The ENT Specialist - Treating Complications of Chronic Ear Infection

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Mild ear infections are usually taken for granted until the pain becomes intolerable which often lead to serious complications. Chronic ear infection can actually branch out into a number of severe complications when left untreated for a long time. This poses life changing repercussions which can affect the person’s normal routine or even endanger one’s limb and life. Ear infections especially in children should always be consulted with a licensed Ear, Nose, Throat (ENT) specialist to get proper diagnosis and treatment. Chronic ear infections are usually one of the common reasons why children take emergency trips to the hospital or the doctor’s clinic. An ear infection is typified as chronic if the condition recurs frequently or has been persisting for a long time. The most common type is that of middle ear infection which affects the region behind the eardrum. Ear infections can be caused by a multitude of factors that clogs the Eustachian tube which the tube that connects the throat to the middle ear. Here are some of them:

• Allergies
• Sinus infections
• Infected adenoids
• Cigarette smoke
• Colds

Complications of Chronic Ear Infection:

• Resistant to antibiotic treatment. If bacteria caused the infection, antibiotics are prescribed by an ENT specialist to help clear it out. However, recent studies showed that ear infections caused by bacteria are fast becoming resistant to many antibiotic remedies especially with chronic sufferers who are always using these antibiotic for their routine treatment of ear infections. This may then cause inefficacy with antibiotic treatment. It is advisable then not to take antibiotics in the onset of ear infections because such infections would just clear out after some days even without antibiotics.
• Hearing loss. If the chronic ear infection comes with effusion or a certain condition wherein the fluid stays right behind the middle ear; then this can lead to hearing problems. This is usually felt as fullness in the ear because of the enormous buildup of fluid which causes mild to moderate hearing loss. Because the kid is not able to clearly hear and understand what the teachers are saying, this will lead to delayed speech as well as other milestones in cognitive and social development.
• Abscess - The huge buildup of fluid that comes as a result of chronic ear infection can cause rupture of the eardrum and leakage of fluid. This usually warrants surgical intervention. The most complicated form of rupture would be brain abscess which happens when the same fluid and pus buildup on the eardrums would leak into the brain instead of going out of the ears which could cause infection.
• Mastoid Bone Infection - Chronic ear infection can also spread into the mastoid bone which is located behind the ear and result to damage of the bone or mastoiditis which needs antibiotic treatment or possible surgical removal of the affected area.

These complications could have been avoided with early diagnosis and treatment by a reputed ENT specialist. Prevention is definitely better than cure especially because complications from chronic ear infection can dangerously impact the lives of patients.