- Symptoms:
- Include ear pain, hearing loss, dizziness or loss of balance, possible ear drainage
- Importance of diagnosis:
- Can cause an infection of the bone, meningitis, eardrum perforation or long-term hearing loss
- Treatment:
- Often with medications, but may require referral to a specialist
Urgent Care Centers Can Diagnose Otitis (Ear infection)
You may think of an ear infection as being a common part of childhood and may not take them very seriously, but these infections, also known as otitis, can affect both children and adults. Urgent care doctors can help especially after hours or when it is difficult to see your pediatrician or internist to help you feel better soon.
How Can You Tell if You Have an Ear Infection?
Adults or older children may be able to identify a sharp or ongoing pain in their ear, pressure in the affected ear, a sensation of being underwater or a decrease in hearing. Occasionally fluid can drain from the ear or you can have a low grade fever or feel tired. For parents or guardians of younger patients, you may notice your child suddenly becoming more irritable, has developed a fever, or is constantly tugging at the affected ear. A change in balance can also signify an infection.
What Causes Otitis?
The truth is that infectious causes in the ear can develop due to a number of factors. One of the most common factors involves excess mucus that may result from other viruses or bacterial infections. If you’ve had a cold, suffer from allergies, or have had a sinus infection, you have a very good chance of developing an infection. For babies, who cannot blow their noses on their own, the mucus builds up very easily. This is one reason why babies seem to develop these types of infections more frequently than adults.
When Should I Go to Urgent Care?
Since infections of the ear are so common, many people put off seeking medical treatment. This can be dangerous, because those infections can get worse. An untreated case of otitis can cause an infection of the bone, meningitis, eardrum perforation or long-term hearing loss. If you or your child experience any of the following symptoms, go to your nearest urgent treatment facility immediately:
- Symptoms lasting for two or more days
- Severe pain in the ear
- Sleepless or irritable children
- Pus or blood in the discharge
- Babies seem extra restless or unable to sleep following a cold or other illness
How Can Urgent Care Help?
When you arrive at the urgent treatment facility, a doctor will examine you or your child. Typically they will use an instrument called an otoscope to shine light into the ears. The throat and nose will commonly be examined as well. These examinations look for the build-up of fluid behind the ear, or a fullness of the eardrum, which signals the presence of an ear infection. Depending on the severity of the infection, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics. If the infection is severe, the doctor may provide a referral to a specialist.
The Takeaway
Ear infections can be very bothersome to children and adults alike and this is a common condition that your local urgent care is very skilled at diagnosing and treating before it becomes a bigger issue.
