The child's ear hurts outside. Help for a child's ear pain: choosing the right medicine! Ear drops for children to remove wax

The Eustachian tube, which is located in the ear, is arranged in a special way in children. Any external influence, one way or another, can lead to damage to the auditory organ. It is because of this reason that a large number of parents have heard about problems of this kind, which most often manifest themselves in 70% of children in the age range under three years old. Ear pain in a child is unexpected, intense, rather sharp.

It usually occurs closer to the night - in the evening or at night. Earache greatly disturbs babies, does not allow them to sleep normally, and causes discomfort. It's very difficult to watch a child suffer, but what about when a child's ear hurts? What measures should be taken if a child complains of ear pain? How to relieve ear pain in a child, if circumstances do not allow you to go to a medical institution? First, you need to deal with the underlying cause of acute ear pain.

Etiology

You can independently find out the main reason why your child's ears hurt. It should be remembered what the child has been doing recently. Often, the reason lies precisely in external factors that have a negative effect on the child's ear.

You also need to remember what diseases the child experienced over the past week, as this may be the result of any disease that annoyed the baby. Thus, finding out the main cause has a direct impact on the appointment of a competent treatment course and will help to eliminate symptoms in the early stages. The most common causes of ear pain in children are:

Therefore, it is important to find out the main reason why the child's ear hurts. If this is not possible, then you need to know what else children can complain about besides severe ear pain. These symptoms contribute to a more accurate identification of ear pathology. Based on this, it is possible to understand how to relieve ear pain in a child until the local doctor arrives.

Many parents have the following question: "How to check if a child's ear hurts?" The answer to this question is simple. You just need to know the characteristic symptoms and check them with the baby. In the case when a child complains that his ear is very sore, you need to thoroughly examine his auricle. Occasionally, this allows you to determine why the baby has a sore ear.

What to do at home if your child's ear hurts:

  • Initially, you need to examine the child's auditory shell. There is a possibility that it will only be necessary to remove the foreign body from the auricle cavity (if this object is not so deep). We tilt the baby's head to the side so that his sore ear is at the bottom. Do not use ear-cleaning sticks or tweezers as this can push the foreign body further.
  • Next, you need to put pressure on the cartilage, which is located next to the ear canal. At the same time, if the baby does not respond to such an impact, then this means that the problem lies in another organ, and the pain simply radiates here.
  • You can also use a regular thermometer. Often, if the ear hurts, and at the same time the temperature rises, then this indicates that there is some kind of inflammatory reaction. The most common are otitis media, inflammation of the Eustachian tube. In this case, before the doctor arrives, you can only give a tablet of an antipyretic agent in a dose prescribed by the child's age.
  • If the temperature is not observed, then the cause may be any other factor, including an increase in blood or intracranial pressure. Therefore, it will not be superfluous if you measure this indicator as well.
  • If purulent contents from the ear cavity are detected, an infectious process can be safely suspected.
  • With edema of the ear, when it becomes bluish, one can think of a banal injury or an insect bite.
  • The appearance of itching indicates the fungal nature of the lesion of the ear.

The symptoms that we described above need to be identified very quickly. Ear pain is similar in severity to pain experienced with dental pathology. Therefore, you need to immediately begin to eliminate this symptom. Parents need to know that it is quite possible to treat ear pain at home.

First aid

Medication for pain in the ears can be prescribed only by a doctor after examining the patient. But sometimes you need to take some measures to relieve pain before the arrival of the local doctor. And here it is very important to know how first aid is provided for ear pain. This sequence of actions will help you temporarily relieve the child's pain, thereby allowing you to calmly wait for the doctor.

  1. First, call the medical emergency team soon.
  2. Then give your child any pain reliever you have in the medicine cabinet. However, watch your dosage carefully. She differs significantly in age. This item is most relevant at night (it is at this time period that pain occurs), when the baby is tormented by insomnia, and the doctor cannot come quickly.
  3. Use an alcohol compress. The first layer is applied with alcohol gauze with a cutout under the ear. The second layer is a cellophane bag with a similar cut. The last layer is applied to some kind of warming cloth-bandage, tying the head.
  4. An antipyretic agent can help cope with excessively high fever. Therefore, if a temperature of 38-40 degrees Celsius is detected, do not hesitate to use it.
  5. You can also make a soaked tampon. They need to plug the ear canal.
  6. Provide plenty of fluids for your child.
  7. If the symptom is not detected for the first time and you have already treated this pathology, then you can resort to using previously used ear drops. Most often, doctors prescribe Otinum, Anauran.

These are all the necessary actions that can be taken before the arrival of an ambulance. It is very important to stay calm, not to panic. Be prepared for tears, whims on the part of the child. Do your best for you, make concessions to him. After the doctor comes, he will feel much better.

Treatment

After the arrival of the doctor, when he examines the baby, identifies the reason for the development of this pathological condition, medication is prescribed for the reason.

How to treat? Most often, doctors use the following means:

  • Broad-spectrum antibiotics related to the penicillin series. Appointed for a period of 7 to 10 days for various infectious and inflammatory processes. For example, antibiotics are prescribed for children with otitis media. If you do not use them, the process can be complicated by more serious diseases: brain abscess, meningitis, and so on.
  • Ear drops. Let's list the most common ones.
    1. Otofa. They are used to treat various diseases of the middle ear. It contains the antibiotic Rifapicin.
    2. Sofradex.
    3. Otipax. It is used for otitis media as an analgesic and anti-inflammatory agent. It contains lidocaine, to which children are most often allergic.
    4. Garazon. Antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory agent.
    5. Otinum. It is similar in action, but contraindicated for children under one year old.
    6. Remo-Wax. This drug is prescribed to remove a large amount of sulfur masses.
  • Petroleum jelly (or hydrogen peroxide) is also used to clear the ear cavity of wax plugs.
  • For fungal etiology, washing the ear canal is used. At the same time, Veshnevsky ointment and hydrogen peroxide are used.

Some parents find the use of traditional medicine extremely effective. It is possible that its effect will be potentiated with adequate treatment. However, we strongly advise against using folk remedies as a treatment for childhood ear pain. Seek highly qualified help from a medical facility. This will help avoid all kinds of complications observed after taking herbs and decoctions.

It is necessary to protect the ears of the child. Carefully monitor that foreign objects do not fall, do not expose the baby to the cold, constantly strengthen his immune forces so that the body responds adequately to the ingress of infectious agents.

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Adults do not always pay attention to their health. Another situation arises if a child is ill. Children do not tolerate pain and cannot wait until morning or wait for a trip to the doctor. One of the most unpleasant and poorly tolerated problems is ear pain. How to behave when a child has ear pain, and how to provide first aid at home?

Ear pains are very difficult for children, so parents need to know what kind of help is needed when this problem occurs.

When providing first aid to a child, it is important to understand why the child is in pain. There are several causes of ear disease. A child's ear pain can be triggered by external and internal factors. External reasons include such causes that are caused by mechanical or traumatic stress.

We list these factors of the disease:

  • A foreign object entering the ear canal. Toddlers can stick a small button or mosaic in their ear.
  • Sulfuric plug.
  • The presence of cool and not very clean water in the ear. When swimming in the river, this happens often, as a result, inflammation occurs.
  • Insect contact. Some insects, after being bitten, inject substances under the human skin that cause pain. Others can carry unpleasant diseases.
  • Ear injury. A child can injure their ear if they fall, bump into a stick or other object.
  • Fungus in the ear. Children who frequent the pool are at increased risk.
  • Otitis media caused by non-infectious causes. The disease can develop when water gets into the ear, lack of proper hygiene.

There are a lot of causes of pain in the ears, ranging from sulfur plug and ending with severe infectious diseases

  • Furunculosis. A furuncle can appear on any part of the body.
  • Hypothermia.
  • Long exposure to the wind. If the baby's ears blew, this will lead to the development of the disease.

Internal causes of ear pain include:

  • Dental problems. Pain can occur as an echo of a toothache. In this case, the baby will feel that his ear hurts from the side where the tooth hurts.
  • Colds. Common companions of influenza and ARVI are troubles with the ears.
  • Infectious otitis media.
  • Viral infection. The disease is accompanied by suppuration and an unpleasant odor.
  • Problems of other organs and parts of the body. These can be: head, nasopharynx, neck, eyes, brain.
  • Infectious diseases: tonsillitis, mumps, chickenpox.
  • Low or high blood pressure.
  • Allergic reactions. If edema develops, the child may feel discomfort in the ears.
  • Tumor processes.
  • Features of anatomy and genetics.

