Cure Ear Infection Without Antibiotics

Why Adults Get Ear Infections

Ear infections are often considered a childhood disease. It almost seems a rite of passage for children to experience repeat ear infections. Then, around the beginning of their teenage years, it often stops entirely. By the time a person hits adulthood, it is quite common to be decades of years removed from the last time he or she experienced an ear infection. It almost seems as though it is impossible for adults to get an ear infection, right? Unfortunately, although not as common in adults as it is in children, it is still possible for adults to suffer an ear infection. In fact, around 20% of ear infections occur in adults. This begs the question, why can adults still get them?

How Adults Get an Ear InfectionAdult ear infections are just like the ear infections a person would have gotten when he or she was a child. Most middle ear infections are caused by either bacteria or viruses. A common cold, the flu, or allergy symptoms that cause congestion and swelling of the nasal passages, throat, and eustachian tubes can sometimes lead to an infection. Anything that makes the nose stuffy has a tendency to cause swelling and blockage of the eustachian tubes. Swelling from colds or allergies can keep the eustachian tubes from opening and this leads to pressure changes and the accumulation of fluid in the middle ear. This pressure and fluid will cause pain and sometimes persistent fluid can lead to an infection.

Questions To Ask Your Doctor

• How can I keep my child comfortable at night with the pain of an ear infection?
• Is there drainage with an ear infection?
• What is the difference between an ear infection and swimmers ear?
• Is my child a candidate for ear tubes?
• What are the risks and benefits of surgically inserting tubes inside my childs middle ear?
• Should my child get regular hearing tests if they have frequent ear infections?

Cold And Allergy Remedies

Recent research has questioned the general safety of cough and cold products for children. They are currently banned for use in children under age 4 years. The American College of Chest Physicians recommends against the use of nonprescription cough and cold medicines in children age 14 years and younger.

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How Is An Ear Infection Treated

• If a child doesnt have too much discomfort or a high fever, the doctor will likely wait 24 to 48 hours to see if the ear infection gets better on its own. If the child does not improve or gets worse, contact the doctor again.
• You childs doctor will prescribe antibiotics if:
• your child is moderately to severely ill with a high fever ,
• your child has severe pain,
• the condition has not improved for 48 hours, or
• the ear canal has new fluid.

Children usually feel better within 1 day of starting an antibiotic, but make sure to finish it. Your doctor might want to see your child again to be sure the infection has cleared up completely. Fluid can remain in the middle ear without inflammation for a few weeks.

Antibiotics Kill Beneficial Bacteria That Are Supposed To Exist

Another side effect of using antibiotics for too many times involves the fact that beneficial bacteria that exist in your gut will be killed. If fact, antibiotics can alleviate some symptoms of strep throat, it is never fun to know that they will limit the number of beneficial bacteria in the mucous membranes and gut. By the time, taking antibiotics as a prescription can make you be more prone to germs and infections, especially diarrhea.

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How Long Does A Complicated Uti Last

Complicated UTIs can last a couple of weeks. According to the American Urological Association, a number of different factors can determine if a UTI is complicated, including:

• whether youre pregnant or post-menopausal
• if its caused by bacteria thats resistant to multiple drugs
• something abnormal in your urinary tract
• if you have a catheter, stent, nephrostomy tubes, or other medical devices
• if you have a chronic condition, like diabetes or a compromised immune system

If youve got a complicated UTI, youll need treatment with a longer course of oral antibiotics, and potentially intravenous antibiotics, as well, per the AUA. But while treatment will last 14 days, youll probably feel better much sooner. As your body starts to fight infection, that burning with urination will improve, says Dr. Moore.

Ii Symptoms Of Bacterial Infection

Actually, it is hard to list out all of the symptoms of bacterial infection. In this context, we would like to show you some most common ones. Normally, the symptoms of bacterial infection are among inflammation, vomiting, cramping, fever, diarrhea, coughing, fatigue and sneezing as well. Therefore, if you have some of those symptoms, you should think of how to treat bacterial infection after that because you seem to suffer from this.

Specifically, bacterial infection is divided into several forms, including bacteria causing food poisoning, sexual transmitted diseases, and others.

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What Is An Ear Infection

An ear infection of the middle ear, medically known as acute otitis media, can be caused by a bacteria or virus. Most often, ear infections occur in the middle ear, which is the air-filled space between the eardrum and the oval window of the ear. The middle ear is responsible for transmitting sound from the outer ear to the inner ear.

