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Signs and Symptoms of Ear Infection


Ear infection is a condition that usually occurs when you have a fever, sore throat, or an allergic attack, and then causes fluid to get stuck in the middle ear. This condition often causes pain due to inflammation and buildup of fluid.

This condition can be treated by reducing risk factors. Discuss with the doctor for more information.

What are the signs and symptoms of ear infections?

In adults, the symptoms of common ear infections are:

  • Pain in the ear (pain that feels sharp, sudden or mild and sustained)
  • Sharp pain accompanied by the discharge of warm fluid from the ear canal
  • Feel full of ears
  • Nausea
  • Silent hearing
  • Fluid out of the ear.
In children, symptoms of ear infection can be:
  • Tugging at the ear
  • Poor sleep quality
  • Fever
  • Easy to get angry, tired
  • Fluid out of the ear
  • The loss of appetite
  • Cry at night when lying down.
Most ear infections do not cause long-term complications. However, frequent and non-lost infections can cause serious complications such as speech and hearing disorders or developmental delays, spread of infection, tearing of the eardrum.

There may be signs and symptoms not mentioned above. If you have concerns about a particular symptom, consult your doctor.

When should I see a doctor?

If you have the above signs or symptoms or other questions, consult your doctor. Each person's body is different. Always consult a doctor to deal with your health condition.

What causes ear infections?

Ear infections occur when one of the Eustachian tubes is swollen, blocked, or there is a buildup of fluid in the middle ear. The Eustachian tube is a small tube that starts from each ear and is directly connected to the back of the throat. The causes of Eustachian tube blockage are:

  • Allergy
  • Fever
  • Sinus infection
  • Smoking tobacco
  • Adenoid infected or swollen
  • Excess mucus.


Risk factors

What increases my risk for ear infections?

There are many risk factors for ear infections, namely:

  • Children aged 6 months to 2 years
  • Children who are deposited in daycare
  • Bottle feeding
  • Seasonal factors, especially in autumn and winter
  • Poor air quality.


How are ear infections diagnosed?

Doctors diagnose ear infections or other conditions based on the symptoms you mentioned and the examination. In addition, doctors can also use a device with light (otoscope) to see the ear canal, throat and nose.


  • Pneumatic Otoscope. This tool is usually the only special tool that doctors need to diagnose ear infections. This tool is used to see the inside of the ear and determine whether there is fluid behind the eardrum.
  • Additional tests. If the diagnosis does not provide enough information, the doctor can do other diagnostic tests, such as:
  • Tympanometry. This test measures the movement of the eardrum. This tool shows how well the eardrum moves and provides indirect measurements of pressure on the middle ear.
  • Acoustic reflectometry. This test measures how much noise is released by a device reflected by the eardrum and this test is an indirect measurement of fluid in the middle ear.
  • Tympanocentesis. This test is used to check for infectious sources in ear fluids. This test can be useful if the infection does not respond well to previous treatments.


If your child has an ear infection that does not go away or buildup of fluid in the middle ear, the doctor can refer to an ear specialist (audiologist), speech therapist or developmental therapist for hearing tests, speech skills, language understanding and developmental abilities.

What are the treatments for ear infections?

The goal of treatment is to treat middle ear infections before complications occur. Treatment usually involves overcoming the causes of ear infections and killing bacteria on the Eustachian tube.

Medications for ear infections

Amoxicillin is a choice of antibiotics that can be used to treat bacterial infections of the ear because this drug is very effective. Amoxicillin can usually treat ear infections in 7 to 10 days. In addition, you are recommended not to use aspirin and tonsillectomy for treatment.


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