Pain and bad odor in baby’s ear: symptoms, causes and treatment

Baby pain is a frequent situation that can be observed through signs and symptoms, such as taking the hand to the ear with frequency, tilting the head on the sides several times, increasing irritability and frequent appearance, for example. .

This situation is quite uncomfortable and can appear as a result of infections in the air, water ingress in the air, presence of objects in the ear canal or increased pressure in the air, which is common on plane trips.

Depending on the cause, the baby’s ear pain may go away without treatment being necessary, without embargo, if the pain persists and other symptoms such as fever and secretion in the ear are observed, it is important to consult the pediatrician, ya that in this way it is possible to carry out an evaluation, identifying the cause and starting the treatment, if necessary, which can be with the use of anti-inflammatory drugs, analgesics and antibiotics, if the infection is bacterial.

main symptoms

The pain in the baby’s condition can be observed by means of some signs and symptoms that the baby may present, in addition to the fact that it can also vary from one cause to another, depending on the main factors:

• irritability;
• Llanto;
• lack of appetite;
• Fiebre that does not pass 38.5ºC, in some cases;
• Difficulty in lactating, in addition to that the baby can even reject the pecho;
• Put yourself in the ear many times;
• Difficulty keeping the head on its side;
• Move the head back and forth many times.

In addition, in the event that the pain in the ear is caused by the perforation of the eardrum, there may also be bad odor in the ear and pus, which in some cases can cause momentary hearing loss, but if not properly treated, it can be reversed. permanent.

main causes

The main cause of pain in the baby’s ear is otitis, which corresponds to inflammation of the ear canal due to the presence of a virus or bacteria in the ear, or due to the entry of water in it, which also favors inflammation and it causes pain in the ear.

In addition to ear infections, other situations that can cause ear pain due to the presence of objects, increased pressure due to plane travel and other infectious diseases such as flu, paper towels, measles and pneumonia, for example. Find out about other causes of pain in the air and what to do.

How is the treatment performed?

The treatment for the baby’s ear pain must be prescribed by the pediatrician and may vary according to the cause of the pain. So, some of the medicines that can be indicated by the doctor are:

• Analgesics and antipyretics such as Dipirona or Paracetamol, to relieve pain and fever:
• anti-inflammatory like Ibuprofen, to relieve inflammation and pain;
• antibiotics such as Amoxicillin or Cefuroxime, when the infection is caused by bacteria.

It is important that the medicines are used only under the indication of the general doctor or pediatrician, as this ensures the appropriate dose and frequency to avoid secondary effects.

home treatment

A complementary home remedy for ear pain in babies is to plan a canvas pad with the plancha, and place it near the baby’s ear when it is tibio. It is necessary that the pañal is not very hot to not burn the baby.

Furthermore, throughout the treatment it is important to offer plenty of liquids and foods of semi-solid consistency such as soups, purees, yogurt and crushed fruits. This care is important because many times the ear pain is related to sore throat, and the baby may feel pain when swallowing, while less irritation occurs in the throat, the better he will feed and faster he will recover.