Matthew woke up today crying saying his ear (left) hurt. It was not that hurting (I think) because he would only cry sporadically. I think I forgot to blog about it here that in his school’s auditory and visual hearing tests, he came back with a loss of hearing in the left ear result. I still havent set up an appointment with a pediatric EENT for it – bad mommy. I need to find one today and get him checked ASAP.

An article I saw online:

Earaches can be anything from slightly painful to extremely painful and are usually brought on by a fluid buildup (sometimes resulting from an infection), or a buildup of pressure in the middle ear.

A highly common cause of the earache is due to plugged ‘Eustachian’ tubes (the tube that comes from the back of your throat and connects to your middle ear). If and when your Eustachian tube becomes blocked, fluid will gather resulting in a painful earache, bringing with it the possibility of bacteria buildup or infection.

Causes of earaches:

· infection of the middle ear

· colds

· allergies

· sinus infections

· buildup of ear wax or fluid

· something stuck in the ear

· teeth problems

· ear injuries

· changes in air pressure in a plane (ascending or descending usually brings this on)

How to prevent earaches:

· Refrain from putting things into your ears such as cotton swabs, bobby pins, your fingers, etc. as this can cause damage to your eardrum and increase your chances of something getting stuck in your ear/eardrum.

· When blowing your nose, do it gently and one nostril at a time.

· Avoid smoke as much as possible. Smoking and secondhand smoke can increase your risk of infection.

· When swimming, wear earplugs and refrain from swimming in dirty waters.

If you’re an adult and you happen to have an earache, try applying a warm washcloth or a heating pad next to your ear. You can also try the cold therapy method by applying a cold compress or ice bag next to your ear for 20 minutes. Be sure to take a pain reliever, such as an acetaminophen, aspirin, or Motrin (ibuprofen) to help with the pain and reduce inflammation. If nothing works, seek medical attention.

To help open your Eustachian tubes and keep them drained, try the following:

· Sleep with your head propped up

· Chew gum – especially when experiencing pressure changes (i.e. during plane travel).

· Stay awake during the ascending/descending of plane travel – this is when eardrums will plug up and cause pain. Try taking a decongestant a few hours before your plane ride as this will help prevent buildup in your nasal passages.

· Try yawning to contract the muscles that open your Eustachian tubes.

· Gently blow through your nose while holding both nostrils closed until you hear a pop. This helps promote ear drainage and can be done several times a day.

· Take a decongestant when you get a cold and continue taking it until the cold is gone. Check with your doctor to see if it is ok for you to take a decongestant.

· Take a hot shower – the steam will help to break up and soften earwax buildup.

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