It is impossible to predict when a child will get sick. There are often cases when it is impossible to consult a doctor immediately when pain occurs - at night or on a weekend, during a long trip. The baby should not endure and suffer. When a child has a sore ear, we list what can be done urgently:

  1. Place vasoconstrictor drops into the nose. This will help relieve swelling and improve patency in the auditory tube.
  2. Give age-appropriate pain reliever.
  3. Give your child an antipyretic drug for fever.
  4. Place a piece of cotton wool dipped in 3% boric acid (boric alcohol) in the ear canal. The preparation should be warm. The duration of the procedure is 3 hours. This method should not be used when purulent discharge appears.
  5. Examine your ear. If there is an insect in it, drip a few drops of oil or alcohol solution. The procedure will help relieve pain and allow you to get to the doctor. You cannot remove a foreign body on your own - you can harm the child.
  6. Apply a warm compress to your ear. It should be remembered that in the event of purulent discharge, this is prohibited.
  7. Give the baby a sedative if necessary. The more the kid is naughty, the more pain will be.
  8. Measure pressure.

After providing first aid to the child, it is imperative to show the ENT, even if the pain symptoms have subsided

It should not be forgotten that this is only first aid in case of illness. To exclude undesirable consequences, consult a specialist as soon as possible. If the baby's condition worsens, you need to call an ambulance. Parents should be alerted if the ear hurts and at the same time the child complains of dizziness, imbalance, nausea and vomiting.

Determining the possible causes of ear pain at home is necessary to select a further action plan. The first thing to do is remember what the baby was doing that day. Bathing and active play can be direct or indirect pathogens of the disease. If the child has recently had an illness or is currently sick, ear pain can be a complication. Sequence of further actions:

  • Examine the hearing organ carefully. If there is a foreign object, you will probably notice it. The procedure will also help to find out if there is purulent discharge.
  • If the baby is prone to pressure drops, you need to measure it.
  • Gently press down on the cartilage at the bottom of the ear. If this does not cause additional discomfort to the baby, then most likely the pain is an echo of a toothache, headache or other pain.
  • Measure the patient's body temperature.

If it is revealed that the baby has high blood pressure or pain is not caused by immediate problems with the ears, then the need to urgently call an ENT will disappear by itself.

If more serious symptoms are detected, it is better to contact a specialist who will prescribe treatment.

Only a doctor can prescribe drugs. Self-administration of medication will not bring results at best, or may lead to complications at worst. You need to be especially careful if you cannot find out what caused the ear pain. Let's see what drugs will help in the treatment of ear pain and are used, even if the baby is simply blown away.

The recommendations of doctors when choosing antipyretic and analgesic drugs are most often reduced to Nurofen and Paracetamol. These medicines have properties to lower body temperature and relieve pain. The preparations can be found in different consistencies. The dosage is selected depending on the age of the patient. In the absence of high temperature, these funds do not lead to its reduction.

It is necessary to instill drops in the ear when the child is in a lying position on its side. The drops should not be cold. They can be heated by holding them in your hand. After the procedure, the baby should lie down for a while. It should be buried in two ears at once - this will not allow the infection to spread. The minimum duration of procedures is 4 days.

The following are widely used in medical practice:

  • When diagnosing otitis media, Otipax is an effective remedy. It is convenient because it relieves inflammation and pain symptom. It should be borne in mind that allergy sufferers must use this drug with caution - it contains lidocaine, which causes allergies in some children.
  • Otinum ear drops are recommended for over one year. They relieve inflammation and earache. The tool is effective in the treatment of fungal infections, it is used to wash the ear canals.
  • Garazon has anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties. However, it is not recommended to use it until the age of 8.
  • Drops of Sofradex contain an antibiotic. The medicine relieves itching and inflammation. It contains anti-allergic components.
  • For removing plugs, the drug Remo Wax is popular. The components of the drug are non-aggressive, it can be used for children from birth.

The drugs are selected depending on the age of the baby. Of the vasoconstrictor, the following drops are used:

  • up to 1 year - Nazol Baby;
  • from 1 year - Naphtizin, Vibrocil, Otrivin, Sanorinchik;
  • from 2 years old - Xilen.

As with other drugs, their use should be reasonable. Kali in the nose will not only relieve pain, but also help in the treatment of diseases that caused ear pain.

Antibiotics are prescribed to children in difficult cases of otitis media, if the child has a purulent infection or other diseases in an acute form. It is highly undesirable to start taking antibiotics without the appointment of a specialist. The drugs are prescribed in combination with other drugs. A small list of commonly prescribed medications:

  • Amoxicillin. It is used for infectious and inflammatory diseases. The dosage for different ages is different.
  • Augmentin. Effective for otitis media. It should be used with caution in patients prone to allergies.
  • Amoxiclav. This antibiotic is relatively safe. Its use is possible even for babies.
  • Sumamed. The drug is available in the form of tablets and suspensions. It is used for children from 6 months.

This type of therapy is applicable in mild cases of the course of the disease or as an addition to the complex of measures prescribed by the doctor. It is used at the very beginning of the disease, to prevent its further development or to relieve symptoms.

Pain relief is possible at home if the ears are very sore and there is no way to get to the doctor.

Warming up and compresses

Warming up the ear allows you to remove pain syndrome and, due to improved blood circulation, accelerate the healing process. Contraindications to the procedure are:

  • the presence of purulent discharge from the ear canal;
  • high body temperature;
  • soreness when pressing on the tragus, its swelling ..

Alcohol compresses are effective. Vodka is also useful for making them. It is necessary that the compress does not create discomfort for the little patient. It is best to make a compress from a soft cotton cloth, gauze or bandage is also suitable.

Cut a square 10-15 cm, depending on the size of the head. Make a vertical cut for the ear. Dampen a cloth with warm vodka (alcohol is diluted one to two) and put it on your ear. Place a cellophane square on top. The ear will be outside. Warm up and wrap with a scarf. The pain will subside in 20 minutes. To prolong the effect, the compress should be done at night. During the day, the child should be in it for several hours.

Pain relief recipes:

Means What to use Method of administration and dosage
Bow It has antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects, relieves pain. Peel the onion, crush, wrap in a cloth. Apply up to three times a day for 20 minutes. Bury a few drops of heated onion juice in the ear.
Garlic It relieves pain, acts as an antiseptic. Grate and squeeze out the juice. You can bury it both in pure form and with sesame oil. For 2 tablespoons of oil, several cloves of garlic are taken.
Decoction of bay leaves Relieves pain, inflammation. For 5 leaves - a glass of water. Cook in an enamel bowl. It must be brought to a boil and turned off. Insist wrapped until cool. It is buried in the sore ear 8 drops three times a day.
Ginger root It is used for infections and pain. Apply ginger juice. Instill in a few drops.
Salt, camphor oil and ammonia Relieves inflammation and discomfort. 1 l. water, 1 tbsp. a spoonful of salt, 100 ml of 10% ammonia, 10 g of camphor oil. Add a mixture of alcohol and oil to the salt solution and shake in a closed jar until the sediment disappears. The heated mixture is moistened with a cotton swab and inserted into the ear. The diseased organ is then insulated. Remove the tampon after a few hours.
Tincture of calendula Against inflammation, for disinfection. Bury a child over three years old. The drug is used in a diluted form (1 to 1 with water). Use 2-3 drops three times a day.
Common radish Relieves pain. Prepare a mixture of radish and mustard oil. One small vegetable needs to be grated on a fine grater and mixed with mustard oil, heat the mixture and cool. The filtered solution should be instilled into the sore ear, 3 drops several times a day.

To relieve inflammation in the auricle, children over three years old can bury their ears with a diluted tincture of calendula

In order not to worsen the condition of the little patient, you need to adhere to some rules:

  • prevent hypothermia of the organ of hearing;
  • do not make warming compresses when the body temperature rises;
  • do not remove foreign objects on your own;
  • do not exceed the dosage of medicines;
  • do not bathe the child during acute inflammation;
  • do not start the development of inflammatory processes in the body;
  • do not bury anything until a doctor is examined (especially if there is a suspicion of damage to the ear membrane).

The most important thing in treating children is not to panic. The more sober the parents' mind, the faster the process of diagnosis and therapy of the baby will take place. Taking into account the information obtained in the article, do not neglect the help of a specialist.

Each parent may be faced with such a situation when his child suddenly and abruptly at night or during the day begins to severely hurt his ear, there is noise and congestion in the ears, ear pain can also be shooting in character.

Here we will consider recommendations for the treatment of a pediatrician - L. Sh. Anikeeva, what needs to be done in such cases, how and with what it is possible to treat and cure ear pain at home without complications, how by providing first aid to relieve and remove severe pain in the ear folk remedies without harmful consequences for the health of the child.

