Between the pain and pressure in your ears, the dizziness and difficulty hearing, and the overall feeling of being sick, ear infections can be a huge headache. Viral ear infections have a lot in common with bacterial ear infections. Our medical team at Integrity Urgent Care can help you as you recover from this common issue.
Symptoms
The symptoms of a viral ear infection will be very similar to a bacterial ear infection. Pain and discomfort, from sharp pain to feeling “clogged”, will be the most common. Pressure in your ears, sinuses, and head are frequently experienced. Some tenderness around the ears and a small amount of drainage are typical as well. With a viral infection, you may also be feeling symptoms of the infection in other ways. According to Healthline, young children may pull at their ear, lose balance easily, or fail to react to certain sounds.
Treatment
At the root of the issue, it is difficult to treat a viral infection although medicines are entering the field more to help with this. Our clinics can help treat some of your symptoms, or at least alleviate some of the struggles you are having. We recommend you stay hydrated and get plenty of rest when you have any viral infection and, if your pressure is great enough, we may recommend draining some of the fluid off. This may or may not be the best course of action for every patient, however.
Prevention
With a viral infection of any kind, the best kind of medicine are preventative measures we have all become familiar with. Wash your hands frequently, especially before and after eating or preparing food, drinking, touching your face, sneezing, coughing, and using the restroom. Soap and water are very effective, but a sanitizer can stand in when hand washing facilities aren’t available. Clean high touch surfaces frequently, following the instructions on the cleaner since some need to air dry for maximum efficiency. If you are sick, stay home until you are better.