How do you know if you have an ear infection?
Ear pain, muffled hearing, and fluid draining from your ear are the classic signs of an ear infection. If the room starts spinning too, that’s often a sign the infection has reached your inner ear. For many patients, the onset of an ear infection is often rapid and painful. Children are more likely than adults to get ear infections, but they can strike at any age.
An ear infection can also bring on ringing, a feeling of fullness, or balance trouble, especially when swelling affects the parts of the ear that help you stay steady on your feet.
Common ear infection symptoms can include:
- Ear pain (especially when lying down)
- Difficulty hearing
- Fluid drainage from the ear
- Fever
- Headache
- Tooth or jaw pain (due to the proximity of your mouth to the infected ear)
If you have an infant or toddler who is too young to verbalize their symptoms, the following signs may also indicate an ear infection:
- Tugging or pulling at the ear
- Trouble sleeping
- Crying or fussing more than usual
- Not responding to sounds or noise
- Loss of appetite
What does an ear infection look like?
An infected ear looks red and swollen inside, often with excess fluid in the air-filled space behind the eardrum. However, you won’t be able to see any of this on your own. Only a healthcare provider will be able to tell if you have an ear infection using a specialized tool called an otoscope.
One visible sign that occurs outside your ear is fluid drainage. The fluid may be clear, yellowish, or bloody. If the fluid is bloody, it may be related to a perforated eardrum or an ear canal infection. Ear redness is also very common, especially for children who tug on the infected ear.
What causes ear infections?
Anything from allergies to the flu to the common cold can easily cause an ear infection. An ear infection begins when fluid containing bacteria or viruses gets trapped behind your eardrum. These germs often come from other illnesses that cause swelling and congestion in your nasal passages and throat.
The 3 types of ear infections
Ear infections aren’t all the same. Providers generally group them into three types based on where the infection is happening: outer, middle, and inner ear infections.
Outer ear infection (swimmer’s ear)
Outer ear infections, often called swimmer’s ear, happen when water or moisture gets trapped in the ear canal and creates a place for bacteria to grow. They tend to cause itching, redness, and pain that gets worse when you tug on the ear or chew, since that motion shifts your jaw joint right next to the inflamed ear canal. You can read more about swimmer’s ear on our blog.
Middle ear infection
Middle ear infections are the type most commonly seen in children. They happen when fluid builds up behind the eardrum, often because the eustachian tube (the small passage that helps drain the ear) gets blocked from a cold, allergies, or congestion.
Inner ear infection
Inner ear infections affect the part of your ear responsible for balance, not just hearing. This is the type of ear infection most likely to cause dizziness, vertigo, or a spinning sensation, along with occasional nausea or trouble staying steady on your feet.
How is an ear infection or earache treated?
Providers often recommend different treatments depending on the type of infection you’re dealing with. Swimmer’s ear, for example, is usually treated with ear drops rather than oral antibiotics. However, there are a few things that can help most people feel more comfortable while the infection runs its course.
- Pain Relief: Over-the-counter options like acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help ease ear pain and any fever that comes with it.
- Warm Compress: Holding a warm compress against the ear may bring short-term relief from pressure and discomfort.
- Watch and Wait: Many mild ear infections are monitored for a few days before antibiotics are considered, since many ear infections can be resolved without them.
Do you need antibiotics for an ear infection?
Antibiotics will only help if the ear infection is bacterial, and not every ear infection is. Viral ear infections, such as those that start after you have a cold or the flu, won’t respond to antibiotics at all, which is one reason a provider evaluates your symptoms before recommending treatment.
Some ear infections, particularly middle ear infections, clear up on their own without antibiotics. However, severe ear infections or infections lasting longer than 2-3 days should be checked right away to determine if antibiotics are needed.
Fluid drainage from the ear, especially yellowish or bloody fluid, may also require antibiotic treatment.
How long does an ear infection last?
Ear infections generally improve within the first few days, even without treatment. However, fluid build-up can last 1-2 weeks or longer. If you are prescribed antibiotics, you should begin feeling better after just 2-3 days.
Ear infections aren’t contagious, so you don’t have to worry about spreading your infection in a swimming pool or anywhere else. Still, you should never swim with an active ear infection, even if you’re taking antibiotics. Going underwater can cause painful pressure changes, and chlorine and salt can wash away earwax, aggravating your ear even further.
Will an ear infection go away on its own?
Many mild ear infections do clear up on their own. However, it’s possible that fluid can stay trapped behind the eardrum even after the pain eases, and that’s not something you can see or feel on your own. Left untreated, this can lead to longer symptoms or, in rare cases, more serious conditions. Getting evaluated early can help you feel better faster and make sure nothing gets missed that could turn into a bigger problem down the road. If you get ear infections frequently, it’s also important to find out the underlying cause, so you can treat the problem before permanent damage is done.
A provider at vybe can evaluate your symptoms and help you figure out what’s next. Still looking for more information about ear infections and how we can help? Check out our blog on commonly asked questions about ear infections.
Should I go to urgent care for an ear infection?
Yes! During your urgent care visit, a provider will look deep inside your ear to check for three different types of ear infections (outer, middle, and inner ear).
Delaying care for an ear infection could mean putting yourself through a lot of unnecessary pain. If the infection continues to spread, it could lead to hearing loss, meningitis (an infection of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord), and other serious concerns.
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This content is for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice. A licensed healthcare provider can evaluate your specific symptoms and situation.
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