Are you feeling ear pain?
It might be because you have an ear infection. And while usually, it may go away by itself after a few days, sadly, that doesn’t happen all the time.
And if you continue to ignore the problem instead of looking for ear infection treatment, the infection could get worse and even spread, causing more problems for you.
But when should you leave it alone and when should you look for urgent care in New Jersey?
Read on.
What causes ear pain?
Let’s first talk about why ear pain happens in the first place.
- For children, ear pain caused by an ear infection is usually one of two things: a swimmer’s ear or a person has had a recent cold or upper respiratory illness. Ear infections usually happen to children more because it is harder for fluid to drain out of their ears.
- Another less common cause of ear pain is because there is a foreign object inside the ear tube of the child.
- The most common cause of ear infections is any blockage in the ears. Trapped bacteria results in infections.
- Adults may also experience ear pain, but it is more due to the factors in their environment. For example, if they work in an airport, their eardrums may get damaged due to loud plane noises or drastic changes in air pressure if they happen to be flying. Ear drums can also get damaged because of different head traumas or jaw injuries.
- Earaches in adults can also be because of ear wax buildup, or because of a sinus or eye infection.
What should be the course of action for ear pain?
Just because you’re feeling ear pain doesn’t mean that you should go to the hospital right away. At the same time, it also doesn’t mean you SHOULDN’T go to the hospital or at least set an appointment for telemedicine in Union City.
Here’s a handy guide so you’ll know what to do.
When to stay at home
As mentioned above, not all ear pain needs a doctor’s attention. Here are signs that you don’t have to go to the doctor:
- Ear pain symptoms do not last for more than a day.
- The ear pain is not severe nor debilitating.
- The person who is experiencing ear pain is not an infant or a toddler.
- There is no discharge of any kind coming from the ear.
- There is ear pain but there is no fever nor headache present.
Some treatments you can try to make the pain disappear are:
- Application of cold compress
- Chewing gum
- Taking painkillers like acetaminophen or ibuprofen
If the ear pain does subside, you should still monitor yourself or the person who got it in case the pain does come back.
Now, if the pain doesn’t improve after a maximum of three days, and the opposite of the signs mentioned above occur (i.e. there are ear infection symptoms like discharge from the ear), then it’s time to make an appointment for urgent care.
When to go to Union City urgent care
If you or the person who has ear pain is experiencing the following, it’s time to go to urgent care for ear infection treatment or simply to find out what is causing the pain.
1. Fever
If the person who has ear pain is also experiencing fever, the time for staying home is due past. It’s time for a doctor to take a look to see what could be wrong.
Fever usually occurs in children, but it does happen to adults as well. And aside from fever, the patient may experience cold or flu-like symptoms.
The usual treatment would be an antibiotic, which is why the presence of a doctor is needed for the prescription. The antibiotic will both clear up the infection and bring the fever down.
2. Drainage
If there is any fluid coming from the ear in pain, it’s another sign that you have to visit urgent care. The fluid can be ear wax, pus, or clear liquid. If it’s blood, then you REALLY have to go to the doctor.
3. Hearing loss
If you or the person who is experiencing ear pain is starting to lose their hearing, it means that the ear is being blocked significantly. You can no longer treat this problem yourself.
Don’t worry though – your hearing will definitely come back once the infection has cleared up. And take note that if you do ignore the issue, you could develop permanent hearing damage because of a ruptured eardrum! That’s why you should definitely not ignore this particular issue.
4. Dizziness
If you or the person with ear pain is starting to feel dizzy (and especially if it’s paired with ear loss), a visit to urgent care is in order.
5. Swimmer’s Ear
The Mayo Clinic defines swimmer’s ear as an infection in the outer ear canal, which runs from your eardrum to the outside of your head. It happens because of any water that stays in your ear. The water creates a moist environment which will cause the rapid growth of bacteria in your ear.
Symptoms of this are usually mild at first, but if they are not treated immediately, the infection can spread and become worse. And if over-the-counter drops do not work or do not provide relief, it’s time to visit a doctor!
6. Increased pain when moving the ear lobe
If any pain is felt when the ear lobe is being moved at all, that’s a sign that the pain has progressed and will not go away on its own. You will need to find out what it is, and the only one who can determine it accurately will be a doctor.
7. Nose blowing that results in ear pain
This is the same case as the previous one. You’ll have to go to a doctor to determine the cause. It could be because of a ruptured eardrum from blowing too hard, or because there was already an infection present.
8. A head injury or trauma
If you or a person who has ear pain has recently experienced head trauma, you should definitely go to the doctor if you’re also experiencing ear pain. You see, ear pain is one of the first possible signs of a more serious injury to the head. Better be safe than sorry!
Go to Diligent Urgent Care for your ear pain treatments.
Googling “urgent care clinic near me” or “urgent care near me”? Look no further than Diligent Urgent Care. We’ll treat your ear pain or infection with our exceptional medical care and skills. We guarantee that you’ll get Hospital Emergency Room (ER) skills but without you having to wait long or having to pay very expensive ER bills.
We are open 365 days a year and we also offer extended hours to meet your needs. You’ll never need an appointment for any of our top-quality care and comprehensive services!
In case you have need of our medical expertise, we would be more than happy to help you get back into the pink of health. Just walkt through our doors, and we’ll take care of the rest!
