How To Get Rid Of An Ear Infection While Pregnant

How To Manage And Treat Ears Popping During Pregnancy

You may also choose to supplement your ear popping treatment with other options for managing the same. For safe ears popping when pregnant, these pointers need to be carefully considered:

When Should You Speak To Your Caregiver

For prenatal care, see a doctor on a regular basis. If you suspect you have an ear infection, call your doctor right away.

Although not all earaches are infections, its always a good idea to get them checked. An infection has the potential to spread and harm your hearing.

Tell your doctor if you experience any other ear issues, such as tinnitus tell your doctor . Other significant health issues, such as high cholesterol or iron deficiency anemia, can produce tinnitus and other ear symptoms.

In some situations, your doctor may recommend you to an otolaryngologist, sometimes known as an ENT specialist, who specializes in ear, nose, and throat diseases.

Why Are Ear Nose And Throat Issues Common During Pregnancy

First and foremost, during pregnancy, your body’s blood volume will increase by almost 50 percent! This astonishing influx occurs so that your body can effectively support the needs of your growing baby. The added blood flow causes the water volume in your body to increase by over two gallons.

This retention of additional fluids is the reason why you may notice that your nose is stuffy more often and that you have a higher prevalence of postnasal drip.

Unfortunately, it can also lead to fluid buildup in your ears. While this will not always bring about infection, it can cause extreme discomfort.

Moreover, pregnancy brings on an influx of hormones, making you more susceptible to illness during pregnancy. This is because an “expectant mothers immune system adjusts to prevent her body from rejecting the fetus“. As mentioned above, if you contract an ENT illness, it is not out of the norm for this to spread to the ears.

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Check If It’s An Ear Infection

The symptoms of an ear infection usually start quickly and include:

• discharge running out of the ear
• a feeling of pressure or fullness inside the ear
• itching and irritation in and around the ear
• scaly skin in and around the ear

Young children and babies with an ear infection may also:

• rub or pull their ear
• not react to some sounds
• be irritable or restless
• be off their food
• keep losing their balance

Most ear infections clear up within 3 days, although sometimes symptoms can last up to a week.

If you, or your child, have a high temperature or you do not feel well enough to do your normal activities, try to stay at home and avoid contact with other people until you feel better.

Apply A Warm Compress

When infections set in, proper blood circulation is key for healing. Studies published by the National Institutes of Health note that “the physiological effects of heat therapy include pain relief and increases in blood flow, metabolism, and elasticity of connective tissues.” Thus, a warm compress is a simple way to open up your blood vessels and allow white blood cells, which help to fight infections, to get there sooner.

Remember that while heat is a fantastic modality to promote healing, you want to avoid burning yourself. Therefore, make sure that your heating pad is on a low setting and wrap your warm compress in a towel before applying it to your ear when treating ear infections during pregnancy.

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More Home Remedies For Earache

There are lots of home remedies for earache. I haven’t tried any others as many of them involved putting olive oil or other substances such as garlic in your ear.

I didn’t really want to put anything in my ear and to be honest, didn’t have the energy to try any other remedies so I can’t recommend any.

Reasons Why You Get Infection During Pregnancy

A variety of different things can cause ear infections. Your doctor is in the best position to tell you more about the underlying cause.

In most cases, you develop an ear infection due to colds, sinus infections, allergies, excess mucus, and swollen adenoids. When you develop a bacterial or viral infection, you experience inflammation that leads to the blockage of the Eustachian tubes. This causes the buildup of fluid in the middle ear and you develop a full-blown infection.

Since your immunity is on the weaker side during pregnancy, it is possible to develop these infections. In fact, many pregnant women experience these infections sporadically. Moreover, you can also get an ear infection any time during pregnancy it could affect you in your first trimester or hit you at the end of your pregnancy. You are at an increased risk of developing an ear infection during pregnancy if you have chronic ear infections.

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Is A Yeast Infection Dangerous To My Baby

Not particularly no, but you will want to get it treated because youre going to be extremely uncomfortable if you dont.

As we just mentioned, yeast infections are very common during pregnancy, and it will not be something your midwife or doctor hasnt dealt with countless times before.

Having developed a yeast infection doesnt mean that you have a pregnancy complication or you have a major problem.

It just means that you need a course of treatment to clear it up.

