What Causes Ear Infections?

Dr. Aldo Bejarano and the caring staff of AFB Pediatrics regularly treat ear infections in Pasadena, TX, to help your children stay healthy, Read more about what causes ear infections and contact us today to be treated.

What Causes Ear Infections?

Ear infections are most commonly caused by a viral infection like a cold. Poor hygiene and secondhand smoke can increase the likelihood that your child gets an ear infection, but they are common in young children who don't have strong immune systems yet and exchange a lot of germs. As we grow and develop, our ears get better at draining fluids and our immune systems strengthen, but adults can still get ear infections when they have a cold.

Eustachian tubes are small passageways inside your ear that connect the middle of the ear to the back of the throat, and they open each time you swallow or yawn. When you have an ear infection, fluid builds up in the middle ear behind the eardrum. This can be due to the middle ear becoming inflamed or the eustachian tubes swelling and not functioning properly. The fluid doesn't drain from your middle ear and causes pain and pressure on the eardrum.

How Are Ear Infections Treated?

Ear infections can clear up on their own, but when your child is uncomfortable or suffering from an ear infection in Pasadena, TX, call our pediatrician. Our doctor will likely prescribe an antiviral medication to help clear the infection. Your child may have symptoms for 2-3 days after starting the medication as it continues to kill the bacteria. Call your doctor if the fever doesn't subside in two days, or the ear pain does not go away within three days.

To relieve symptoms temporarily, try warm compresses. A warm compress on the ear for 20 minutes at a time helps relieve the pain and pressure felt inside the ear. If your child has frequent and recurring ear infections our pediatrician may recommend you see an ear, nose, and throat specialist. Surgically inserting tubes in the ears can help drain fluid and prevent more infections.

Get Treatment Now

AFB Pediatrics is here to help if your child has an ear infection in Pasadena, TX. To make an appointment with Dr. Aldo Bejarano, contact us at (832) 386-9200.