What can I give my child from ear pain? A child suddenly has an ear pain at night

  • Date of: 22.04.2019

Baby ears are very vulnerable, and ear pain is a phenomenon that is familiar to all parents. Up to three years, such an ailment can occur in more than 75% of children. Pain causes various causes; they need to be known to all parents. In this article, we will consider the causes of pain, its accompanying symptoms, and what to do if the child has an ear ache.

In some cases, parents are able to independently determine why the child’s ear hurts. Since the cause of the pain is various external factors, you should remember the actions of the baby over the past day. It is necessary to pay attention to recent diseases, the consequence of which may be a pain syndrome.

The causes of ear pain in children under one year old and under the age of 5 years are divided into two main types:

  1. External
  2. Internal

Each group should be considered in detail.

External

The main external factors provoking ear pain in a child are as follows:

  • the presence of a foreign body in the ear;
  • a bite of an insect;
  • the appearance of sulfuric plugs in the ear canal;
  • water entering the ear canal during bathing or after the pool;
  • long stay in the wind without a hat;
  • the eardrum burst;
  • bruise or other injury.

Note to all parents: if a child’s ear hurts after bathing, it’s likely that unclean or cold water has got there.

Domestic

Among the internal factors that provoke pain in the ears, the following main reasons should be highlighted:

  • otitis media (the most common cause, especially among children under the age of one year);
  • eustachitis (inflammation of the Eustachian tube);
  • lesions of the auditory nerve;
  • otomycosis (fungal disease);
  • viral infections;
  • colds or their consequences;
  • impaired cerebral circulation, high blood pressure;
  • swollen gland behind the ear.

It is important to remember that acute pain in the ear in a child can also be one of the symptoms of diseases of neighboring organs, in particular:

  • a nose;
  • pharynx;
  • eye;
  • brain;
  • closely located vessels.

The course of certain common diseases is accompanied by pain radiating to the ear. Among them, it is first necessary to name the following diseases:

  • sinusitis;
  • dental problems;
  • angina;
  • piggy.

Otitis

The most common cause of ear pain is otitis media.

In children older than a year

  • Average . This type of inflammation covers the middle ear and in most cases is the result of damage to the nasal mucosa and pharynx, which is called rhinopharyngitis.
  • Outdoor. This type of inflammation affects the external auditory canal. It often develops against the background of complications after a boil or wound in the ear canal.

If the ear hurts and shoots, and there is great pain with swallowing, it is otitis media that is confidently stated as the cause of the disease.

In infants

Separately, the causes of pain in the ear in the baby should be considered. Although almost all of the above factors apply to infants, it should be noted that it is in children up to a year that similar pain sensations appear against the background of otitis media. Why are babies susceptible to disease the most?

  1. Nasal congestion. In newborns, mucus in the nose is formed much more often. Not so much because of colds, but because of daily crying, fluid in the nose forms instantly.
  2. Blowing process. Naturally, newborns do not know how to blow their nose, and often in the process of snot they do not fall outside, but into the middle ear zone.
  3. Spitting up. It is known that infants often regurgitate, and the remnants of milk easily fall into the Eustachian tube.
  4. The structure of the Eustachian tube. The Eustachian tube in the baby is quite short, and the fluid collects in it much faster.

Associated symptoms

By the additional symptoms that accompany the ear pain, it is sometimes easy to determine the cause of its occurrence.

In infants

Children up to a year are not able to describe their feelings, and many parents do not understand the places of pain in the baby and the causes of anxiety. How to determine that a child’s ears hurt? First of all, you should pay attention to the following signs:

  • Eating The child refuses to eat or is extremely restless while eating. This is also due to the fact that chewing movements with pain in the ears only strengthen it. You can not force the baby to eat in such cases.
  • Behavior. The kid is naughty and cries a lot. This is due to the fact that such pain causes him great discomfort.
  • Poses. The child lies on the sore side or periodically touches the sore ear. Watch him throughout the day, the baby may thus try to relieve pain.
  • The presence of weakness. Nausea and vomiting are present, the child loses balance, has poor sleep and little sleep.
  • Colds The baby's nose turns red, and he breathes heavily due to nasal congestion.
  • Temperature and discharge. The listed symptoms are accompanied by fever and discharge from the abalone.

Parents should not disregard such signs. In most cases, they indicate the development of otitis media, requiring the immediate assistance of a specialist.

In children older than a year

Certain concomitant ear pain symptoms indicate the presence of a specific pathology. It is important for parents to know first:

  1. Pain of another organ. If when a child presses a cartilage in front of the ear canal, he does not feel sharp pain, there is reason to believe that in fact he has another organ that hurts, it just pains in his ear.
  2. Fungus. When ear pain is combined with itching, a fungal infection is suspected.
  3. Inflammation If the temperature rises above 38 degrees, the child probably has an inflammatory process in the body. Eustachitis, otitis media or another disease, and even, the gland behind the ear is inflamed. The cause is a complication after a cold and a cold just starting.
  4. Pressure When there is no temperature, the cause can be any of the external factors described above, and increased pressure. It is good to measure the pressure of the child if there is a special apparatus at home.
  5. Infection If the pain is accompanied by purulent discharge from the abalone, the symptoms indicate the presence of infection.
  6. Injury In cases where the ear swells and turns blue, an ordinary bruise or insect bite can be suspected.

