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Ear Infections: Sneezing, Congested Nose Could Be Signs Of A Viral Infection In The Middle Ear

Do you ever feel a sharp, throbbing pain deep in your ear? Or do you feel discomfort accompanied by an unpleasant sensation of pressure and swelling? You might be experiencing a viral or bacterial infection in the middle ear.

It's monsoon time, and you wake up one morning feeling under the weather - you start sniffling, sneezing, and your nose feels congested. This seemingly harmless cold or flu could be the starting point of an ear infection.

Viral or bacterial infections can cause excruciating pain, persistent inflammation, and disruptive fluid buildup. They occur when the middle ear, an air-filled space behind the eardrum, gets infected. Small bones work together in this area to translate sound waves into signals that our brain can process. When an ear infection develops, the pain intensifies due to increased swelling and fluid accumulation, which exerts extra pressure on the eardrum. These infections can be short-term (acute) or long-lasting (chronic). It's important to note that chronic ear infections have the potential to cause lasting damage to the middle ear.

Symptoms of ear infection

The signs of ear infections can differ depending on a person's age. When adults have an ear infection, they usually experience symptoms like pain and pressure in the ear, have fluid inside the middle ear cavity, and their hearing might also be affected. However, children may tug or pull at their ear, especially when in pain. They may have trouble sleeping and cry more than usual. They can also have difficulty keeping their balance, experience hearing loss, have a fever, lose their appetite, or even get headaches.

Types of ear infections

Ear infections can be classified into two types - Acute and Chronic. The first, the most common, and the least severe type is acute otitis media (AOM). It occurs when the middle ear gets infected and swollen, causing fluid to become trapped behind the eardrum. It may be accompanied by a fever.

The second type is otitis media with effusion (OME), where some fluid remains behind the eardrum after an ear infection. People with OME may not experience noticeable symptoms, but a doctor can identify the lingering fluid during an examination.

The third type is Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media (CSOM). The person may complain of ear discharge for more than three months. It may either be profuse or intermittent, and can be foul smelling if severely infected. CSOM can lead to a perforation in the eardrum which may require surgery.

Cure for ear infections:

When dealing with ear infections and pain, some home remedies may provide relief. Applying a warm compress or heating pad to the affected ear can help eliminate the discomfort. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen can be taken to reduce pain and inflammation. The doctor may recommend you to fill your ears with cotton balls while taking a shower, so as to not aggravate the symptoms. Getting rid of the infection is important before undergoing surgery - called tympanoplasty, which helps in repairing the eardrum.

However, it is essential to note that home remedies should be used as a temporary measure. It is important to consult the otorhinolaryngologist for proper diagnosis and treatment.

Dear Abby: My Husband's Loud Sneezing Is Unbearable

DEAR ABBY: My husband sneezes really loud and it's kind of embarrassing. What should I do about this? I told him he should see a doctor because it happens a lot. -- MARRIED TO A NOISEMAKER

DEAR MARRIED: People sneeze for various reasons, not all of them allergy-related. Your husband should discuss it with his doctor because the solution could be something simple. If he's unwilling, then earplugs might be the simplest solution -- for you -- if you can grab them when he starts going "Aaaaa ..." before the "choo" escapes.

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Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.Com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

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This Tasty Fruit Can Help Beat Your Pesky Hay Fever Symptoms

Summer is joyous, but the constant sneezing, bunged-up sinuses and general meh-ness that come with hay fever are… not so much.

Searches for hay fever spiked 114% in the last month, as people looked high and low for remedies to get them feeling back to their usual selves.

But it turns out the solution might already be in their fruit bowl, as experts from Bed Kingdom have revealed how pineapple – yes, really – could actually help improve your body's resistance to the seasonal allergy. 

Symptoms of hay fever

The most commonly experienced symptoms of hay fever are:

frequent sneezing,

runny or blocked nose,

itchy, red or watery eyes,

an itchy throat, mouth, nose and ears,

and a cough, caused by postnasal drip.

In less common instances, people might also experience:

loss of sense of smell (anosmia),

facial pain (caused by blocked sinuses),

headaches,

earache,

tiredness and fatigue.

How do pineapples help with hay fever?

Pineapples are well known for being packed with vitamin C, which reduces how much histamine your body produces in response to allergens. 

But they're less known for containing bromelain, an enzyme with natural anti-inflammatory properties, useful for combatting allergies, eczema and asthma. 

Bromelain has also been found to improve allergy symptoms, as it produces substances in the body that help fight inflammation, swelling, nasal congestion, and respiratory problems, boosting resistance to the worst hay fever symptoms.

It's naturally found in the juice and stem of a pineapple, so including this tropical fruit in your diet can help relieve symptoms caused by pollen like red, itchy eyes; sneezing and coughing.

Our bodies can't produce bromelain, so eating pineapple or drinking its juice can help boost our response to allergies. 

Pollen is protein-rich and it's the proteins that cause all that nasty swelling, irritation and inflammation in our bodies. When it gets into our bloodstream, it can truly start to wreak havoc, unleashing all manner of unwanted symptoms. 

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But if you eat pineapple on an empty stomach, the bromelain works to break down the pesky proteins – meaning more get digested, and less end up in the bloodstream where symptoms could then be triggered. Clever, huh?

With one in five people struggling with hay fever at some point in their life, it's certainly worth a try. Now, get to the supermarket to stock up.

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