Chronic Ear Infection Complications

While ear infections are a minor nuisance for many people, resulting in pain and potentially fever, for those with chronic ear infections, this condition carries more serious complications. From hearing loss to developing behavioral problems in children, chronic ear infections can even cause the infection to spread to the brain or bones, according to ehealthmd.com.

What Is an Ear Infection?

• According to MedlinePlus, ear infections are one of the most common reasons parents take their child to the doctor. The most common type of ear infection takes place due to a middle ear infection, which is found behind the eardrum. A condition is considered chronic when the infection lasts for a long period of time or frequently recurs.

  An ear infection can be caused by a number of things that clog the eustachian tube, which is the tube that connects the middle ear to the throat. These include sinus infections, allergies, cigarette smoke, infected adenoids or excess mucus produced while a child is teething.

Growing Complications

• In the instance of an ear infection caused by bacteria, antibiotics will help to clear the infection. However, a study from the University of Florida detailed in sciencedaily.com, revealed that bacteria that cause ear infections are becoming increasingly resistant to antibiotic treatments. Because many patients are prescribed antibiotic treatments when experiencing an ear infection, this may cause difficulties for chronic ear infection sufferers who may not be able to effectively take antibiotics when they are truly needed.

  Because most ear infections will go away on their own, it is important that patients who suffer from chronic ear infections do not constantly take antibiotics in order to reduce ear infection symptoms.

Hearing Problems

• If a patient experiences chronic ear infections accompanied by a condition known as effusion (where fluid rests behind the middle ear), this can result in hearing problems. Described as a feeling of fullness in the ear, this fluid buildup results in patients not being able to hear softer sounds and experience mild hearing loss. In some patients, this hearing loss is misconstrued as a patient who does not listen when in fact he or she has difficulty hearing. These hearing problems can also result in delayed speech, which may complicate the process of learning to read and other school-related milestones.

Ruptures or Abscesses

• If a patient experiences chronic ear infections, this can cause a buildup of fluid in the eardrum, creating weak spots in the skin that protects the eardrum from air and outside world. Frequent buildup can cause the eardrum to burst or rupture and leak fluid. In some instances, these types of ruptures require surgical repair.

  An additional complication related to fluid buildup is a brain abscess, which results when pockets of pus and fluid build up in the eardrum and instead of spreading out of the ear, spread in to the brain, resulting in infection.

Mastoid Bone Infection

• The bone located behind the ear that closely resembles a honeycomb, the mastoid bone can become infected when bacteria or viruses from chronic ear infections enter the mastoid bone and cause a breakdown of the bone. This condition is known as mastoiditis, and requires antibiotic treatments or even surgical removal of the infected bone.