In addition to a middle ear infection, its also possible to have an outer ear infection like swimmers ear or an inner ear infection. Labyrinthitis is a serious inner ear infection that affects hearing and balance. People with labyrinthitis often experience vertigo and some hearing loss.

If a middle ear infection is bacterial, its most likely the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae causing the infection. A virus can cause also cause ear infections. A a cold or allergies can cause congestion that blocks the Eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the back of the throat. This congestion can lead to a buildup of fluid and pressure and provides an environment for bacteria or viruses that have traveled up the Eustachian tube into the middle ear to flourish, resulting in an ear infection.

Even the CDC recommends breast-feeding children exclusively for the first six months of their lives and continuing until they are at least 1 year old. Injury to the ear, climate changes, altitude changes, pacifier use, family history of ear infections, and exposure to cigarette smoke are other risk factors.

How To Treat Bacterial Infection With Cranberry Juice

In accordance with a study carried out by Dr. Ran D. Goldman, published in the official publication of the college of Family Physicians of Canada in April, 2022, cranberry juice was reported to be effective in bacterial infection treatment and prevention such as Escherichia coli that affects the bladder epithelium. Specifically, current evidence shows that this juice can be used to prevent UTI in women but no evidence supporting for the childrens cases.

Actually, cranberry juice is considered as a wonderful tip on how to treat bacterial naturally, which can treat both urinary tract and vaginal infections. Fresh cranberry juice that is not sweetened and canned could take many times throughout the day to fight against the harmful bacteria inside our body. Cranberry juice could be used safely even by women who are pregnant for curing bacterial infections. Therefore, it is recommended for you if you want to know how to treat bacterial infection without antibiotics. However, as mentioned, although cranberry juice if safe for children, its level of acidity may reduce palatability among them. In fact, the dose of this juice for preventing UTI from children has not been determined yet. It is still a controversial issue.

Click at Benefits Of Cranberry to know more information about benefits of cranberry

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What Causes A Middle

The middle ear connects to the throat by a canal called the eustachiantube. This tube helps even out the pressure between the outer ear and theinner ear. A cold or allergy can irritate the tube or cause the area aroundit to swell. This can keep fluid from draining from the middle ear. Thefluid builds up behind the eardrum. Bacteria and viruses can grow in thisfluid. The bacteria and viruses cause the middle-ear infection.

Natural Ear Infection Remedies

By Dr. Josh Axe, DC, DNM, CN

• Key Points About Ear Infection Remedies

Are you struggling with symptoms of an ear infection and wondering how to cure an ear infection fast? Ear infections, whether they afflict adults or more commonly children, can be really unpleasant and outright painful.

Ear infections can be in the outer, middle or inner ear. For this article, Im going to focus on the most common type of ear infection, which is an infection of the middle ear.

According to the CDC, middle ear infections, may not need antibiotics in many cases because the bodys immune system can fight off the infection without help from antibiotics and a mild case often will get better on its own without antibiotic treatment, so your health care professional may recommend watchful waiting before prescribing antibiotics to you or your loved one.

So even conventional medicine agrees that antibiotics are often not the way to go, which means its time to talk about natural ear infection treatment and ear infection pain relief.

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Treatment For Acute Otitis Media

Most cases of AOM clear up on their own within a week and do not require antibiotic treatment. Doctors often recommend a watchful waiting period for the first 48 to 72 hours after symptoms appear, to see if ear pain and other symptoms resolve on their own.

For antibiotic treatment, the latest recommendations are:

• Children younger than 6 months of age should receive immediate antibiotic treatment.
• Children 6 months or older should be treated for pain within the first 24 hours with either acetaminophen or ibuprofen . Pain relievers not antibiotics are the main drugs used for AOM treatment.
• For children, aged 6 months to 2 years old, antibiotic treatment is recommended for either severe symptoms or for non-severe symptoms that have not improved within 48 to 72 hours. Severe AOM symptoms include moderate to severe pain and a fever of at least 102.2°F .
• For children older than 2 years, and those with mild symptoms or infection only in one ear, watchful waiting is recommended.
• Preventive antibiotics are not recommended for recurrent acute otitis media.

Ear tube insertion is an option for children who have had at least 3 occurrences of AOM in 6 months or 4 episodes in a year. However, newer guidelines strongly advise that tympanostomy tube surgery should be used only for children who have middle-ear effusion and not for children with frequent AOM infections.

Answer it48 to 72 hours

Subsequently, one may also ask, what is the best medicine for an ear infection?

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.