More Home Help For Earache During Pregnancy

Here are some more tips for helping earaches without medication:

• Sit upright: This helps decrease swelling and pressure. It also helps aid your eustachian tubes in draining themselves out. .
• Warm olive oil: Warm a few drops and put it into your ear using an ear dropper. I have not tried this because I was a bit worried about putting something into my ear when it was so sore, but a lot of people seem to use it with a positive effect.

Disclaimer

You should not use olive oil if your eardrum has burst.

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What Causes An Ear Infection

Ear infections happen in the middle ear. They are caused by a viral or bacterial infection. The infection creates pressure in the Eustachian tube. This tube does not work properly when filled with drainage from the nose or mucous from allergies, colds, bacteria, or viruses.

A childs adenoids sometimes can block the opening of Eustachian tubes because they are larger in young children.

Easy Ways To Cure Ear Infection

Ear infections are relatively common in both adults and children. Indeed, one in ten adults gets an ear infection at least once in their life, with more women getting it than men. The problem is estimated to affect nine in ten children before their third birthday. Also known as otitis media, ear infection is caused by bacteria or viruses in the ear canal. The infection causes pain due to fluid buildup and increased pressure against the eardrum. How to deal with it?

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What Are Ear Infections

Ear infections, which can affect the ear canal or the middle ear, are common in babies. According to a study in Pediatrics, 23 percent of babies in the United States will experience at least one ear infection by the time they are 12 months old. That figure rises to more than half by the age of 3 years.

Ear infections tend to start either with an unhealthful bacterial growth or a viral infection, such as a common cold.

There most common types of ear infections in babies are:

• Acute otitis externa . Also known as swimmers ear, AOE refers to an infection in the ear canal.
• Otitis media. An infection in the middle ear can cause inflammation, leading to a fluid buildup behind the eardrum. Sometimes, the narrow passageways that connect the middle ear to the back of the nose, called the Eustachian tubes, can swell.
• Otitis media with effusion . This infection occurs when fluid builds up in the middle ear but does not usually cause pain or fever.
• Acute otitis media . This refers to a fluid buildup in the ear, which typically results from a bacterial infection.

Babies and children are more prone to ear infections as their Eustachian passages are shorter and narrower that than those of adults. This not only makes it easier for bacteria to reach the middle ear, but it means fluid is more easily trapped.

Other symptoms to look out for include:

It is not always possible to prevent ear infections in babies, but there are some steps caregivers can take to make them less likely:

Earaches And Ear Infections

Earaches and ear infections can have a variety of causesviral, bacterial and fungaland can affect different parts of the ear. Common infections include inner ear, middle ear and outer ear infections .

Ear infections also can be caused by scratching the ear canal when cleaning their ear, especially if a cotton-tipped applicator or dangerously sharp small object, such as a hair clip, is used. In other cases, a middle ear infection can cause an external infection to develop through the draining of pus into the ear canal through a hole in the eardrum.

Inner Ear

Infections of the inner ear usually result from viral illnesses, such as influenza, and can cause vertigo , dizziness, nausea, imbalance, difficulty concentrating, tinnitus , reduced hearing and other symptoms. These symptoms also may be caused by head injuries, drug reactions, allergies, underlying medical disorders or aging. If you have these symptoms, you should see a physician evaluation to make the diagnosis and to begin appropriate treatment.

If the symptoms are caused by a virus, the infection usually improves on its own. However, a doctor may recommend taking prescription or over-the-counter anti-nausea medications or receiving an injection to control the symptoms. Recurrent symptoms may indicate Menieres disease, a disorder in which fluid builds up in the inner ear and causes vertigo and balance problems.

Middle Ear

Symptoms of middle ear infections include:

Swimmers Ear

Symptoms of swimmers ear include:

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How Do You Get Rid Of Earwax Buildup

When your mother told you to never put anything in your ear bigger than your elbow, she was right don’t stick anything into your baby’s ear canal as a way of dislodging earwax. You risk rupturing his tissue-thin eardrum, and you’re likely to make the earwax problem worse by pushing the wax further into the canal.If there’s wax on your baby’s outer ear, you can wipe it away with a cotton swab or, better yet, a wet washcloth. But if you think he has wax buildup inside his ear, ask his doctor to take a look at it during a routine visit. She can let you know if it’s a problem, and she can safely remove it by flushing your baby’s ear with warm liquid, which loosens the earwax and allows it to come out on its own. She may need to scrape out the more stubborn earwax with a thin plastic instrument called a curette this doesn’t hurt at all. If your baby regularly produces too much earwax, his doctor might suggest simple rinsing treatments you can do at home.

