed nut or almond oil;
- walnut oil;
- calendula tincture.
Traditional methods are not a medical prescription, and parents place full responsibility for the life of the baby on themselves. It is necessary to treat self-medication with extreme caution. Incorrect treatment can affect the baby's hearing impairment.
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