If your baby has recently had a respiratory illness or has just run out of nose, and now he cannot find a place for himself due to severe ear pain... This suggests that an infection from the nasopharynx has spread through the auditory tube into the middle ear. In children under 3 years of age, the development of otitis media during or after a cold is a fairly common phenomenon associated with the anatomical and physiological features of the structure of the children's nasopharynx - a wide and short auditory tube facilitates infection in the ear.

The most common symptom of otitis media is severe ear pain.

The child not only complains that "the ear hurts", but screams and sobs so that no one doubts the need for urgent help. The baby does not know how to speak, but with anxiety and a shrill cry, he will make it clear to his mother that he needs help and care. When pressing on the tragus, the anxiety increases, and the reason for its unusual behavior becomes clear. To make a diagnosis, an otolaryngologist examination is required, but first aidthat alleviates the condition of the child, you must provide him immediately.

What and how to do with severe ear pains in a child at home, see below ...

Drop drops into the ear

We must start with the treatment of ... the nose.It is the vasoconstrictor nasal drops, reducing the swelling of the mucous membrane of the auditory tube, improve the ventilation of the middle ear cavity and the outflow of inflammatory exudate from it.

Put 3-4 drops of Otipax (Otinum, Sofradex, Otofa, etc.) into the ear, preheating them to body temperature. You can warm the medicine by holding the dropper in the palm of your hand. It is even better to insert a cotton ball moistened with warm Otipax into the ear canal.

Give the child any pain reliever (paracetamol, age-appropriate nurofen). Many mothers are perplexed: why nurofen and paracetamol, it does not have a temperature. These drugs have not only antipyretic, but also anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects, so their use for otitis media is justified. And they do not lower the normal temperature.

Have a good effect semi-alcohol compresseson the ears. They relieve pain, improve the blood supply to the middle ear and nourish the tissues for a faster recovery.

How to make a compress on the ear: from cotton fabric, cut out a square with a side length of 10-12 cm. If the fabric is thin, first fold it in 3-4 layers, gauze or a wide bandage will also do.

In the center of the square, make a vertical incision, departing from the upper and lower sides by 2-3 cm.Wet the cloth with warm vodka or alcohol diluted in half with water, squeeze so that the liquid does not drip, and put the square on the ear so that the auricle enters the incision, like a button in a loop.

On top of the fabric, place the same size (or slightly larger) square of cellophane or compress paper with the same cutout so that the auricle is out again. After that, put a large piece of cotton wool on your ear, and fix the entire structure with a scarf or hat.

After 15-20 minutes, the ear warms up and the pain recedes. Do not rush to remove the compress, it should perform a warming function for 3-4 hours. In a well-applied compress, the child can sleep all night, and in the morning you will notice an improvement. But this does not relieve you of the need to see a LOP doctor. Only he, according to the condition of the eardrum, will prescribe the correct treatment, including deciding whether antibiotics are needed.

First aid for ear pain. Advice to parents. I.V. Zelenkova, employee of the department of rehabilitation treatment of children with diseases of ENT organs and maxillofacial area, Scientific Center of Children's Health,

The ear can get sick after swimming, after the sea, after a walk, a foreign object can get into the ears. If your child has ear pain, look into the ear canal with a flashlight and see if there is any foreign object in the ear - peas, parts from a designer or something else.

With symptoms, the ear is blocked and shoots in it, perhaps this is inflammation or otitis media and the treatment will be different. For an accurate diagnosis, you need to see a doctor. A sign that you need to pay attention to an ear ache or an ear ache after visiting a place - a draft, a cold, or a playground.

Many common diseases can be treated at home, and the people have accumulated this knowledge over many centuries. People have collected folk recipes for how to heal at home, methods of treatment based on their experience. They searched for, tried and added various methods of healing and improving their health. Now there are mobile phones with cameras and a phone with video now many people have. Finding and adding a health recipe for free is easy now.

The video discusses how and how to treat a sore ear: keeping the sore ear warm; treat a sore ear with boric alcohol, beet juice, almond oil.

What to do when your child has ear pain. How to get rid of ear pain. How to treat otitis media. What to do at home. How to instill a child's ear. Ear pain in children and first aid.

A child's ear is a vulnerable place, and usually it gets sick suddenly and at the wrong time. On vacation, after swimming in the sea or in a river, at the dacha, on weekends, when clinics are closed. Often, acute pain begins at night. The main thing is not to panic, says the well-known children's doctor Yevgeny Komarovsky. Everything has its own explanation, and first aid for ear pain is not a very difficult task.

Why does my ear hurt?

There can be many reasons. This is an insect that has got into the ear canal, and a small foreign object, for example, a small part from a toy, and water that got into the ear when swimming in nature. Acute pain can be caused by a sulfur plug or an inflammatory process in the hearing organs.that can start with a cold or viral infection.

Your child's behavior for ear pain will depend on age. Babies cannot convey their suffering to their parents in words, they will shriek, and if you put them on the side with which the diseased organ is located, the baby will begin to calm down.

Children between the ages of one and three years old can already show what is bothering them, but the pain is so intense that they cannot concentrate on it. They will cry and rub their large ear with their hand. If you notice that the baby is naughty, refuses to eat, sleeps poorly and scratches his ear, these are sure signs of incipient inflammation in the hearing organs.

After three years, the kids are able to explain to mom and dad where and what hurts them, and parents should not experience difficulties with the diagnosis.

Doctor Komarovsky about ear pain

Evgeny Komarovsky considers otitis media to be the most common cause of severe ear pain.Moreover, one of the three parts of the ear can become inflamed - external, middle or internal.

The video release of Dr. Komarovsky's program on the topic of childhood otitis media can be viewed below.

If the outer ear is inflamed, it is perfectly visible with the naked eye, there is no acute pain, and it is quite simple to help the child. Otitis media, as the name suggests, is inflammation in the middle ear, the area on the other side of the eardrum. This disease is very painful. This is the diagnosis that doctors make in most cases to children who suddenly started shooting and hurting in the ear.

Otitis media of the inner ear, or as doctors call it "labyrinthitis", is the most serious of the variations of ear inflammation. Fortunately, this type of otitis media is not common. Komarovsky claims that internal inflammation rarely occurs as an independent disease, usually this condition is a consequence of untreated otitis media or its complications with improper treatment or the complete absence of it. Also, labyrinthitis can be a consequence of a severe infectious disease.

In the middle ear, which becomes inflamed in most cases and gives a lot of unpleasant sensations to children of all ages, there is a special space, the so-called tympanic cavity, in which the auditory ossicles are located. It is easy to receive sound vibrations and transmit them further - to the internal section, the middle one can only when the pressure in this cavity is at the same level with the atmospheric one.

This level is "monitored" by the Eustachian tube, which has a special mission. It connects the cavity to the pharynx. When the child makes a swallowing movement, this tube opens and gives air access, the pressure is maintained at a normal level, and the ear is ventilated.

When the pressure changes, otitis media occurs. An imbalance within the tympanic cavity occurs when a child dives into water, but this is not the most common cause. More often, the patency of the connecting Eustachian tube is broken, and the pressure can no longer be maintained at the same level with atmospheric. This happens with inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx, for example, with a cold or a viral infection.

Children often sniff, because they cry more often, and also with a runny nose, if part of the mucus from the nose enters the nasopharynx, and from there into the Eustachian tube. And this also becomes the cause of the development of otitis media.

As soon as the pressure in the cavity changes in the negative direction, the cells that form the basis of the cavity begin to produce a specific fluid. The child has severe pain syndrome. In most cases, hearing is reversibly affected. If you do not take urgent measures, after two or three days the inflammation becomes purulent, sometimes under pressure, the eardrum does not withstand and breaks, and pus begins to flow out.

It is much more difficult, according to Komarovsky, to determine otitis media in an infant. Unreasonable crying, restless behavior, sleep disturbance can cause suspicion in parents. But you can confirm the guess with the help of simple manipulation.

You need to lightly press on the tragus (a small protrusion in front of the auricle). If the baby is tormented by otitis media, then such a press will multiply the pain and the baby will go into a heart-rending roar. If, when pressed, the child does not change behavior, you need to look for the cause of his anxiety not in the ears, but in something else.

If a child's ear pain is accompanied by such a symptom as the appearance of a lump behind the ear, which hurts when pressed, a more thorough examination and additional diagnostics will be needed, as this may be a sign of mumps, rubella and other acute infectious diseases.

Treatment

Evgeny Komarovsky tells parents in detail about the processes that take place in the child's ear, not at all so that mothers and fathers can practice their medical wisdom in plenty. Only a doctor should diagnose ear pain!The specialist will carefully examine the condition of the tympanic membrane and find out all the necessary information about its integrity or perforation (violation), the degree of otitis media, its type and the presence of a purulent or catarrhal form. All these factors will be decisive in prescribing drugs for treatment and will determine the duration of the course of therapy.