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How Can I Prevent My Child From Getting An Ear Infection

• Wash your childs hands and your own often to keep germs away.
• If possible, breastfeed your baby.
• Avoid bottle-feeding your baby when they are lying down. Never put your baby to bed with a bottle.
• Transition your baby from a bottle to a cup by 1 year of age.
• Dont smoke, and keep your child away from any second-hand smoke. Exposure to smoke can increase the risk of ear infections.
• Ensure your child gets the pneumococcal vaccine .
• Ensure your child gets a flu shot every year.
• If your child has had many ear infections, try reducing the use of pacifiers . Using a pacifier may increase the risk of repeated ear infections.

Should I Use Antibiotics For An Ear Infection

Antibiotics are a medicine prescribed by your doctor. If youre dealing with an ear infection caused by bacteria, youll likely need antibiotics. They are the best way of quickly getting rid of a bacterial infection and preventing it from spreading to other parts of the body.

The catch is that antibiotics dont work against viruses if you use antibiotics on a viral ear infection, it can actually make the infection worse. Overuse of antibiotics can lead to a condition called antibiotic resistance, which means that the medicine becomes less effective at fighting off bacteria.

Thats why doctors are careful about using antibiotics wisely and may not immediately prescribe them for ear infections.

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What You Can Do To Soothe A Cold Or Ear Infection:

• Use acetaminophen or ibuprofen to reduce fever and head pressure.
• Try a cool-mist humidifier or shower steam to loosen congestion.
• Try over-the-counter saline drops to clear the nose.
• Consider sinus rinses or devices to remove mucus from young childrens noses.
• For children older than age 1, honey in warm water can soothe a cough.
• For older children, an extra pillow under their head can help them sleep better.

When Is Treatment With Antibiotics Necessary For An Ear Infection

If your child is in a lot of pain, and the symptoms last more than a few days, your pediatrician will likely recommend a round of antibiotics. According to the AAFP, here are some of the circumstances where antibiotics are likely to be prescribed for an ear infection:

• Infants six months or younger.
• Babies ages six months to two years, who have moderate to severe ear pain.
• Children 2 years or older who have a fever of 102.2 or higher.
• Children with another condition that could make an infection harder to heal, including cleft palate, Down syndrome, immune disorders and cochlear implants.

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When Else Are Antibiotics Needed

Antibiotics can be the right treatment for kids who get a lot of ear infections. Their doctors might prescribe daily antibiotics to help prevent future infections. And younger children or those with more severe illness may need antibiotics right from the start.

The “wait-and-see” approach also might not apply to children with other concerns, such as cleft palate, genetic conditions such as Down syndrome, or other illnesses such as immune system disorders.

What Causes Acute Otitis Media

The eustachian tube is the tube that runs from the middle of the ear to the back of the throat. An AOM occurs when your childs eustachian tube becomes swollen or blocked and traps fluid in the middle ear. The trapped fluid can become infected. In young children, the eustachian tube is shorter and more horizontal than it is in older children and adults. This makes it more likely to become infected.

The eustachian tube can become swollen or blocked for several reasons:

• allergies

The risk factors for AOM include:

• being between 6 and 36 months old
• using a pacifier
• being bottle fed instead of breastfed
• drinking while laying down
• being exposed to cigarette smoke
• being exposed to high levels of air pollution
• experiencing changes in altitude
• being in a cold climate
• having had a recent cold, flu, sinus, or ear infection

Genetics also plays a role in increasing your childs risk of AOM.

Your childs doctor may use one or more of the following methods to diagnose AOM:

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How To Choose A Product

Its important to choose a high-quality olive oil if youre using it for medicinal purposes. When choosing an olive oil, look for extra virgin olive oil. This type of olive oil isnt chemically processed, .

You can also purchase olive oilbased herbal ear drops. These contain extracts from medicinal plants, such as garlic, that might provide added benefits. You can purchase these drops on .

Why Are Children More Likely Than Adults To Get Ear Infections

There are several reasons why children are more likely than adults to get ear infections.

Eustachian tubes are smaller and more level in children than they are in adults. This makes it difficult for fluid to drain out of the ear, even under normal conditions. If the eustachian tubes are swollen or blocked with mucus due to a cold or other respiratory illness, fluid may not be able to drain.

A childs immune system isnt as effective as an adults because its still developing. This makes it harder for children to fight infections.

As part of the immune system, the adenoids respond to bacteria passing through the nose and mouth. Sometimes bacteria get trapped in the adenoids, causing a chronic infection that can then pass on to the eustachian tubes and the middle ear.

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