What are the symptoms of ear infections? – Dr. Harihara Murthy

The ear infections can be caused in different sites of the ear. The external ear, the middle ear very commonly, rarely in the inner ear. Pain is a very common feature of infection of the external ear. Fullness and drop in hearing may also be associated in external ear infections. The middle ear infections start with infections, pain start off with infections, pain which can vary from mild, moderate , dull pain, to intense sharp pain as well as in the level of haring to about 50% in some severe cases. Infections which can cause a perforation in the ear drum can cause a very significant hearing loss as well as discharge. So patient who has a discharge has an infection of the middle ear. Giddiness is a problem that is associated with infection of the inner era especially when the infection spreads from the other sites. Other than that the person can have loss of hearing. Infections of the ear can be divided into the external ear, middle ear, and the inner ear. Infections of the external ear will cause predominantly pain. Drop in hearing is a common feature and it can range in between 20 decibels to upto 50 decibels sometimes. Perforation of the ear drum will always be associated with ear discharge, the inner ear infections will invariably have drop in hearing as well as giddiness and sometimes tinnitus.