Treatment for Ear Infections in Orange County, CA

At SCENT – Southern California Ear, Nose, and Throat, the ENT specialists understand how frustrating chronic ear infections can be, especially in children. At our offices in Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Los Alamitos, and Long Beach, California, the medical team offers ear tube placement surgeries for adults and kids to help drain away fluids and keep your ear healthy. To schedule an evaluation for chronic ear infections, call the Southern California ENT office nearest you or book an appointment online today.

What causes an ear infection?

Within your ear is the Eustachian tube that travels from the middle of your ear to the back of your throat. This tube is responsible for draining excess fluid from your ear to keep it healthy.

When you have chronic allergies or develop a cold, blockages can form in the tube and cause fluid to build up behind your eardrum. This fluid can become infected and put you at risk for more serious health complications, including:

• Hearing loss
• Bone damage
• Tissue damage
• Excess fluid build-up

If too much fluid builds up around your eardrum, it can lead to tears or a rupture in the eardrum.

What are the symptoms of an ear infection?

As an adult with an ear infection, you may develop pain in your ear and notice you have difficulty hearing. Your ear may also drain fluids.

In children, ear pain and discharge are also common. However, young children who aren’t able to tell you about their pain may show signs of an ear infection in other ways, including:

• Fever
• Fussiness
• Ear pulling
• Loss of appetite
• Trouble sleeping

You may also notice that your child doesn’t hear you speaking or doesn’t respond to sounds.

How is an ear infection treated?

Typical treatment for an ear infection involves antibiotics to clear the infection. However, if you or your child has recurrent ear infections, you may need surgery to fully treat the infection and prevent fluid from building up in your ear.

Surgery for ear infections involves inserting tubes into the ear to drain excess fluids and normalize pressure on the eardrum. The procedure involves only small incisions to place the tubes.

The surgical team at SCENT – Southern California Ear, Nose, and Throat offers in-office tube placement for adults. They perform pediatric ear tube placements in a hospital environment.

How long will the ear tubes last?

The ear tubes can continue draining fluids out of the ear for several years. Typically, your body will naturally shed the tube within two to three years.

In some cases, your provider at SCENT – Southern California Ear, Nose, and Throat may also recommend surgery to remove your tonsils or adenoids to provide long-lasting relief of ear infections, even after the tubes fall out.