How to Treat Ear Infections - Legacy ER

Cases of ear infections are common, especially in children. Also known as Otitis Media, it happens when bacteria or virus goes to the eardrums and traps fluids behind them.

Most cases are mild, clearing up on their own. Some may require medication to relieve the pain and other symptoms. However, you will need to take antibiotics if the infection does not improve or gets worse over a few days.

In either case, it is crucial to see your doctor when treating ear infections and checking if they have cleared. An ongoing infection can get worse and lead to hearing problems and complications.

Symptoms of Ear Infection

Several symptoms accompany ear infections. These symptoms appear depending on the severity of the situation.

The primary symptom is pain within the ear. That is obvious with adults and older children because they can communicate their feelings. However, this becomes a challenge for toddlers too young to speak. You can look for other signs in younger children, such as tugging on their ears, trouble sleeping, and fussiness.

Because of the discomfort associated with ear infections, the person affected would become irritable. The amount of discomfort and pain can even interrupt sleep.

Other common symptoms to look out for are:

• Loss of appetite
• Fever
• Fluid draining from the ear
• Trouble hearing

What Is the Treatment for Ear Infections?

Treating ear infections will depend on several factors:

• Age of the patient
• Severity of the infection
• How long fluid has been trapped behind the eardrum
• Nature of the infection

A doctor will use an otoscope to check the condition of the eardrum. Signs of infection include swelling, soreness, and a reddish color. A pneumatic otoscope is used for further examination. The tool can blow a puff of air onto the eardrum to see if it moves. It will not move easily if there is fluid stuck behind the ear.

The doctor will also check your nasal passage, throat, and breathing. Doing this allows them to determine if the infection has spread through the upper respiratory area.

After gathering information through the tests, your doctor will prescribe a treatment for the ear infection.

Antibiotics are prescribed if the cause of infection is bacterial. They may wait a few days before starting this treatment to see if the mild infection clears up on its own.

There are cases where the ear infection is chronic or ongoing, and the person frequently experiences a buildup of fluid behind the eardrum. Tympanostomy tubes can provide immediate relief, as they are designed to drain the trapped fluid. These tubes stay in the ear for a few months.

Get Emergency Treatment for Ear Infections at Legacy ER & Urgent Care

Most ear infections are mild and can be cured with rest and increasing water intake. Pain relief medication can be taken for other pain-related symptoms. However, complications may arise. If the infection or fluid buildup happens often, you can experience the following:

• Loss of hearing
• Delay in speech and language development for children
• A tear in the eardrum
• Spread of the infection to other parts of the body

Legacy ER & Urgent Care is here to meet your medical care needs by providing affordable pricing and quality care. As part of Intuitive Health’s innovative hybrid model ER and urgent care system, patients are only billed for the level of care they receive from professional and highly trained medical staff. With six facilities located in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, emergent and non-emergent care are accessible and transparent, focusing on superb customer service.

Legacy ER & Urgent Care has six convenient locations in the DFW area:

• Allen – Legacy ER & Urgent Care is located at 1310 W. Exchange Pkwy Allen, TX 75013, and may be reached at 972-526-5819.
• Coppell – Legacy ER & Urgent Care is located at 330 S Denton Tap Rd Coppell, TX 75019 and may be reached at 469-702-9917.
• Frisco East – Legacy ER & Urgent Care is located at 16151 Eldorado Pkwy Frisco, TX 75035 and may be reached at 972-526-7009.
• Frisco West – Legacy ER & Urgent Care is located at 9205 Legacy Dr. Frisco, TX 75033, and may be reached at 972-526-7020.
• McKinney – Legacy ER & Urgent Care is located at 2810 Hardin Blvd McKinney, TX 75072 and may be reached at 972-573-6688.
• North Richland Hills – Legacy ER & Urgent Care is located at 8950 N. Tarrant Pkwy North Richland Hills, TX 76182, and may be reached at 817-663-1247