Ear nose throat specialist clinic

An ear infection can cause intense pain during the first 24 hours. Ear infections don’t typically require an emergency room visit, though many parents desperate to help their child feel better resort to this costly option. But many times, home treatment can help relieve your child’s discomfort. Try one or more of the following:

Pain relief. An over-the-counter pain reliever, in children or infant concentration, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol, others) and, after age 6 months, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) can help relieve ear infection pain. Don’t hesitate to use these products whether or not you go to the doctor. Use of pain relievers won’t otherwise change the course of treatment your doctor would recommend. Be sure to use the correct dosage for your child’s age and weight. Giving your child too much medication can cause serious side effects. Never give aspirin to children under age 19 years. It may cause Reye’s syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition.
Warmth. Apply warmth to the ear. Using a warm, moist cloth may help relieve pain and comfort your child.
Eardrops. Consider asking your doctor about eardrops that numb the ear. These medications (such as A/B Otic or Aurodex) contain a numbing medication (typically benzocaine) which is similar to Novocaine and is also found in the teething medications. These won’t cure the infection, but they may ease pain. Don’t use eardrops if fluid is draining from your child’s ear. Before using drops, warm them slightly by placing the bottle in warm water. Then, gently lay your child’s head and body on a flat surface with the affected ear facing up. Don’t try to insert the drops with your child in your arms or on your lap.

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/ear-infections/EI99999/PAGE=EI00028

Hearing loss in new born is usually detected using devices such as OAE and BERA. These are test done on babies to look for early detection of hearing loss. Often the results need to be repeated if some abnormalities are detected. Early rehablitation of the child using newer devices with better outcomes: Cochlear Implants, middle ear implants or powerful hearing aids. The most important aspect of hearing loss in children is early detection and early rehablitation.

Ear pain is one of the most painful condition one can have probably after child birth pain and tooth ache. There are many causes of ear pain. It could be a simple infection of the ear canal either bacterial or fungal. The other common cause is fluid in the middle ear.

Treatment is simple such as ear cleaning using suction by ENT specialist, antibiotic drops or anti fungal ear drops or relieve of middle ear fluid with a simple surgery.

Hearing aids are little devices that assist hearing impaired to gain a good quality of hearing. Most patients are shy and uncomfortable with using one as it may reveal age or some sort of disability. The technology is so advance that hearing aids are smaller than 10 years ago and the comfort level is better.

Patients should see an ENT doctor first to make sure there is no defect or disease in the ears before purchasing hearing aids.

Dr Kuljit Singh

President Malaysian Society Otorhinolaryngologist