Komarovsky does not recommend treating otitis media with folk remedies, this can lead to serious complications - to complete hearing loss. And this is not the worst consequence. Worse if purulent meningitis begins.

Evgeny Olegovich recommends including vasoconstrictor nasal drops in the standard set of medicines for otitis media. They are quite effective not only for a cold, but also help relieve swelling in the Eustachian tube. The main thing, reminds a famous children's doctor, is not to forget that such drops are persistently addictive, and therefore they cannot be used for more than three days.

This nasal instillation should precede any manipulation of the child's ears, such as topical treatment. From drops in the ears, Evgeny Komarovsky advises antiseptics that will help quickly relieve inflammation. It can be good old boric alcohol, which has been tested by many generations, but it is better if you take more modern drugs, since there are now several dozen names to choose from in any pharmacy. Komarovsky considers drops with a pronounced analgesic effect to be a good choice, they allow you to quickly help the baby. It can be "Otinum" or "Otipax", as well as "Sofradex" and many others.

Usually, says Komarovsky, in the difficult matter of treating otitis media, one cannot do without antibiotics. Optimal are those funds that effectively destroy the causative agent of the disease, and at the same time well get into the cavity. These drugs include "Amoxicillin".

A more accurate scheme with an indication of specific drugs and their dosage will be given to parents by the attending physician. But we started the conversation with the fact that it is not always possible to deliver a child with acute ear pain to a hospital immediately. Evgeny Komarovsky offers the following first aid scheme:

  • Nasal drops, narrowing the lumen of blood vessels ("Nazivin", "Nazol").
  • Drops in the ears (and, necessarily in both!) For anesthesia and disinfection - "Sofradex", "Otinum".
  • Dry warmth on the ear (cotton wool or woolen scarf). The categorical prohibition applies to warming compresses and heating pads.

These simple measures will give temporary relief, for the time it takes to get to the clinic or hospital and show the child to a specialist.

If liquid purulent fragments began to stand out from their ear, and this indicates a perforation of the eardrum, Komarovsky advises not to panic: the membrane at a tender age is quite easily restored, where there was a rupture, after a complete cure, only a small scar remains, which is usually not has no negative impact on hearing, hearing is preserved in full.

The doctor's recommendations for prevention are reduced to maintaining a normal fluid exchange in the body and not allowing the nasal mucus to thicken. As long as the runny nose is accompanied by liquid discharge, there is nothing wrong with that. And so that they do not thicken and begin to pose a threat to the Eustachian tube, you need to remember that the child should drink plenty of fluids, especially during periods of illness.

Komarovsky advises to reduce the high temperature in a timely manner with the help of medicines, since the heat also contributes to the drying of mucus. Mothers, according to Evgeny Olegovich, make an unforgivable mistake, forcing their child to blow his nose strongly with rhinitis. This only increases the risk of developing otitis media. Blow your nose moderately.

What to do if a child has a severe ear pain, see the postcard from the program "School of Doctor Komarovsky."

If a child's ear hurts for a long time, or intense sudden pain occurs, this is always a reason for an immediate appeal to a pediatrician and an otolaryngologist. The goal is not to start the inflammatory process, which quickly becomes purulent in children.

An older child may complain of a sharp or aching ear pain. The baby "will tell" about his suffering by inconsolable crying, twisting the head, grabbing the sore ear with his hands and refusing to breast or his favorite bottle of milk.

Only a qualified specialist is able to distinguish and identify all types of diseases with the appearance of pain in the ears. He will evaluate and take into account the accompanying signs and prescribe the correct treatment regimen in each case.

The most likely cause of ear pain in children, especially young children under 5 years of age, is bacterial otitis media or acute inflammation of the tissues of the middle ear (auditory tube, tympanic cavity, mastoid process). This is a pathology that develops when the ear is damaged by pathogens - pneumococci, hemophilic and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, staphylococci. Without treatment, the process in babies under 3 years old quickly spreads to the other - healthy ear.

But ear pains of varying degrees of intensity occur not only due to otitis media.

In addition, it should be understood that soreness in the ear:

  • can appear as an "echo", with irradiation (recoil) of pain in the teeth, in the throat (with angina, pharyngitis), with mumps (mumps);
  • is one of the signs of diseases of neighboring organs in the area of \u200b\u200bthe nasopharynx (sinusitis, sinusitis), eyes, neck, brain.

How to relieve pain - first aid

How to eliminate the pain that torments the child, but not harm, that is, not provoke a deterioration in the baby's condition?

In the gauze folded in several layers, a hole is made for the ear. Gauze is soaked in vodka or 2% camphor alcohol diluted in half with water, applied not on the ear itself, but around it. The top is covered with polyethylene, a layer of cotton wool and fixed with a scarf.

Ear hurts inside, outside

What to do and how to treat ear pain in a child

Effective folk remedies

Homemade recipes based on traditional medicine for ear pain in a baby sane parents used only after determining the exact diagnosis by an otolaryngologist. Like medicinal drops, many substances cannot be used for perforation of the tympanic membrane, fungal or viral otitis media, and more severe ear pathologies.

We must not forget about the acute allergic reaction that often occurs in young children to plant and animal substances - up to laryngeal edema and anaphylaxis, which threaten the very life of the child.

The heat effect at elevated temperature and suppuration in the ear can also cause serious harm to the child.

For children over 5 years old, medicinal substances can be instilled into the ear (no more than 3 drops), heating the solution to body temperature.

The optimal method for treating young children is to use a cotton swab or gauze swab dipped in camphor oil, aloe, calendula solution (also heated in a water bath), which is injected into the ear for 2 to 3 hours.

The insistent advice of all pediatricians is not to experiment with folk recipes for ear pain in a child: you can waste time for successful medication and allow catarrhal inflammation to turn into a purulent process.

Elimination of pain in the ear in a baby is directly related to the treatment of a disease established by a doctor. Parents should remember that strong medicinal solutions with an antibiotic or glucocorticosteroid are prescribed only for serious processes accompanied by acute inflammation.

For babies up to a year, almost all ear drops are prohibited, except for pain relieving medicinal solutions. Most often, babies with otitis media up to 12 months are treated in a hospital in order to notice negative changes in the baby's condition in time and prevent complications.

If the pain in the ear is caused by a sulfur plug, the doctor, after making sure that the child does not have otitis media, may prescribe special drip solutions that dissolve ear tests. They loosen the sulfur clot, which is easily removed to the outside. Basic children's drops: Cerumen (from 2.5 years old), Otipaks, Aqua Maris Oto (from 4 years old).

Throughout his life, every person at least once faces the fact that his ear hurts. 3 years is the age when the problem occurs most often. It is worth noting that pain is not the disease itself. Rather, this sign can be called a symptom. It appears when there is a problem. This article will tell you what to do if your child's ear hurts. First aid will be brought to your attention. You will also learn about ways to treat the underlying disease.

What to do at home when this symptom manifests itself, you will learn below. To begin with, it is worth saying why a person may have this feeling. Pain is most often a sign of inflammation or injury. Also, some problems (neurological, dental) can provoke the irradiation of unpleasant sensations into the ear.

Ear pain in a child is usually triggered by an inflammatory process. Babies are prone to these pathologies due to the structural features of their body. Most often, the doctor makes the following diagnoses for children: acute and chronic otitis media, purulent inflammation, eustachitis, and so on.

If a child has an ear pain, a doctor should be sure to examine it. You yourself are not able to determine what caused the development of an unpleasant symptom. It is worth noting that the treatment depends on the diagnosis made. When a child has a sore ear, symptoms may appear as follows: congestion, itching, redness, pus, fever, and so on. Be sure to remember everything your baby is complaining about and tell the doctor about it.

Ignoring the problem often leads to the development of unpleasant consequences and complications. These include hearing loss, ruptured eardrum, seizures, meningitis, and the like.

If the baby has very severe ear pain, which is accompanied by lumbago, then he needs immediate help. The fastest and most effective remedy in such a situation will be a drug containing ibuprofen or paracetamol. It can be Nurofen, Panadol, Tsefekon or any other product that is in your medicine cabinet.

Remember that these formulations lower the temperature. That is why it is worth measuring it before using them. The information obtained will be useful to the doctor in making a diagnosis and for making appointments. After all, antibiotics are prescribed for children in most cases when the body temperature rises.

If a child has ear pain, what to do at home? Never grab onto topical products right away. Simply put, drops. The use of some formulations is unacceptable with a damaged membrane. It is worth recalling that you cannot independently establish this fact. Only a specialist with the help of an otoscope will be able to examine the indicated area and determine its integrity.