Based on these symptoms, parents suggest the presence of a certain disease, however, only a doctor should make a diagnosis and prescribe appropriate treatment.

First aid

A sharp ear pain in a child can occur suddenly. Of course, you should first call a doctor and take the baby to the hospital. But, if the ear got sick in the middle of the night and you have to postpone the visit to the doctor until the morning? All parents are advised to know about first aid and what to do if it shoots and hurts in the ear.

  1. Painkillers. Before the doctor arrives or visits the hospital, the baby should be given an anesthetic. Of course, you must consider how old the child is. Strong drugs, even if they quickly relieve pain, will cause great harm to the children's body.
  2. Antipyretic. If the child has pain against a background of high temperature, it is permissible to use antipyretic drugs. It is recommended to take only during the helplessness of other drugs.
  3. Boric acid . Lightly heat the boric acid, soak a piece of cotton wool in it and put it in the sore ear.
  4. Oil . Instillation of warm vegetable oil in your ear will relieve symptoms. The procedure is allowed to be repeated every two hours.
  5. Alcohol Mix alcohol with water in a ratio of 1: 1, and make a compress. The area around the ear canal should be greased with baby cream or petroleum jelly, then apply heated gauze, leaving the passage open.
  6. Salt If the child shoots strongly in the ear, you need to warm up ordinary table salt, put on a piece of tissue and hold for about 15 to 20 minutes next to the sick ear at a distance of 1 cm.

It is advisable to have ear drops at home, soothing pain in emergency situations. In most cases, the following tools are used:

  • Otinum;
  • Otipaks;
  • "Anauran".

It is important to remember that in the presence of any purulent discharge, it is contraindicated to warm the ears of the child! If you notice symptoms in the baby, in no case do warming procedures and do not wrap his head in warm shawls or scarves.

Treatment

Tinnitus pain should be treated only after identifying its cause. In most cases, pain caused by external factors does not require special treatment. When the ear hurts after swimming or swimming, the symptoms quickly go away on their own.

If it shoots in the ear because of a foreign body that has fallen into it, you should carefully examine the child’s auricle. Independently removing it is permissible only when it is not deep. It is better not to use tongs and cotton buds at all, since they are capable of pushing a foreign object even further. You should tilt the baby's head to the side where he was stuck, and try to get it in this position. Remember, it is better not to take risks and entrust this procedure to the doctor.

In other cases, when internal factors act as a cause of pain, it is necessary to treat first of all the disease that accompanies this symptom. Of course, during therapy, remedies are prescribed to eliminate the pain syndrome itself. Two main directions are used:

  1. Drug treatment.
  2. Folk remedies.

Each of them should be considered in detail.

Drug therapy

When a child complains of ear pain, only an experienced doctor is able to make an accurate diagnosis and choose a way to resolve the problem. First of all, drug therapy is aimed at treating the causes of pain:

  • Infectious and inflammatory processes. Antibacterial agents are prescribed in the form of penicillin injections. The course of treatment lasts from a week to 10 days. It is important to remember that if you do not start treating otitis media with antibiotics, it can develop into: meningitis and even an abscess of the brain.
  • Sulfur cork. It must be removed from the abalone using hydrogen peroxide or liquid paraffin.
  • Fungal lesions. The doctor prescribes a rinse of the ear canal. For the purpose of disinfection, hydrogen peroxide and Vishnevsky ointment can be used.

Drops

The doctor prescribes ear drops, depending on the specific diagnosis:

  • "Otinum" - to relieve inflammation and eliminate pain; can not be used for children under the age of one year;
  • Otipax - is used as an anti-inflammatory and analgesic with otitis media; contains lidocaine, often provoking allergic manifestations in children;
  • "Garazon" is an antibacterial drug with anti-inflammatory effect;
  • Sofradex is a strong antibacterial agent;
  • "Otofa" - is used in acute middle-ear diseases; the composition includes a strong antibiotic;
  • "Remo-Vax" - is used to eliminate sulfur plugs.

Before using these drugs, it should be clarified how safe they are for the children's body at a particular age.

Folk remedies

All parents should know how to relieve pain in the child’s ear at home, when there are no suitable medications at hand or you don’t want to give the baby medicine. In this case, the following effective folk remedies are suitable:

  • If a child complains of ear pain, slightly warm nut or almond oil and drip one drop into the sore ear. The procedure can be repeated 3 times a day.
  • Mix propolis alcohol tincture with natural honey in a 1: 1 ratio. Bury the product in a sore ear three times a day, 1 drop, after warming it up a bit.
  • Add honey to warm water, dissolve it and bring to a boil, then dip a beet slice into water and boil for 30 minutes. When the beets have cooled, wrap it in gauze and attach it to the diseased ear.
  • If the baby has an ear pain, washing at home will also help. 1 teaspoon of dry chamomile (or a sprig of lemon balm) pour a glass of boiling water and leave to infuse, then strain. Rinse your child's ear with this infusion warm twice a day. Such a remedy is recommended for otitis media and other inflammatory processes, which are accompanied by purulent discharge.

