Ear infections are a relatively common ailment that kids often experience at a younger age.
Ear infections have a handful of painful symptoms that are not only limited to the ear. You may experience ear drainage, unsteadiness, fever, and even diarrhea.
But what kind of long-lasting damage can ear infections cause? For example, some wonder, can an ear infection cause hearing loss?
Below you’ll learn about whether or not an ear infection can cause hearing loss.
Can An Ear Infection Cause Hearing Loss?
Yes, an ear infection can cause hearing loss. Before you get too concerned, however, keep in mind that there are different levels of hearing loss.
So a more important question is what level of hearing loss can an ear infection cause?
We’ll cover that below, but first, let’s talk about how an ear infection can cause hearing loss.
How Ear Infections Impact Hearing
As previously mentioned, there are many types of hearing loss. With children, hearing loss is often linked with middle ear infections.
An ear infection in the middle ear is known as otitis media. Otitis media occurs when bacteria or viruses cause inflammation and accumulation of fluids behind the eardrum.
Otitis media can cause temporary hearing loss. But permanent hearing loss may also be possible.
Repeated ear infections in the middle ear can cause a more significant hearing loss due to damage to the eardrum or other central ear structures.
Types Of Otitis Media
There are different types of otitis media. But the two most common types of otitis media are acute otitis media and Otitis media with effusion.
Acute otitis media occurs when the eustachian tube becomes inflamed. The eustachian tube starts from the back of the throat up to the middle of the ear.
The other type is otitis media with effusion. With this ear infection, the fluid or mucus may accumulate inside the eustachian tube. The fluid may continue to build up even after the infection is healed.
Two other types of otitis media include chronic suppurative otitis media and adhesive otitis media.
Chronic suppurative otitis media mainly occurs due to the symptoms exhibited by acute otitis media. Common symptoms of this type of otitis media are the stubborn discharge coming from the middle ear as a result of perforation of the eardrum. This ear infection often causes hearing loss in children.
Adhesive otitis media is an ear infection wherein the eardrum collapses and adheres to the middle ear structures and wall. It often occurs when the eustachian tube does not function properly for a long time.
How To Prevent Ear Infections
Middle ear infections can be caused by many things, such as common colds. Strengthen your child’s immune system and frequently practice clean habits to prevent illnesses like common colds.
Avoiding secondhand smoke can also prevent the occurrence of middle ear infections. So it is best to get your child away from someone who smokes.
Breastfeeding babies for at least six months can also help prevent this as well. Breast milk contains antibodies that can help prevent ear infections and other conditions.
If you are worried about hearing loss in yourself or your child due to an ear infection, it is important to consult your primary care doctor and audiologist for the best treatment.