If the eardrum is intact, then otorhinolarynologists often prescribe drops for children. Such formulations can relieve inflammation and reduce pain. These include Otipax and Otinum. These formulations are the most popular. Experts differ on the use of these drugs. There is a group of physicians who say that ear pain can be relieved with the above-described means (with ibuprofen or paracetamol), and for treatment it is better to use drops "Otofa" or "Dioxidin". These drugs belong to the group of antibiotics. Often, for children, the drug "Dioxidin" is prescribed simultaneously with magnesium. This composition has an antibacterial and regenerating effect, due to which the disease quickly recedes.

What to do if a child's ear hurts? Parents' first aid often involves using a compress. As soon as the baby began to complain of discomfort, the mother or grandmother warms up camphor and applies it to the sore spot. Some people manage to bury this composition in their ears.

Experts strongly advise against carrying out such manipulations. It is always necessary to remember a very important thing: it is forbidden to heat a purulent inflammatory process. Otherwise, the furuncle may rupture and the patient's condition may worsen, up to hearing loss and meningitis. Only a specialist can prescribe compresses. Remember this.

If a child has ear pain, antibiotics are inevitable. In most cases, pathology is caused by the multiplication of pathogenic microorganisms. Staphylococcus aureus is a bacteria that can always be present in the nose and ear of a person. As soon as you catch a cold, the microorganism immediately wakes up and begins to act. Only antibiotics can cope with it.

As you already know, there are preparations for topical use - "Otofa" and "Dioxidin". However, they are not enough. Treatment is most often prescribed complex in order to surely eliminate the problem. Oral, intramuscular or intravenous antibiotics are attached to the drops described. Effective drugs include "Amoxicillin", "Amoxiclav", "Flemoxin", "Cefatoxim", "Ceftriaxone", etc. The dosage and duration of use are determined by the doctor.

When a child develops otitis media, it is imperative to pay attention to the accompanying symptoms. Usually, this pathology is accompanied by a runny nose. Simultaneously with the ear in this case, you need to treat the nose. Otherwise, the effect of medications will not be complete.

As additional drugs, the doctor prescribes vasoconstrictor drugs ("Zirtek", "Tizin", "Avamis"). Also, drops with an antibacterial effect are used for introduction into the nasal passages ("Isofra", "Polydexa", "Bioparox"). Washing the sinuses with inflammation in the ears is strictly prohibited.

So what to do when a child's ear hurts? First aid on your part should be to call your pediatrician. Only as directed by a specialist can be used certain drugs. Remember that they all have side effects and contraindications. Never change the dosage and dosage regimen yourself. Follow all specialist recommendations. Good health to you!

Ear pain is no less excruciating and dangerous than toothache. Young children under the age of 5 often suffer from otitis media and other troubles with ears. The hearing aid in babies is still imperfect, the infection easily penetrates the auditory tube and middle ear.

What to do if your child has a sore ear? How to relieve severe soreness in infants and older children at home? Find out how to act if there is no way to quickly get an appointment with an ENT doctor, in which cases an urgent hospitalization of the baby is required.

  • The causes of pain
  • Symptoms
  • Ear pain in infants
  • Otitis media in children under 5 years of age
  • Tips for parents
  • What not to do
  • How to provide first aid
  • Warming compress
  • Remedies and recipes for pain relief
  • Preventive measures

Why does the child's ear hurt? Soreness is caused by various factors. One of the reasons is the size of the ear tube in babies. This part is wider than that of adults, pathogenic bacteria freely penetrate from the nasopharynx, an inflammatory process develops. Another danger: nutritional formula, breast milk easily enters the auditory tube, which threatens with inflammation of the middle ear.

There are other reasons as well. Sometimes a negative impact from the outside is combined with pathological processes inside the body, a severe form of otitis media with an abundance of purulent discharge develops.

External factors:

  • viral or fungal infection;
  • the onset of a cold or the development of a chronic form;
  • complication of mumps, deep caries, sore throat, sinusitis;
  • otitis. The external form of the disease develops after a wound or abscess in the ear canal, the middle form - as a complication of inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx;
  • hypotension, high rates of intracranial / arterial pressure, problems with cerebral circulation;
  • inflammatory process in the Eustachian tube;
  • damage to the auditory nerve.

Learn more about the symptoms and treatment of whooping cough in children.

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Internal factors:

  • the baby pushed a foreign body into the ear: a button, a ball, a cotton wool, a small part from a toy;
  • a large amount of sulfur that clogs the ear canal, with insufficient / improper cleaning of the ears;
  • trauma (insect bite, burns, bruises, bursting eardrum);
  • "Ear blew out." The problem arises when walking in cold, windy weather without a cap;
  • penetration of water into the deep parts of the ear. Most often, inflammation develops if the fluid was dirty / cold.

The pain of otitis media is so severe that the child always reacts to it. Babies often start screaming, cry loudly, older children complain that “it hurts a lot,“ shoots ”inside the ear”. Soreness increases in the evening, at night the strongest manifestations of otitis media are noted.

How do you know if your child has ear pain? Remember the signs of inflammation of various parts of the ear in babies and older children. If you find such symptoms, provide first aid, immediately consult a doctor, call an ambulance for the smallest.

Advice! A simple technique will help to determine exactly whether the ear really hurts. Pull gently on the affected ear. If otitis media develops, the pain will intensify, the baby will start crying, and may start screaming. A similar reaction will appear when pressing on the auditory opening (ear tragus). Children under one year old react especially sharply.

Ear pain in infants

Signs of pain inside the ear in babies:

  • anxiety when feeding;
  • poor, intermittent sleep;
  • the baby groans in a dream, tosses and turns, wakes up crying;
  • the baby lies down on a big ear, trying to relieve pain;
  • the temperature is often above normal;
  • appetite disappears: chewing, sucking movements cause severe discomfort;
  • yellowish spots from discharge from the ear canal are often visible on the pillow;
  • the baby rubs her ear, often cries.

Signs:

  • the child constantly touches the ear, presses on the outer part of the ear canal, trying to relieve pain;
  • the baby complains of pain in the cheek or tooth;
  • when turning the neck, pain is felt;
  • the child is naughty, quickly irritated;
  • temperature often rises, sleep worsens;
  • inflammation of deep zones is accompanied by the release of purulent masses. After sleeping, yellowish-brown marks remain on the pillow.

The most important thing is not to panic. If you suspect otitis media in an infant, provide first aid. If the pain is severe and does not subside, call an ambulance. For older children, invite your local pediatrician. With the severity of the case, you will need to consult an otolaryngologist.

How to act when a certain factor is identified that provoked severe discomfort in the ear zone:

  • trauma, bruise. Call an ambulance or take the injured baby to the emergency room. Did the trouble happen at night? Don't wait until morning, you need to act quickly. Hold the child upright in your arms, make sure he twists his head less. When nausea, vomiting occurs, the baby should not be put, otherwise the vomit will enter the respiratory tract;
  • the eardrum has burst. You cannot clean the sore ear with cotton swabs: due to inexperience, parents injure delicate tissues even more. See your ENT doctor. The specialist will process the ear canal, remove pus with special devices. With a timely visit to the doctor, the membrane will heal within a month, hearing is restored, ear congestion disappears;
  • otitis media (fungal, viral infection, eustachitis, inflammation as a complication of colds, tonsillitis). In the absence of purulent discharge, a warming compress is allowed. If a thick, yellowish-brown mass is released, especially with an admixture of blood, you cannot warm your ear. For very severe pain that suddenly occurs in the evening or at night, give an analgesic for children: Ibufen, Nurofen. Do not give analgesics in the day before the doctor comes. If the child screams violently, cannot calm down even after a dose of pain reliever, call an ambulance;
  • a foreign body has entered. Seek medical attention. Only a specialist will gently remove the foreign object without applying strong pressure on the tissue. Wrong actions by parents drive a button, a part from a toy, a bead even deeper, there is a risk of injury to the eardrum;
  • the insect got into the ear. When the foot moves, the wings cause severe pain. If, in addition, the insect has bitten the area inside the ear, the soreness becomes unbearable. You can not dismiss the child's complaints, laugh at him. Immediately drop 1 drop of camphor oil inside the ear canal, wait until the insect dies. Visit an otolaryngologist as soon as possible: the doctor will carefully remove the insect, wash the ear with a disinfectant solution.

Important! Doctors recommend seeing a specialist or hospitalizing a sick child. Self-medication, improper use of home remedies complicates the diagnosis and treatment of the disease, and provokes severe complications. Remember, an infection from the inner ear can invade the brain.

What not to do

Doctors point out common mistakes that young parents often make. Wrong actions increase the spread of infection, increase the volume of pus.