Onion

When it hurts and shoots in the ear, regular onion will be one of the most effective remedies. It is used in different ways:

  1. Finely chop the onion, put in cheesecloth and attach to the ear for half an hour.
  2. Bake the onion in the peel, peel and squeeze the juice through cheesecloth. It should turn out a brown tint. With this juice, sick ears are instilled into the baby 3 times a day.
  3. Cut off the top of the onion, make a recess in it and place the dill seeds in it, then bake it in foil. Bulb juice should be instilled into the ear at night and the ear should be covered with a piece of cotton wool smeared with petroleum jelly. Such a tool helps to eliminate sulfur plugs, as well as get rid of pain.

It is important to remember that treating ear pain with folk recipes is recommended only after consulting a doctor. Some remedies useful in some diseases harm children's health in others. And the consequences can be very serious, up to hearing problems and even its loss.

Ear pains can bring a lot of problems. Most often, they appear due to the accumulation of a large volume of fluid in the middle ear region. In addition, catarrhal pathologies and noise exposure are provoking factors.

To cope with the pain, you need to visit a specialist. ENT will pick up medications and prescribe physiotherapy. As an addition, folk remedies can be used.

Medications

In the photo, the most popular ear pain remedies

Folk recipes

To reduce pain, you can use:

  1. Peel the onion, grind with a grater and squeeze to get the juice. 3-4 drops of the drug should be inserted into the auditory opening.
  2. Bury a few drops of olive oil in your ears. Thanks to this, it will be possible to quickly stop the pain syndrome and get rid of the infection. In addition, a cotton tourniquet can be lowered into the oil and inserted into the ear canal.
  3. Garlic helps relieve pain. To prepare an effective remedy, you need to take a couple of tablespoons of sesame oil and heat a small spoonful of chopped garlic in it. Strain and inject a few drops into the ears.
  4. Ginger has pronounced analgesic properties. To do this, squeeze the juice of the fresh root and insert it into the ears to relieve pain and reduce signs of inflammation.
  5. Glycyrrhiza helps to cope with earache quickly. To do this, a little plant should be chopped and mixed with ghee to achieve a dense mass. The resulting mixture is treated in the skin of the ear.

Folk recipes for ear pain

Compresses, lotions

To protect a sore ear, in most cases it is enough to tie a soft scarf on your head. Also effective are wet compresses that are based on or boric acid. Cotton soaked in these funds is inserted into the auditory opening and the ear is covered with gauze.

A film or bag is applied on top. After that, you can bandage his head with a scarf and leave for several hours.

After removing the wet compress, dry cotton tow is inserted into the ears. After a couple of hours, the compress can be done again. However, leave it overnight is not worth it.

Excellent warming properties have an oil compress. But it can not be used with the appearance of purulent discharge. If they are absent, you need to apply a little on the cotton and insert it into the ears. This will help relieve pain and cope with inflammation.

How to apply a compress to your ear

Unconventional methods

To improve the condition and relieve pain, you can do special exercises:

  • cover your ears with your palms and tap on the back of the head;
  • close your ears, then sharply remove your hands;
  • insert index fingers into the auditory apertures and make 3 rotational movements forward and the same backward, then quickly reach your fingers.

Improving the forecast also helps. Thanks to this procedure, it will be possible to stop inflammation, normalize blood circulation, eliminate pain and congestion. During this procedure, the pressure in the ears is alternately changed by means of a special device.

In addition to medications, doctors often prescribe physiotherapeutic procedures. With their help, you can strengthen the immune system and increase the effectiveness of drugs. The most common methods include the following:

  • heat therapy;

Folk remedy for ear pain, see the recipe in our video:

First aid child

To quickly eliminate the pain in the ears of the baby, you can use paracetamol or ibuprofen. A warm compress also has a good effect. However, this tool can only be used at normal temperature.

After first aid, it is important to show the child to the doctor. The otolaryngologist will prescribe such means:

  • pain-relieving drops for ears - otipax,;
  • anti-inflammatory drugs - paracetamol, nurofen;
  • local dry heat;
  • vasoconstrictor drugs for the nose -, tizin;
  • warming compresses.

First aid for the child, what parents need to know:

What is possible and what is not

If you have pain in the ears, you can take painkillers. Also, vasoconstrictive drops for the nose are often used. Doing warming and using ear drops is strictly prohibited. If ear pain is associated with damage to the eardrum, there is a risk of seriously aggravating the situation.

In addition to standard methods of therapy, folk remedies may well be used. However, self-medication is strictly prohibited. If these recipes are used improperly, there is a risk of complications.

