Medical problem? Call 1800 022 222. If you need urgent medical help, call triple zero immediately
healthdirect Australia is a free service where you can talk to a nurse or doctor who can help you know what to do.
1-minute read
Ear conditions may be caused by problems in the ear, the neck, sinuses or head. Babies and children are more vulnerable to ear infection, especially middle ear infection.
Last reviewed: February 2014
These trusted information partners have more on this topic.
Top results
A grommet is a tiny tube inserted into the eardrum to allow air to enter the middle ear. Grommets can be used to treat glue ear and recurrent middle ear infections.
Read more on myDr website
Eardrum perforation can be caused by infection, a blow to the ear, injury from an object inserted in the ear, or exposure to a sudden loud noise.
Read more on myDr website
Ear health or ear care can prevent ear problems like ear infections, swimmer's ear and hearing loss. Avoiding cotton buds is important for healthy ears.
Read more on myVMC – Virtual Medical Centre website
Otitis media (middle ear infection) is a common childhood illness that typically causes earache and fever.
Read more on myDr website
It is not always easy to know when or why your child is in pain. Pain can be caused by injury or illness, such as a sore throat or ear infection. Find out what products are available for pain in children.
Read more on myDr website
Ciproxin HC Ear Drops - Consumer Medicines Information leaflets of prescription and over-the-counter medicines
Read more on myDr – Consumer Medicine Information website
Chloromycetin Ear Drops - Consumer Medicines Information leaflets of prescription and over-the-counter medicines
Read more on myDr – Consumer Medicine Information website
Many babies who are born with hearing loss in one ear are now identified in the first few months of life by the newborn hearing screening program (SWISH)
Read more on Sydney Children's Hospitals Network website
Children who have been diagnosed by an audiologist as having unilateral hearing loss (deafness in one ear) should be followed up by an Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) Specialist,or Paediatrician, to check if anything can be done to correct the hearing impairment
Read more on Sydney Children's Hospitals Network website
What is microtia? This is the medical name for an ear which has developed differently
Read more on Sydney Children's Hospitals Network website
Top results
Acute middle ear infection (acute otitis media) is a very common disease in children and may cause pain and hearing loss. Delayed or ineffective treatment may lead to serious complications such as ear drum perforation, sensorineural hearing loss or the disease becoming chronic. Amoxicillin, with or without clavulanate, is the most commonly used antibiotic for treating acute otitis media. Currently, a reduction in the dosing interval to one or two daily doses is being used, in preference to the conventional three or four daily doses, to aid compliance.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Evidence suggests that grommets only offer a short-term hearing improvement in children with simple glue ear (otitis media with effusion or OME) who have no other serious medical problems or disabilities. No effect on speech and language development has been shown.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Antibiotics make little difference to children with an uncomplicated ear infection and ear pain. Some advocate ear drops with local anaesthetic such as amethocaine, benzocaine or lidocaine. Five trials (391 participants) were identified; two compared anaesthetic drops to placebo (inactive) drops; and three compared anaesthetic drops to herbal ear drops. There was no strong evidence that herbal ear drops were effective, but anaesthetic drops did provide better pain relief than the inactive drops. Only one trial looked at adverse reactions and reported no cases of ringing in the ears or unsteadiness when walking and three cases of very mild dizziness.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Influenza (true 'flu) is an infection of the airways caused by the Influenza group of viruses. Influenza occurs most commonly during winter months and can result in symptoms such as fever, cough, sore throat, headache, muscle aches and fatigue. These are usually self limiting but may persist for one to two weeks.The most common complications of influenza are secondary bacterial infections including otitis media (ear infections) and pneumonia. Influenza infection is also highly contagious and is spread from person-to-person by droplets produced when an infected individual coughs or sneezes.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
The effects of antibiotics on toothache caused by inflammation or infection at the root of the tooth in adults
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Antibiotics to prevent infection of the brain coverings (meningitis) in patients with basilar skull fracture
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Acupuncture has been used to treat children with mumps for hundreds of years in China. Benefits attributed to acupuncture include decreased swelling and pain, and shortening of the disease duration. According to traditional Chinese medicine, health is achieved by maintaining an uninterrupted flow of Qi, or energy, along 14 meridians. Mumps is caused by 'wind warmth evil' (epidemic heat) and 'pyretic toxicity' accumulated in the Shaoyang and Yangming meridians, thus the flow of Qi, sputum and 'heat evil' stagnate in and around the ears and the cheeks. Acupuncture can help expel 'wind warmth evil', clear pathogenic heat, remove toxic substances, act as an anti-inflammatory, alleviate pain and re-establish the normal flow of Qi, thus restoring internal balance.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
Idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (ISSHL) is sudden loss of hearing where clinical assessment has failed to reveal a cause. Patients may also suffer from additional symptoms such as tinnitus (a background ringing noise), together with dizziness and a sensation of fullness in the ear. Prompt investigation is essential to identify and treat the hearing impairment. In a large proportion of patients, however, no cause can be found.
Read more on Cochrane (Australasian Centre) website
24 hour health advice you can count on
We are a government-funded service, providing quality, approved health information and advice