You can't:

  • give painkillers on their own before the doctor arrives: the symptoms will "lubricate", it will be more difficult for the doctor to understand what happened to the baby;
  • treat the child at home, refuse to consult a pediatrician and an ENT doctor;
  • use dubious folk recipes;
  • bury the ear with drops: if the eardrum has burst: any solution in the ear will harm the baby;
  • warm the ear, put warming compresses if pus flows out of the auricle: heat provokes the development of the inflammatory process, the exudate rather penetrates into neighboring organs and tissues;
  • independently get a foreign body from the ear canal, if the baby admitted that he pushed a ball or button inside;
  • refuse antibiotics if the doctor prescribes drugs for the development of infection, an abundance of purulent masses.

First aid for ear pain in a child:

  • check if your child really has a sore ear. The symptoms of inflammation, complaints, methods of confirming the diagnosis at home are described above;
  • call your local pediatrician. If the condition is severe, suddenly there is a sharp, sharp pain, call an ambulance;
  • if there is no discharge from the ear canal, apply an alcohol compress. If you called an ambulance, do nothing;
  • give the baby pain relievers only in a situation if the ear is very painful in the evening or at night. Did you have to call an ambulance? Do not give analgesics so that the symptoms are clearly visible;
  • give antipyretic at high temperature. Suspension or syrup is recommended at temperatures from 38 degrees;
  • be sure to water the baby: boiled water will do;
  • slightly heat the boric acid, moisten a cotton swab, carefully put it in the ear. It is impossible to press the turundochka strongly. After a while, the pain will subside a little;
  • hold the baby in your arms, calm down, talk to him in order to distract him from severe pain at least a little.

Important! Unfortunately, young children often suffer from ear pain. Otitis media often develops against the background of a cold. Always keep on hand the ear drops that your ENT doctor has previously prescribed for your baby. If you are sure that otitis media is re-developing, drip a proven remedy to relieve inflammation as soon as possible.

Warming compress

In the absence of purulent discharge, apply the warming compress correctly:

  • the first layer is gauze soaked in alcohol diluted with water 1: 1. Pre-make a cut to fit the auricle;
  • the second layer is a plastic bag with a hole for the eyelet;
  • top layer - scarf, woolen shawl to keep warm. Wrap your head so that the first two layers are pressed against the area near the auricle.

Ear drops will help reduce inflammation, relieve soreness:

  • Sofradex. An antibiotic that quickly suppresses the activity of pathogenic bacteria.
  • Otipax. An effective remedy for otitis media. The composition contains lidocaine, some children have allergic reactions to the analgesic substance;
  • Otinum. A good remedy with an active analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect. Approved for use after 1 year.
  • Otofa. A potent drug, the active ingredient is the antibiotic rifampicin. Uncontrolled use is strictly prohibited. The tool quickly relieves inflammation of the middle ear.

Always consider the age of the young patient. Check the expiration date of the drops, observe the storage conditions.

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How to treat a sore ear at home? Folk recipes:

  • warmed almond / walnut oil. 1 drop three times a day;
  • honey plus propolis tincture. Equal proportions. Excellent effect even with the appearance of purulent discharge. Dosage - 2 drops, frequency - three times a day;
  • pine nut oil. An active disinfectant is recommended in the treatment of fungal infections.
  • timely treatment of colds, diseases of the nasopharynx, the fight against caries. Do not allow the transition of the acute phase of viral, fungal or bacterial infections into a chronic one;
  • strengthening the immune system, walking in the air, nutrition rich in vitamins, hardening;
  • clean your ears regularly, but don't overdo it. Rubbing for a long time, with pressure, the ear canal is not worth it: you yourself will provoke tissue irritation, further inflammation. Clean the outer part of the ear, do not push the cotton swabs far inward;
  • in windy, cold weather, be sure to wear a cap or hat for the weather. Make sure that the children do not freeze.

Don't panic if your child has a sore ear. Now you know what to do at home, how to reduce pain. Follow the recommendations of doctors, prevent inflammation. The more you know about the causes, methods of treatment of pain in the ear, the less likely you will be confused when identifying a problem.

What to do if your child has ear pain? Helpful tips in the following video:

A child's ear pain appears suddenly, causing severe suffering. Parents are trying to quickly alleviate the condition of the baby. To cope with unpleasant sensations, you need to know the reason for their occurrence. Pain is not always accompanied by an increase in temperature. They can be caused by various factors. What to do if a child has ear pain without fever?

Prerequisites for the appearance

The main factor contributing to the appearance of pain is the structural feature of the child's ear canal. The eustachian tube connecting the ear to the nasopharynx is shorter and wider in children than in adults. Through it, bacteria freely penetrate from the inflamed nasopharynx or from the outside into the inner ear cavity.

The absence of fever with ear pain should not soothe parents.
Otitis externa in young children often proceeds without visible complications. Also, pain can become a symptom of serious diseases: lymphadenitis, rupture of the eardrum. Therefore, it is impossible to ignore the pain in the ear.

How to recognize

It is not always possible for a child to report pain on their own. Actively speaking children talk about their illness themselves. Kids can show where it hurts. Of particular difficulty is the diagnosis of ear pain in infants and newborns.

There are a number of signs by which you can determine if an infant has ear pains:
Pressure on the ear protrusion (tragus). With light pressure, the baby begins to scream out sharply;
With prolonged pain, the child tries to scratch his ear on the pillow, showing the place where it hurts;
If you warm the inflamed area with your palm, the baby calms down.
Symptoms for any age:
Hearing impairment;
Decreased appetite;
General poor health;
Restless sleep.

Causes


Inflammation can be provoked by hypothermia, inflammation of the nasopharynx, water entering the ear while swimming, insect penetration, stuck small objects. Teething and the appearance of sulfur plugs also contribute to the occurrence of pain.

Babies are prone to ear inflammation if the posture is incorrect during feeding. If the mother feeds the baby while lying down, mucus from the baby's nose flows into the ear, causing inflammation.

Depending on the cause, the symptoms of the inflammatory process may vary.
1. Pain due to teething. In this case, the ear and nose hurt.
2. Penetration of water into the ear cavity. Stagnant water provokes inflammation, causing discomfort and contributing to the onset of otitis media.
3. Sulfur plug. In this case, the pain is bursting, there is a significant decrease in hearing, tinnitus. It hurts in and around the auricle.
4. Allergies. A runny nose provokes swelling of the nasopharynx and ear canal. Pain can appear as a result of allergic rhinitis.
5. Lymphadenitis (inflammation of the lymph nodes). The baby has an increase in the nodes behind the ears, on the neck. With lymphadenitis, the area around the shell hurts, the throat when swallowing, the neck during head turns.
6. Traumatic injury. The cause may be ear contusion, loud harsh sounds. The child complains of congestion, bleeding is possible, it hurts inside the auricle.
7. Foreign bodies: small objects, toys, insects. Once inside, they provoke swelling of the skin, cause pain, itching, hearing loss.
8. Increased intracranial or blood pressure. Discomfort in the occiput and temples is noted. The baby has a headache, hearing loss.

If you suspect a child's ear pain, see a doctor. He will give specific recommendations applicable to different cases.

What to do

The main misconception of most parents with ear pain is an attempt to independently diagnose, determine where it hurts. An examination of the ear is necessary, but it must be done as carefully as possible.


Pay attention to the surface of the auricle. There should be no swelling, redness on it. Press gently on the tab near your ear. If this movement does not cause discomfort, most likely, the pain is associated with other organs: teeth, inflammation of the nasopharynx. Examine the ear canal. Discharge of dark or green color indicates internal inflammation. If a foreign object or sulfur accumulation is found, many try to remove it on their own. This cannot be done. The slightest wrong movement will damage the eardrum and cause serious health problems.

Give your child a pain reliever. Before visiting the clinic, doctors recommend instilling vasoconstrictors into the nose. This should be done by tilting the baby's head to one side. So the drops will penetrate into the ear cavity and relieve the swelling of the ear canal, significantly alleviating the condition.

Calm yourself down and calm your baby. Try to distract him, do not get annoyed and do not show your fear. Give confidence that things will go away soon.

According to doctors, most of the tips for getting rid of ear pain in a baby are wrong.


1. Warming compress. It is not always possible to do it. Self-administered, it will do more harm than good. Heating with purulent otitis media will cause spread of infection, increased pain and inflammation. It is impossible to warm a child's ear without a doctor's recommendation.

2. Instillation of anesthetic drops. The advice is not always effective. If the child has a sulfur plug, the drops will provoke its swelling, which will only worsen the condition.

3. Tapping the ear canal with the palm of your hand to dislodge the plug or water that has entered. The method is partially effective. Tapping should be done carefully. Water may leak out, and this method will not affect the position of the plug.