Prevention

To avoid the appearance of ear pathologies, it is very important to prevent infection of the body. If this still happened, timely treatment should be carried out. Also, preventive measures include the following:

  • hygiene of the organ of hearing;
  • timely treatment of the common cold;
  • strengthening the immune system;
  • proper nutrition;
  • rejection of bad habits.

Prevention of ear diseases in children consists in timely vaccination against influenza, prevention of allergies. Equally important is the control of the state of adenoids. With a significant increase, surgical removal is often indicated.

Ear pain can indicate serious illness and lead to a decrease in the quality of human life. To avoid negative consequences, you need to contact the otolaryngologist in time. The specialist must determine the causes of discomfort and choose the therapy.

Children often have ears. This is due to the special structure of children's ears and some of the anatomical and physiological characteristics of the child. In children, the external auditory meatus and the Eustachian tube (the passage connecting the nasopharynx and middle ear) are shorter and wider (compared with adults).

    • In children, adenoid vegetation is more developed. They can partially or completely cover the opening of the Eustachian tube in the nasopharynx, which contributes to frequent inflammation of the Eustachian tube and middle ear.
    • Kids have shorter and narrower nasal passages. Young children do not know how to blow their nose.
    • In children under 4-5 years of age, the immune system is not formed. Children are more likely than adults to suffer from acute respiratory viral infections, including a runny nose (or rhinitis). And rhinitis in children often leads to otitis media (inflammation of the middle ear).

As they grow, these problems are gradually resolved. The ear grows, and with it the external auditory meatus and the Eustachian tube and nasal passages. Adenoids undergo reverse development. (This is provided if the child does not get sick too often and does not abuse flour and sweets). The immune system is formed and the child is less likely to suffer from a runny nose.

The older the child, the less likely his ears hurt. Most often, pain in the ears bothers children from 1 year to 6 years.

The kid is often not able to explain to the adult that his ears hurt.


How to understand that a child’s ear hurts?

  • If the child’s ear hurts before the age of 1 year, he becomes moody, refusal to eat is possible, causeless attacks of crying and screaming during sleep can occur. During sucking, the baby may suddenly throw a nipple or a bottle and scream.
  • A kid from a year to 3 years is also not always able to explain to adults that his ear hurts. It can show on the cheek, on the teeth, on the neck. Such a baby also becomes moody, eats worse.
  • Parents of young children need to know that earaches are often accompanied by a runny nose and fever.
  • If you suspect that the baby’s ear hurts, you can try to click on the tragus (protrusion in front of the auricle). If the ear hurts - the baby will cry, scream, grimace in pain, try to remove your hand.
  • If the baby is capricious during wakefulness and does not allow you to touch your ears, you can try to do this during sleep.

When parents face the problem of earache for the first time or when the pain occurs at night or on a day off, they get lost and do not know what to do. The family begins to panic.
  In such a situation, it is very useful to know what can be done before the doctor is examined to relieve his child of pain in the ear.

What to do if a child has a sore ear?

Drip ear drops

With acute pain in the ear, drops are most suitable, in their composition there is not only an antibiotic, but also a local anesthetic. For example, otpax (contains lidocaine), otinum (contains a substance from the group of salicylates, which has a local analgesic effect). Be sure to learn from the instructions at what age is it allowed to use drops. Otipax is allowed from birth, and otinum in children of the first year of life is recommended to be used with caution.
  Others may contain only an antibiotic, before use you need to carefully study the instructions. If there is no local anesthetic in the composition, the pain in the ear cannot be quickly removed with ear drops.

Drops can not be dripped if the integrity of the eardrum is broken  (flowed from the abalone)

How to drip drops in an ear

  • Ear drops should be kept in the refrigerator. But before use, they need to be slightly warmed up (hold in your hand or put in warm water for several minutes).
  • Before instilling the ear drops of the child, you need to lay it on a healthy barrel so that the sore ear is on top.
  • Pull the auricle down and back.
  • Drop 2 drops from the bottle into the ear.
  • Make sure that the child remains in the same position for several minutes. And then insert a cotton swab into your ear and let the baby stand up.

Give the child an analgesic

If there are no ear drops at home, if the ear drops do not contain a local anesthetic, or if one drops it is not possible to relieve pain in the ear and relieve the baby from suffering, this can be achieved by giving the child: paracetamol, nurofen or nimulide. These drugs will allow for several hours to relieve or reduce pain in the ear and wait for the examination of the doctor and his appointments.

Show the child to the doctor

This item is required for ear pain.. It is best to show the child to the ENT (ENT specialist). Ear pain can be caused by acute purulent otitis media, which without treatment threatens to be complicated by a breakthrough of the eardrum, hearing loss and even purulent meningitis and meningoencephalitis.

Personal experience

I have two children. The elder has already outgrown the period when his ears often hurt. For the younger, this problem is still relevant. Quite often, a runny nose leads to an ear disease. But the temperature does not always rise.

