Suffering from ear pain, discharge, or blocked hearing?
Get expert treatment of ear infection with Dr. Archana Jhawar, ENT specialist with 25+ years of experience
Ear infection may cause ear pain, ear discharge, blocked sensation, hearing reduction, fever, or irritation inside the ear.
In children, recurrent infection may lead to irritability, disturbed sleep, or repeated ear pulling.
Some infections improve with simple treatment, but persistent or recurrent ear infection requires proper ENT examination to prevent hearing problems and chronic ear disease.
Dr. Archana Jhawar offers expert care at her Vashi and Koparkhairane clinics.
Understanding the causes of ear infection guides the right treatment. It can be caused by many factors like
Children with repeated cold, adenoid enlargement, or middle ear fluid may develop recurrent ear pain or hearing difficulty.
Children, especially under five, are more prone to infection in the ear due to
Treatment of ear infection depends on whether it is bacterial, viral, or fungal and whether it affects the outer ear, middle ear, or rarely, the inner ear.
Common symptoms are ear pain, fluid drainage from the ear, ear block or pressure feeling, fever, and irritability (especially in children).
Sometimes they refuse to feed because swallowing hurts.
Frequent tugging or rubbing of the ear
Irritability, or crying more than usual
Fever or feeling generally unwell
You may feel a constant earache, sharp or dull
A heavy, blocked sensation in the ear
You may notice fluid or pus coming from the ear
Temporary hearing loss or muffled hearing
Ringing in the ear or balance issues
Fever, sore throat, or congestion along with ear pain
A cold, nose congestion, or sore throat often comes alongside the ear pain.
We provide ear infection diagnosis in Navi Mumbai using video otoscopy and expert ENT care.
We ask few question for any blockage , pain pattern, discharge from ear , fever, any prior ENT issues.
During your visit, we use Video Otoscopy to show you exactly what is happening inside your ear on a monitor. We look for any sign of infection or visible pus.
For recurring ear infections, we may send an pus from the ear swab to know the bacteria causing it and the right antibiotics.
PT Audiometry or Tympanometry may be advised in adult or children with with muffled hearing.
HRCT scan may be advised occasionally.
Proper examination helps differentiate bacterial infection, fungal infection, wax blockage, middle ear disease, or referred pain from throat and jaw conditions.
Some patients continue to experience repeated ear infections despite temporary improvement with medicines.
Common reasons include:
At our Vashi ENT clinic and Kokilaben koparkhairane, Navi Mumbai, proper ENT evaluation helps identify the cause and guide long-term treatment instead of repeated short-term relief alone.
You can read our blog about causes and treatment of recurring ear infection.
Treatment depends on whether the infection involves the outer ear canal, middle ear, fungal infection, or associated ear discharge.
At Neoalta Clinic, Vashi and Kokilaben Hospital, Navi Mumbai, treatment is planned after proper ENT examination and diagnosis.
Outer and middle ear infections are commonly treated with antibiotic or antifungal ear drops. Severe or persisting infections may require oral antibiotics specially if fever is there.
Pain relief medicines and warm compresses may help reduce discomfort.
Read more about ear pain treatment in Navi Mumbai
If pus, fungal debris, discharge, or impacted wax is present, careful ear cleaning may be done under endoscopic or microscopic guidance.
This helps clean the ear more safely and comfortably compared to blind cleaning or water syringing methods.
Learn more about ear wax blockage ,fungal ear infection treatment in Vashi and ear discharge treatment.
Middle ear infections may be associated with allergy, sinusitis, enlarged adenoids, or Eustachian tube blockage. In such cases, nasal sprays and anti-allergy treatment may also be advised.
You can also read more about sinusitis, allergy and nose blockage treatment in Navi Mumbai.
If fluid collects in the middle ear and does not improve with medicines, a small ventilation tube (grommet) may sometimes be placed to help the drainage.
You can also read more about grommet insertion
Long-standing eardrum perforation with recurrent discharge may require tympanoplasty (eardrum repair surgery) to prevent repeated infection and improve hearing.
Patients with recurrent infection, chronic ear discharge, or hearing reduction may require follow-up ear examination and hearing test
While some mild ear infections may resolve independently, certain situations warrant prompt medical attention.
It is important to see an ENT specialist if-
Q: When should I see a doctor for an ear infection?
If pain, discharge, or hearing loss lasts more than 2–3 days or worsens, see an ENT specialist.
Q: Is ear infection contagious?
Ear infections themselves aren’t contagious, but the viral colds that cause them can be.
Q: Can I do steam or use ear drops at home?
Avoid drops unless advised. Steam may help nasal-related ear block, but direct ear treatment needs evaluation.
Q: Will antibiotics always be needed?
Not always. Some viral ear infections heal on their own. We prescribe only when necessary
