Your Camarillo ENT doctor recommends these handy hints for both preventing and treating an ear infection.

No one likes dealing with the pain and discomfort of an ear infection, but at some point in our lives we will probably deal with this pesky problem. However, it’s just as important to know what you can do to prevent an ear infection from affecting you or your children.

Preventing Ear Infections

There are some easy lifestyle changes you can make to help ensure that both you and your child do not develop ear infections:

• Don’t allow smoking in the house. Ear infections occur more often in children who are around cigarette smoke.
• Wash both yours and your child’s hands often to prevent the spread of germs, which can cause infection.
• Keep both you and your child up-to-date on all immunizations.
• Children should avoid using a pacifier altogether by the time they turn 1-year-old, as children who use a pacifier after 12 months are more likely to develop ear infections.

At-Home Care

If you still find yourself dealing with an ear infection, most cases can be handled with the proper self-measures. This includes taking over-the-counter medications and getting plenty of rest. However, it’s important to always follow all directions on over-the-counter products, especially when it comes to children. Children under a certain age should not take certain medications, so it’s important to read all the directions before using.

When to See Your Camarillo ENT Doctor

It’s important to always keep track of you or your child’s symptoms to know when it’s time to make an immediate trip to the doctor’s. Any of these symptoms warrant a visit to our Camarillo ENT office:

• A temperature higher than 100.4 degrees F
• Blood or pus in the ears
• If you’ve already been diagnosed with an infection and the symptoms get worse
• If your child is under three months old and has a fever, this is a medical emergency and you need to see a doctor immediately.

When you come into our office we will look at several factors regarding your infection to see if antibiotics is required to treat your ear infection.

If you or your child is experiencing any of these painful or serious symptoms then it’s time to see your Camarillo ENT doctor at West Coast Ear, Nose and Throat. Don’t let ear infections keep you from your daily activities!