My youngest son (he is already 5 years old) knows that if an ear hurts, you need to drip drops into it. But he doesn’t like this terribly, so for now he can tolerate it and does not say anything to me.
  The most intense pain in his ears occurs at night. First, the son begins to mess around in a dream and I notice that he cannot lie on one side (if one ear hurts). and if both are sick, he can only sleep on his back. Then he begins to roar in his sleep and bang his feet on the crib.
  Moreover, to my inquiries: what hurts you, he answers - nothing, continuing to sob. Then he falls asleep for a few minutes. At this moment, I gently press on the tragus of the “suspected” ear - this is where the cause of the roar is revealed. The son immediately wakes up and begins to roar.

In such situations, I always give him Nurofen syrup, like an anesthetic, and drip otipax otinum or other drops in my ear (we always have them in the medicine cabinet). And in the morning we go to the reception with ENT.

Now you know what to do if the child’s ear hurts. Stay healthy!

In children, ears often hurt, which is associated with the structure of the ear passages. The article reveals the causes of ear pain in children and considers treatment options for various causes of pain.

Ears in children often hurt, approximately 75% of children suffer from this disease in childhood. During the illness, children become moody, they behave uneasily, sleep is disturbed, they may refuse to eat.

Ear pain is not only unpleasant, but it is also very dangerous. If you do not apply effective treatment, then the child may lose hearing. In severe cases, death can occur.

Why does the child have a sore ear? Causes of Ear Pain in a Child

In children, the ear organ is underdeveloped. The Eustachian tube, through which the infection penetrates, is short and wide and practically does not interfere with the penetration of microbes. Children's ears cannot withstand the mechanical stresses that can occur, for example, with a sneeze. Therefore, ear pain in children is much more common than in adults.

Causes of Ear Pain:

  • otitis is the most formidable and dangerous, even for life, cause. It is an inflammation of the inner, middle or outer ear. Otitis media may be caused by a bacterial or viral infection.
  • otomycosis - a fungal infection of the outer or middle ear, while the head can be very sore, boils appear, pus is released
  • blockage of the Eustachian tube - more often a complication of various diseases of the upper respiratory tract, can cause inflammation of the middle ear. In this case, a headache is felt, ears are stuffy
  • sulfuric plug - appears with excessive work of the ear glands. Excess sulfur does not have time to be removed and blocks the ear canal. The child feels congestion and pain in the ear, hearing is impaired
  • bacterial, viral lesions of the body with colds, tonsillitis, acute respiratory viral infections, flu, adenoids, when an infection through the blood, lymph enters the ear. Pain is caused by an inflammatory process due to infection or overstrain and increased pressure in the middle ear
  • inflammation of the parotid lymph nodes - lymphadenitis. He feels worse, and pain is felt in the area of \u200b\u200bthe lymph node, where there are many nerve endings
  • trigeminal neuralgia - pathological irritation of the facial nerve, which provides sensitivity to the jaws and gums. Pain in these areas may respond to tinnitus.
  • meningitis - inflammation of the membranes of the brain, can lead to bacterial infection of the inner ear (labyrinth), which can lead to complete hearing loss
  • mastoiditis - inflammation of the mastoid process, which is located behind the auricle and has the appearance of a bone protrusion. The infection gets here with blood flow or with an injury. In this case, a throbbing pain is felt in the ear and in this process, the temperature rises, discharge from the ears appears, hearing decreases
  • mumps - mumps. Lymph nodes become inflamed, pain can be heard in the ears
  • chicken pox - with an increase in lymph nodes in the ears, pain is felt
  • mumps - inflammation of the salivary gland located in front of the auricle under the skin as a result of the ingestion of microbes with blood, lymph, from a diseased tooth
  • neoplasms in the ear (boil, e.g.) causing an inflammatory process
  • mechanical injuries of the skull, jaw
  • teething, gum disease, head and neck diseases may come from ear pain
  • with circulatory disorders in the vessels of the head and neck, which provokes an increase in blood pressure, pain may be heard in the ears
  • ear injuries - an insect bite, a blow, damage to the eardrum, burns, hypothermia, barotrauma (when a shotgun is fired, very loud sounds, popping your ears, in an airplane with a pressure drop)
  • foreign body, which children put into the ear by themselves. Do not pull it out yourself if it is deeply stuck.
  • water in the ear that gets in when swimming can cause swelling, increased pressure in the middle ear and pain. If the water is in the ear for a long time, then otitis media can begin. Also, fluid may enter the middle ear through the nasopharynx while eating.
  • allergic reactions that cause swelling of the ear tissue and increased pressure in the middle ear
  • prolonged exposure to the ear of a cold wind provokes the appearance of a painful bruise. The auricle and skin around become cyanotic and sore. This condition goes away on its own.



  What to do if a child has ear pain with otitis media?

If the ear hurts with otitis media, the child should be shown to the doctor as soon as possible. This is done without fail, even if preliminary measures have brought effect so that the process does not remain cured.