4. Laying geranium leaves. The plant is often recommended as a pain reliever and anti-inflammatory agent. Children should not lay geraniums. A common cause of ear pain in a child is allergic rhinitis. Geranium essential oils will increase the swelling, making the condition worse.

Folk remedies or medication will only help if the diagnosis is correct. Various procedures can be done only after consultation with the doctor. Therefore, it is better not to experiment, but to consult a specialist as soon as possible.

Preventive measures

Feed the baby by lifting his head, or after feeding, hold his head up a little. This will help to keep the baby from flowing mucus into the short ear canal and subsequent inflammation. Do not give small play items that they might put in their ears. Children from 3 years old can be given small items only under the supervision of parents.


Observe hygiene standards. You need to clean your child's ears carefully, without using sudden movements. You should not try to stick a cotton swab deeply. This could result in injury. It is recommended to bathe babies carefully, not allowing water to enter the ear. When bathing older children, it is necessary to protect the ears using a special cap.

Treat a cold in a timely manner. Prolonged or chronic inflammation of the nasopharynx allows germs to enter the baby's ear, causing inflammation. Avoid drafts, hypothermia. Do not wrap your baby up, dress him according to the weather. Strengthening the immune system, proper varied diet, and frequent walks will help prevent ear pain in children.

The lack of temperature with pain in the ear should not be a calming factor for parents. At the first suspicion that the child has ear pain, it is necessary to see a doctor as soon as possible. Do not try to do self-treatment or prescribe treatment. Following competent medical recommendations will help your baby quickly get rid of pain and discomfort.

Children's ears (more precisely, the Eustachian tube of this organ) are designed so that any slightest impact can have a negative impact on them. According to statistics, 75% of children under the age of three have at least once encountered unpleasant sensations in this organ. Ears hurt 2 years old child. The manifestation can declare itself abruptly and unexpectedly - at night, during a trip, in nature, on a visit. If in a normal situation the parent immediately turns to a pediatrician, an otolaryngologist, then here first aid must be provided independently. What to do and what not to do, how to really help your child, we will tell you further.

Possible external causes of pain

Ears hurt in a 2-year-old child? First of all, remember what the baby was doing the last day, what he had recently been ill with. Pain may well be an echo of a recent illness.

Most often, the reasons are external:

  • If water gets into a child's ear, it can easily cause pain. Especially if the liquid was cold or dirty.
  • It could be pushed by the child himself, or it could get there on its own - an insect flew in, crawled in.
  • Injury. From a simple bruise to a burn, hemorrhage,
  • Sulfur plug in the ear (how to remove, we will tell you later).
  • A recent walk in cold weather, with strong winds without a headgear or wearing a light cap.

When a child's ears hurt for 2 years, sometimes the reason may be the use of low-quality children's hygiene or cosmetic products. In particular, shampoos for babies. Components such as Sodium lauryl / Laureth Sulfate, parabens, Coco Sulfate, dyes, PEG, MEA, silicones, DEA, TEA can irritate the inner cavity of the ear, getting there. This becomes the cause of painful sensations.

Possible internal causes of pain

Why do the ears hurt in a 2-year-old child? It may be not only external, but also internal factors:

  • The most common ear diseases in children are otitis media and otitis externa. The first type of disease is often the result of a cold or infectious lesion of the mucous membranes of the nasopharynx and oropharynx. Otitis externa is an inflammation of the external auditory canal. It often develops after damage to the latter, the formation of a furuncle, a wound in it.
  • Otomycosis. A fungus that affects the auditory organ. The smell from the ear in a child can indicate both otitis media and this lesion.
  • Viral infection.
  • Consequence of not completely cured cold disease. Or, on the contrary, a harbinger of its beginning.
  • A number of diseases, painful sensations in which may well be given to the ear. In particular, these are toothaches, sore throat, mumps or sinusitis.
  • Inflammation of the auditory nerves.
  • Development of tumor processes.
  • Pathologies that have affected nearby organs and systems - the brain, pharynx, neck, nose, eyes, nearby capillaries and blood vessels.
  • High blood pressure - intracranial or arterial. Hypotension or poor circulation in the brain.

Does your ear hurt?

Small children still do not know how to accurately determine what is happening to them, what worries them. How can a parent understand that it is the ear that hurts? Here is the following instruction:


Home diagnostics

The child has ear pain and fever. Of course, with such a serious problem, you need to contact a children's doctor as soon as possible. But if due to circumstances it is not possible, then parents need to carry out diagnostics on their own in order to figure out what is wrong with the baby and help him.

Child has ear pain - what can be done? We advise you to follow this algorithm first:

  1. Examine the baby's auricle carefully in good light. It is possible that there is a foreign object. If it is shallow, then it is easy to remove it: tilt the child's head down with the affected ear and gently pull his lobe. If the method does not work, in no case use cotton swabs and tweezers! This will push the object even deeper. It remains only to wait for qualified medical care.
  2. Exactly Press gently on the tragus (external cartilage protrusion in front of the ear canal). If the child does not react in any way to the impact, then the pain in the ear only gives off. Its reason is different localization.
  3. Apply a thermometer. If a child has ear pain and fever, it means that there is a place for an inflammatory process. Most often it is otitis media and eustachitis. The situation will be saved only by the dose of the antipyretic agent according to the age and weight of the child. Further treatment is prescribed by a doctor.
  4. Does the ear hurt without fever? The reason is most likely in external factors. Also, an increase in blood or intracranial pressure can manifest itself in a similar way.
  5. The onset of inflammation is evidenced by purulent discharge and their characteristic odor from the ear.
  6. Is the ear swollen, unnaturally reddish or bluish? Most likely, it is an insect bite, strong blow or bruise.
  7. If a child complains of itching, scratches his ear, then we are talking about a fungal infection.

First aid

Children have akin to a toothache - they are capricious, screaming, worried, cannot sleep, refuse to eat. The baby himself and everyone around him suffer.

  • Call your local doctor at home. If the situation requires it - the ambulance team.
  • How to relieve ear pain in a child before doctors arrive? It is enough to give the baby a pain reliever suitable for his age, in the required dosage.
  • A special alcohol compress will help alleviate the condition. The first layer is applied a gauze cloth impregnated with alcohol (you need to make a cutout for the auricle in it), then a layer of film or cellophane with the same hole. Above is a warm scarf, which is wrapped around a sore ear and head.
  • If the child has pain in the ear and a high fever, then a child antipyretic agent will ease the condition. Additionally, you can soak cotton wool with boric alcohol and plug the sore ear canal with it. It is also important that the child in this state drink as much liquid as possible.
  • If the baby has already had similar cases, then you can drip the drops into his ear, which the pediatrician prescribed earlier. Most often it is "Anauran", "Otinum", "Otipax".

Important not only medication, but also moral assistance. Calm the child down, try to distract him from the pain. Turn on your favorite cartoon, do small whims. Such support is very important for a little man who does not understand what is happening to him.

What can you do?

If a child complains of severe ear pain, how can you help him and not harm him? In all cases, the following is permissible:

  • Give as much liquid as possible. Water helps the mucous membranes to function fully, removes the products of intoxication.
  • Use antipyretics. Especially when the temperature is high.
  • Offer your child vitamins, herbal infusions. For example, a decoction of chamomile effectively helps the body fight inflammation.

What can’t be done?

Note that self-treatment of otitis media at home in a child is unacceptable! Improper therapy can lead to serious consequences.

You can not do the following without the instruction of a qualified otolaryngologist:

  • Bury essential oils.
  • Flush the ear (if the child has a perforation of the eardrum, then this can seriously harm him).
  • Insert pieces of medicinal plants into your ears.
  • To drip ear drops for adults or selected by you yourself, without a doctor's prescription.
  • Clean the ears from pus and other secretions with cotton swabs. Remove plugs, foreign bodies with tweezers or other tools.
  • Inject alcohol-containing preparations deep into the ear canal.

Medicines used

Treatment of otitis media in a child at home is possible only with the approval of the attending physician, with the help of medicines prescribed by a specialist. Amateur performance should not be allowed here. Remember that advanced otitis media or other inflammatory processes in the ear can lead to the development of abscesses in the brain, meningitis, mastoiditis.

Let's list the basic tools that can help a baby with various pains in the ear:

  • Antibiotics. Traditionally, penicillin injections are prescribed for children. The course is 7-10 days. Such therapy is prescribed for inflammation, infectious diseases.
  • Otipax. Anti-inflammatory and pain reliever. It is prescribed for children with otitis media. Keep in mind that the medicine contains lidocaine, to which the child's body often responds with an allergic reaction.
  • "Otofa". The medicine contains a powerful antibiotic component rifampicin. It is prescribed for acute infections, diseases of the middle ear.
  • "Garazon". The drug has a general anti-inflammatory and analgesic effect.
  • "Otinum". It has been used since 1 year. It has an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect.
  • "Sofradex". Since the drug belongs to powerful antibiotics, it is prescribed with caution to young children.
  • "Remo-Wax". Ear wax plug - how to remove it? It is enough to use this drug according to the instructions.
  • Hydrogen peroxide, Vishnevsky ointment, pine nut oil. They are prescribed for fungal infections. Washing is also used here (how to wash the ear, we will discuss it further). The event is necessary to disinfect the ear canal.
  • Hydrogen peroxide, liquid paraffin. Preparations used to remove sulfur plug.