Home Care To Relieve Ear Pain

If you have ear pain, itâs a good idea to talk with your doctor about it.

Thereâs little research to say whether or not home care works, but most doctors agree these treatments are safe to try yourself:

A cool or warm compress. Soak a washcloth in either cool or warm water, wring it out, and then put it over the thats bothering you. Try both temperatures to see if one helps you more than the other.

A heating pad: Lay your painful on a warm, not hot, heating pad.

Over-the-counter ear drops with pain relievers. If they help at all, itâs only briefly. You shouldnât use these drops if your eardrum has a tear or hole, so check with your doctor first.

Pain reliever. Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, or naproxen can often relieve the pain of an earache. Ask your doctor which is right for you.

Chew gum. If youâre on an airplane or driving at high altitudes and your ear pain is from the change in air pressure, chew some gum. It can help lower that pressure and ease your symptoms.

Sleep upright. While it may sound strange, resting or sleeping sitting up rather than lying down can encourage fluid in your ear to drain. This could ease pressure and pain in your middle ear. Prop yourself up in bed with a stack of pillows, or sleep in an armchair thatâs a bit reclined.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Ear Infections

Ear infections can be very painful. While older children can tell you this, younger ones cant. You might see them pulling at or poking their ear. Children also might develop a fever, vomiting or problems with their balance.

An outer ear infection can make the ear and the area around it red, swollen and painful to touch.

Symptoms Of A Vaginal Yeast Infection While Pregnant

If you think you have a vaginal yeast infection while youre pregnant, keep an eye out for the following symptoms:

• White or tan discharge that looks like cottage cheese and smells like bread or yeast
• Discharge that is green or yellow
• More discharge than usual
• A burning feeling when you urinate or have sexual intercourse

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How To Use Ear Drops

Stay lying down for 5 minutes so the drops do not come out.

What Causes Earwax To Build Up In The Ear

While you may think it’s gross, earwax is actually quite important in keeping the ear clean and healthy. The ceruminous glands in the ears secrete it as a way of trapping dirt, dust, and other particles that could damage the eardrum were they to travel inside the ear. Normally, wax builds up, then dries out and moves to the outer ear, where it washes away. In the process, it traps foreign debris and brings it along for the ride. Sometimes earwax accumulates faster than the body can expel it, though, and that’s when earwax buildup can become a problem.

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Tests For A Sinus Infection During Pregnancy

If you seek medical attention, your doctor may conduct a variety of tests. These include:

• Nasal endoscopy. Your doctor inserts a thin, flexible tube into your nose to examine your sinuses.
• Imaging tests. Your doctor may order a CT scan or an MRI to take pictures of your sinuses to help them confirm a diagnosis.

Depending on your specific case, your doctor may also order a nasal and sinus culture to determine the underlying cause of your sinus infection. You may also undergo allergy testing to see whether allergies are triggering your chronic sinus infections.

What Not To Do When Experiencing An Ear Infection

When earaches and ear infections during pregnancy occur, it is imperative that you not try to manually clear out debris that may be causing a blockage. This could push the earwax further into the ear, or worse, puncture the eardrum.

Additionally, try to avoid getting the ear canal wet in any way. This can lead to bacteria growth. If you need to dry out your ear after showering, gently move your head side to side to help drain out any excess water.

Furthermore, if you are given antibiotic drops for a middle ear infection, do not stop your antibiotic treatment early just because symptoms have gone away. Follow your physician’s medical advice and finish the medication.

Finally, do not ignore troubling symptoms. While it may seem like a minor infection in the grand scheme of things, it is extremely important that you prioritize your health and wellness during pregnancy. Anything that affects you will also have an impact on your baby.

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Home And Natural Remedies

Doctors usually advise caregivers to watch their child for 2 to 3 days to give the babys immune system the chance to fight off the infection without the need for antibiotics.

During this time, doctors will probably recommend that caregivers treat the symptoms of the infection at home. Remedies may include:

• Over-the-counter medication. In babies of 6 months or older, caregivers may consider giving the child acetaminophen to relieve pain or fever. Speak to a doctor before giving any medication to babies under 3 months of age.
• Warm compress. Holding a warm compress to the childs ear may also help ease the pain.
• Fluids. Giving the child plenty of fluids to drink encourages swallowing, which can help drain the middle ear and relieve painful pressure.