It is forbidden to bury anything in the ear, even boric alcohol. The fact is that if the eardrum is damaged, then alcohol will penetrate beyond the eardrum and cause complications.


All recommendations of the doctor must be observed strictly, before the deadline to cancel the medicine, and especially antibiotics can not. The pain syndrome goes away before the inflammation goes away, so the withdrawal of drugs can cause complications or lead to a chronic form.



  Acute otitis media in children, treatment

Acute otitis media is an inflammatory process with subsequent accumulation of fluid and exudate in the middle ear. Acute otitis media can be caused by streptococci, staphylococci, viruses, and fungi.

  • Immediately show the child to the otolaryngologist. The doctor will determine the cause of the pain, are there purulent formations or is it just an inflammatory process
  • The treatment process, its duration, types of medicines used will depend on such an examination
  • Treatment of otitis media lasts about 10 days, although in severe forms it may take longer. The patient needs absolute rest and bed rest. This measure will prevent complications. Walking in extreme cold, wind in the street is impossible. Going out is allowed only after the normalization of the child's condition and the cessation of pain
  • They use anti-inflammatory drugs, they can prescribe antibiotics (although many experts consider them inappropriate in some cases). It is also necessary to drip vasoconstrictor drops into the nose and apply antihistamines that relieve swelling and relieve the condition
  • The doctor may additionally prescribe a warming with a blue lamp, compresses
  • If after 3 months the exudate does not dissolve or relapses are frequent, then a tympanic membrane can be punctured to release fluid and insert drainage tubes. These tubes fall out independently after 6-12 months. In 80% of cases after this procedure, otitis media does not resume.



  Purulent otitis media in children, treatment

After the development of the inflammatory process and the accumulation of exudate, the second stage of acute otitis media begins - purulent otitis media. This phase is characterized by the formation and accumulation of pus in the middle ear, followed by perforation (rupture) of the eardrum and leakage of pus from the ear.




  Why does a child's ears hurt at high temperature?

High temperature is a sign of a strong inflammatory process. Temperature and pain in the ear can be with inflammation in the inner (the most dangerous form), middle or outer ear, mastoiditis.

Since the mouth, nose and ears are interconnected systems, pain can be heard in the ears, with such diseases with a high temperature:

  • sore throat
  • diphtheria
  • chicken pox
  • scarlet fever
  • tubootitis
  • acute pharyngitis

An increase in temperature is accompanied by such ear infections:

  • external otitis, provoked by a boil. The hair follicle is most often affected by Staphylococcus aureus. The temperature usually does not exceed 38 ° C, the duration of the pathology is about a week
  • purulent perichondritis of the auricle is a lesion of the perichondrium of the conch, in which the cartilage tissue is melted by pus. The skin of the ear becomes hot, first has a reddish tint, then changes to bluish. The auricle gradually wrinkles and loses its shape. Temperature 37 ° С-39 ° С
  • acute purulent otitis media - purulent inflammation of the middle ear, temperature 38 ° C-40 ° C
  • mastoiditis - inflammation of the bone tissue of the mastoid process behind the ear, temperature 37 ° C-38 ° C

Against the background of viral diseases, pain in the ear appears after mucus from the nose through the auditory canal enters the ear and begins to exert pressure on the eardrum. If through this mucus infection of the ear cavities does not occur, then the pain passes on its own.



  Why does a child sore ears after ARVI?

In children after acute respiratory viral infections, acute otitis media may occur as a complication. More often this disease occurs in weakened children: often sick, premature, artificially fed.

Short and wide auditory tube infection enters the nasopharynx into the middle ear. This is especially true for the smallest, since they often lie horizontally, which complicates the outflow of mucus and promotes the reproduction of microbes.



What to do if the child has a sore ear and head?

It is necessary to understand the causes of pain. Often, headache and ear pain are manifested due to the fact that the cranial nerves suffer, usually with an acute inflammatory process.

  • If this is a viral infection that gives off to the ear and the pain is not intense, intermittent, then drip drops into the nose and give the child antipyretic drugs. If there is no temperature, make a compress. It is likely that there will be no complications. If the pain is expressed and does not go away, then it is otitis
  • If it is otitis media, otomycosis, lymphadenitis, mastoiditis, purulent labyrinth (inflammation of the inner ear) - ease the patient’s condition and visit the doctor as soon as possible, without delay
  • If it is meningitis, diphtheria, tonsillitis, measles - give painkillers to relieve pain and call an ambulance
  • If the pain is caused by a blow to the ear or head, especially if the child lost consciousness, call an ambulance. If blood comes from the ear, then the ear should be covered with cotton wool moistened with camphor alcohol, and a bandage should be applied from above. Before the ambulance arrives, put the child to bed, and put ice on the affected part of the head
  • If there is a rupture of the eardrum, which is characterized by sharp pain, tinnitus, short-term disorientation, distortion of sound, then close the passage with sterile cotton, apply a bandage and go to the doctor



  What to do if a child has a sore ear without fever?