Washing

But what if a sulfuric plug forms in the ear? How do I remove it myself? You need to turn to a simple procedure - washing the ear. It is indicated not only for sulfur congestion, but also for some forms of otitis media and other ear diseases. Note that in a number of inflammatory processes, such an event is contraindicated. Therefore, you need to contact him only with the permission of the attending physician.

The simplest rinsing procedure is using boiled water:

  1. Buy a syringe with the largest capacity at the pharmacy, remove the needle. It is important that the instrument is new and sterile! You can also use a special rubber bulb. Before the procedure, it must be boiled (or doused with boiling water).
  2. If you remove the wax plug in this way, then block the child's ear canal with a cotton swab for 10 minutes before the procedure. In the absence of air, the cork will soften somewhat.
  3. Boil and cool water beforehand. It should be lukewarm, at room temperature.
  4. Fill a syringe or bulb with water.
  5. Pull the sore ear up and a little to the side so that water can drain from it during rinsing. For this, a basin and or a tray are first substituted.
  6. Smoothly, without sudden jolts and clicks, enter the liquid into the ear canal. Try to direct the stream of water towards the back of your ear, rather than into the canal. This will protect the delicate children's eardrum from damage.
  7. The procedure is repeated 2-3 times. If you are removing the wax plug, then rinse until it comes out.
  8. If the procedure does not work (in the case of old, dried-out plugs), then you can drop a couple of drops of hydrogen peroxide into the ear. It will soften education somewhat.
  9. Be sure to dry the ear after the procedure! If water remains in it, inflammation may develop. To do this, simply plug the ear canal for a while with a cotton swab. Some mums use warm (but not hot!) Airflow from a hair dryer.

Not all children tolerate this procedure calmly. How to rinse the ear in this case? If you need to remove the sulfur plug, you can use special softening drops - "Aquamaris" and "Remo-Wax". The drugs are instilled into the ear two to three times daily (the course of treatment is 2-3 days). After this application, the sulfur plug comes out of the ear on its own.

Parents sometimes use folk methods to remove plugs from a child's ear. This is the instillation of hydrogen peroxide, heated vegetable oil, onion juice. However, these methods should be handled with caution - they are contraindicated for wounds, infections, suspected perforation of the eardrum.

If your ears often hurt

If ear pains are common in your child, consider the following tips:

  • According to the doctor's prescription, purchase a vitamin complex for children with elements that help to strengthen the immune system.
  • The key to health is a complete balanced diet. A children's nutritionist will help you develop it individually for your baby.
  • After hygiene procedures, swimming in the pool, always dry your child's ear canals.
  • Protect your baby from drafts - do not open the front windows in the car, ventilate the room when he is not in the room.
  • Even in warm weather, the child should wear a bonnet, a lightweight fabric hat that covers the ears.
  • Do not remove wax with cotton swabs by immersing them deep into the ear canal. To prevent sulfur plugs from forming, use special drops.

Ears of a small child hurt quite often, especially in babies 1-3 years old. Remember that it is better not to rely on self-medication here, but to consult a specialist as soon as possible.

Children under 3 years old quite often have problems with their ears. At this age, the Eustachian tube, located inside the ear, is very vulnerable to any external aggressive factors. Children can be bothered by severe pain that appears unexpectedly, and it is rather difficult to cope with it. In our article, we will talk about how to behave if a child complains of ear pain. What to do if it is impossible to call a doctor at the moment, how to help the baby, how to provide first aid - this and not only we will talk about it.

Why does the child's ear hurt?

First, you should ask this question to parents. They need to remember if the child has had any disease in the recent past? Establishing the cause of the pain will allow you to prescribe competent treatment.

What could be the reasons? Let's divide them into two groups.

External factors

The reasons why a child is experiencing ear pain may be the following:

  1. There is water or a foreign object in the ear;
  2. The ear was injured from the outside - an insect bit, a severe bruise;
  3. The presence of a large sulfuric plug in the ear;
  4. My ear got cold when walking without a hat in frosty and windy weather.

In addition to external reasons, there may be internal ones.

Internal factors

This includes the following points:

  1. Otitis media is a disease that is a complication after suffering from rhinopharyngitis;
  2. The development of a fungus or the appearance of a viral infection;
  3. ARVI;
  4. Ear pain as an accompanying symptom against the background of other diseases;
  5. The auditory nerve is affected;
  6. High blood pressure, swelling.

Before providing first aid, parents should carefully analyze the condition of the child, try to understand what caused the pain in the ear. However, a symptom of pain alone is not enough to make a diagnosis; you should be aware of other possible side effects.

Ear pain in a child:appears when a foreign body gets in, bruises, insect bites, sulfur plugs, colds, acute respiratory viral infections, fungal infections, otitis media, damage to the auditory nerve, tumors, high pressure

How to provide first aid to a child?

The child complains of ear pain - what to do in this situation? First of all, conduct an initial inspection.

Step 1

Carefully analyze the ear, examine it for the presence of a foreign body. If you see that it can be reached, then gently tilt the child's head and shake it slightly. It is absolutely unacceptable to use cotton swabs, otherwise the problem can be aggravated.

Step 2

Parents need to press on the outer protrusion of the ear, the tragus, - this method allows you to understand the presence of pain in this ear, perhaps it arises as a response to the pain of another organ.

Step 3

Body temperature measurement. Its presence indicates an inflammatory process, call a doctor. Before his arrival, to alleviate the condition, the child can be given an antipyretic. If there is no temperature, measure the pressure, give the child pain reliever.

Step 4

A compress using alcohol helps well - soak the gauze with alcohol, put it on the ear, cellophane and a warm cloth on top.

If the child has previously had these symptoms, then use ear drops previously prescribed by the doctor - "Anauran", "Otinum" or "Otipax".

When ear pain bothers a child at night, give the child medicine to relieve the condition and call the doctor in the morning. Disturbing during the day - immediately call a doctor, do not hesitate. Late treatment of otitis media provokes meningitis and brain abscess. Parents should be patient and be calmer - the child now really needs your help.

Traditional methods of treating otitis media

You can use home remedies to help your child cope with ear pain. We present to your attention several effective recipes:

Recipe 1

Pour a teaspoon of chamomile leaves with a glass of hot water and leave for 20 minutes. Then we filter the infusion, cool and rinse the ear with it. Chamomile copes well with pus in the ears, as well as otitis media.

Recipe 2

It is necessary to dilute the honey with water and heat, then add a small piece of beets and cook everything together. The resulting mixture is cooled, applied to gauze and applied to the ear. The healing properties of honey cope well with inflammation in the ears. Honey can also be mixed with alcoholic propolis tincture and drip the ear 3 times a day.

Recipe 3

Pour lemon balm leaves with boiling water, cool and rinse the sore ear with the resulting broth. The broth is useful for ingestion if the child is not allergic to grass.

Using folk methods, be extremely careful. They can only be used after consulting a doctor.

How to prevent ear pain?

It is easier to prevent a disease than to cure it. Otitis media is very worrisome for babies, as it is accompanied by very severe pain in the ears. How to avoid this disease?

Timely cure a runny nose

SARS and the accompanying runny nose often become harbingers of otitis media. It is very important to be able to blow your nose correctly, otherwise the accumulation of mucus in the nose will prevent a speedy recovery. If a child has a mild ARVI symptom after treatment, then it is better for him to stay at home for a while to avoid complications.

Clean the ears correctly

Especially this advice applies to parents who have children under the age of one year. Too often this should not be done, it is enough to carry out the procedure once a week, avoiding aggressive effects on the auricle. You can't go deep inside.

Get vaccinated in a timely manner

Vaccinations can save a child from developing pneumococci and streptococci, as well as Haemophilus influenzae. It is they who are capable of causing otitis media.

Visit the pool with care

Doctors recommend the pool no more than 2 times a week, especially for children under 5 years old. Contact with chlorinated water is detrimental to the health of the ears. To prevent this from happening, experts advise you to drip a 2% solution of acetic acid (1 drop each) into your ears.

Summarizing the above, we note once again that self-medication is not necessary. See a doctor, use the necessary medications, do not neglect preventive measures. The health of your baby is in your hands.

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