If there is no temperature, then the cause of the pain may be a foreign object or water in the ear, teething, allergic reactions, lymphadenitis, sulfur cork or the onset of the inflammatory process in the ear (otitis media, boil).

Examine thoroughly the child. Then eliminate the root causes: give antihistamines, painkillers, clean your ears, make a compress. If you are confident in your actions and there is no possibility of an examination by an ENT doctor, carry out drug treatment with drops. If the ear continues to hurt, it is best to consult a specialist.



  What to do if the child has a sore neck and ear?

The neck and ear can hurt with lymphadenitis. In this case, the lymph nodes become inflamed not only on the neck, but also behind the auricles, and the pain is given in the ears. It is necessary to provide first aid and go to the otolaryngologist, who will not only prescribe treatment, but also identify the root cause.

Also, the neck and head ache with circulatory disorders of the vessels of the head and neck. If this condition is often repeated, then the process must be monitored, undergo an ultrasound scan of blood vessels, visit a neurologist.



  Causes of a child’s ear pain: tips and reviews

  • If the child has a pain in the ear, but the pain is not acute or intermittent, and the child is active, then it is advised to observe the development of 48 hours for children from 1 year old. If the condition does not improve, then a visit to the otolaryngologist is required
  • After otitis media, do not swim and dive to avoid relapse
  • Traditional medicine in the treatment of otitis media can be used after consulting an ENT doctor with methods agreed with him, otherwise the consequences of self-medication can be catastrophic
  • Do not give up treatment after the pain has passed, it is fraught with complications: transition to a chronic form, partial hearing loss

Katerina:

When I go on vacation with my children on a plane, before the flight I drip vasodilator drops into my nose, and Otipax or Otinum in my ears to make it easier to tolerate the pressure drop. Before I started using this method, when landing and taking off I felt not just congestion, but just pain. Chewing and swallowing movements did not help. Now easier.

Olga:

At the age of 3, a small bug crawled into the child’s ear. I saw him, but I couldn’t get it. It was a day off. Then I boiled refined sunflower oil (there was simply no vaseline oil at that moment) and poured into the ear to kill the insect. After 5 minutes, I turned my daughter’s head over so that the oil could easily leak out. It flowed out along with the bug. The next day, we turned to LOR, she said that we did everything right.

Video: Otitis in a child. Treatment of otitis media

Video: Otitis - School of Dr. Komarovsky

Ear pain is one of the most acute. This is a real test for any of us. Not every adult will be able to endure such sensations, let alone a child. Of course, if pain in the ear appeared when it is possible to see a doctor, then solving the problem will not be difficult. But what to do if it is at this moment that you are out of town. In this case, each responsible parent should be able to help and not aggravate the situation.

With pain in the ear, the child is naughty, refuses food and tugs at the sore ear.

How to understand that a child has an earache? If these are older children, then they will easily indicate to you the source of pain. But what about the kids? There are a number of signs by which you can assume that it is the ear that hurts.

  • Expressed concern. The child does not sleep, turns one way, then the other, cries. Refuses food and tries to reach ears. Such complaints most often indicate precisely an ear pain.
  • Fever. This symptom indicates the infectious nature of the disease and often accompanies ear pain.
  • Discharge from the ear. In the event that the process becomes purulent, whitish-green discharge may appear. Most often they can be seen on the pillow or clothes of the baby.

But the first two symptoms are not specific. Other symptoms may accompany such symptoms. In case of difficulty, you can try to push the child on the tragus. This is a protrusion at the front edge of the auricle. If the cause of the concern is an earache, it will increase and the child will react with a cry or cry.

Causes of pain in the ear in a child

As well as in an adult, the child’s ear consists of the external, middle and internal sections. But at the same time, its anatomical structure has some features. The cartilaginous part of the Eustachian (auditory) tube is underdeveloped and opens with a hole in the nasopharynx. As a result of this, when rhinitis occurs, the process quickly spreads deeper, edema and difficulty in the outflow of mucous contents occur. Otitis develops. Tonsillitis and pharyngitis can also cause ear inflammation. And to them, in turn, leads any insufficiently treated ARVI.

Other factors can lead to the fact that a child’s ear hurts. For example, the entry of a foreign body. It can be toys, small objects or insects. In case the subject went unnoticed for parents, an inflammatory process develops over time, which causes pain.

Often the cause of pain in the ear in a child is trauma. This can be damage to the auditory tube or eardrum under the influence of excessive pressure or any sharp object. In the summer, as well as in children visiting the pool, otitis media often develops as a result of water entering the ear or general hypothermia. And finally, some people have anatomical features of the auditory tube that provoke the formation of sulfur plugs. Their presence not only impairs hearing, but also provokes the development of otitis media.

What can not be done if the child has an ear pain?

If you suspect ear pain, do not self-medicate, seek medical attention in a timely manner.

The main principle of any person who provides assistance is “Do no harm”. Even if you are not a doctor, trying to independently help your child you must obey this commandment. Firstly, when the first symptoms appear that signal pain in the ear, it is necessary to ensure the transportation of the child to a medical institution. And only at the time you organize it, is first aid oriented. Secondly, there are several points that are strictly prohibited when treating pain in the ear.

  • Drink antibacterial drugs. Uncontrolled use of antibiotics can lead to the formation of resistant forms of microorganisms, which will cause difficulties in further treatment.
  • Clean your ear with cotton buds from a store or your own manufacture. Thus, you can aggravate the course of the infection and deepen the inflammatory process. Such sticks are generally not suitable for ear cleaning. They are used for other hygienic procedures.
  • Use alcohol-based drops. With purulent otitis media, perforation of the eardrum can occur. If you use alcohol drops under such conditions, this will lead to the development of complications.

How to provide first aid to a child with pain in the ear?

So, what can’t be done, we understood. But how can one help when a child’s ear hurts? In order to reduce pain, you can give any pain medication that is approved for use in children. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs of the Ibuprofen group are well suited. They not only relieve pain, but also reduce the temperature, relieve swelling and reduce inflammation. To improve the outflow of mucus, it is necessary to instill decongestants into the nose - these are any vasoconstrictor drops.

Many parents will now wonder, what about the good old and boric acid. The answer here is not clear. A 3% solution of boric acid is a good antiseptic, but it can not be used when breaking the eardrum. You will find out about the presence of this complication by the fluid flowing from the ear. It can be both pus and serous contents.

If acute pain in the child’s ear occurs due to the insect getting there, it is necessary to drip a few drops of warm vegetable oil into the ear. After that, take the baby to the doctor as soon as possible, who will quickly remove the intruder from the ear.

In case of acute injury or a foreign body entering the ear, it’s best not to touch anything yourself, but immediately take the child to a specialist. He will get a foreign body with a special hook or wash it with warm water from a Janet syringe.

What to do if a child suspects otitis media?

Only a doctor can assess the situation and prescribe treatment.

If we summarize all of the above, then we can draw up a certain algorithm of actions in case of suspected otitis media in a child.

  • Make a call to the doctor through the registry or make an appointment with him.
  • Give the baby an antipyretic.
  • Use vasoconstrictor drops.
  • If the temperature did not rise, but did not flow from the ear, put a warming compress.
  • Place a turunda with warmed boric alcohol in your ear if the eardrum is not damaged.

How to treat a child’s ear and how to relieve pain.

So, what is the treatment for the child’s ear after going to the doctor?

AgePrinciples of Therapy
NewbornsVasoconstrictor drops in the nose - Nazivin for children, 1 drop in each nostril twice a day; antibacterial drugs - Amoxiclav - only with the appointment of a doctor! Antipyretic drugs - Tsefekon candles.
BabiesVasoconstrictive drops - Nazivin children 1 drop up to 3 times a day; Otipax or Otium at the choice of the attending physician, antibiotics - Amoxicillin, Suprax, Summamed; Antipyretic drugs - Nurofen, Cefekon; Antihistamines.
Young childrenVasoconstrictor drops - Nazivin children, Xylometazoline; Otipax or Otium, antibiotics in dosages appropriate to age or weight; Antipyretic - Nurofen, Panadol; Antihistamines.

Treatment of otitis media in older children almost repeats that in babies. The difference is only in the permitted drugs from the named groups and dosages, according to age.

How to dig in the ears.

It would seem that there is nothing easier than to bury a child in the ear. But there is a little trick. In order for the drops to overcome the ear canal, it is necessary to straighten it. To do this, the auricle is taken back and down. For each medicine, it is better to use your own pipette, and the solution should be warmed in your palms for several minutes before instillation.

Is it possible to apply a compress.

A few years ago, no one asked this question. A semi-alcoholic compress was the main choice in the treatment of earache in both children and adults. But medicine does not stand still. It has been proven that warming inflammation, which is in the stage of exudation, is strictly prohibited. That is, if any secret is secreted - be it serous fluid or pus, compresses are contraindicated.

If inflammation is expressed only in the form of edema, and the body temperature is not elevated, you can use a compress. In this case, it is superimposed for 2-2.5 hours, and the auricle remains open. That is, the compress is applied, as it were, on the area around the ear.

Why you should consult a doctor.

Otitis is considered a rather dangerous disease and requires immediate contact with an ENT doctor. The fact is that the inflammatory process without proper treatment quickly spreads to neighboring organs and tissues, which can lead to the development of the following complications:

  • inflammation of the meninges (meningitis);
  • inflammation of the substance of the brain (encephalitis);
  • mastoiditis (inflammation of the mastoid process);
  • damage to the vestibular apparatus;
  • decreased or total hearing loss.

These are the most formidable complications of otitis media that are difficult to treat. Some of them can be fatal. Therefore, if you want to help your child when his ear hurts, but do not know what to do, consult a doctor as soon as possible. He will choose the appropriate therapy and recovery will not take long.