Pharmacy First - Earache (Acute otitis media)

Symptoms of Earache

• Pain around the ear
• Toothache
• Change in hearing
• Pain when swallowing
• Fever
• Discharge from the ear
• Scaly skin in and around the ear
• Irritated skin around the ear
• Loss of balance

As briefly mentioned, the main symptom of earache is pain in and around the ear. Ear pain will in almost every case of earache be the main symptom. Accompanying symptoms will then vary depending on what is causing your earache. Obvious symptoms to look out for include discharge from the ear which is indicative of an infection. This can be a massive sign, especially for young children who won’t be able to spot an infection themselves. If you think your child has earache book an appointment via the new NHS Pharmacy First service:

What is causing my earache?

Several different underlying conditions can trigger symptoms of earache. Young children are particularly vulnerable to earache due to teething, which can cause them a lot of discomfort. However, it could also be caused by a build-up of earwax. Worse still the child could even have an object stuck in their ear. Sometimes it can be hard to determine the cause of a child's earache. If this sounds like you, remember that NHS Pharmacy First, which is a FREE service, is available at Pierremont Pharmacy.

Commonly, earache is caused by an ear infection. This can be surprisingly painful, rendering most people bed-bound whilst trying to recover. An alternative cause of earache could be dental issues or toothache: it's common for toothache to share some symptoms with earache. Often those with toothache also suffer from headache or in this case earache. An explanation for this is due to the proximity of your ears to the rest of your face, sharing the same nerve tract. This is not a complete list of all the causes of earache, but we have listed the most common.

NB: If you need more specialist medical interventions our pharmacist will refer you on.

Worried about earache? Book a consultation through the FREE, NHS Pharmacy First service with our pharmacist:



https://www.pierremontpharmacy.com/pharmacy_first_broadstairs

Complication of Earache

Earache is not a worrisome condition in itself. Though it can be painful and a nuisance, the main worry is complications resulting from unchecked infection. Most obviously your hearing could become damaged due to complications from earache. Perforated eardrums, ear infections and inflammation can all wreak havoc with your hearing. Complications range from tinnitus (ringing noise in the ear) to partial or complete deafness, though this is thankfully rare. NHS Pharmacy First aims to help prevent these complications by providing a more immediate source of support and advice.

Some cases of earache can cause temporary hearing loss. For example ear infection, which can cause partial short-term hearing loss in the affected ear. Typically, once the infection resolves, this will be a temporary issue. However, in cases where the ear infection is chronic (reoccurring), it has the potential to cause permanent damage. For example, because of fluid buildup in the middle section of your ear (which generally occurs in chronic cases) the build-up of fluid cannot drain away. The resultant pressure, combined with infections causes damage to the ear. In the rarest of cases, ear infections can spread to other areas of the body. Typically spreading to the bone located around the ear or the membrane that surrounds the brain and spinal cord. We want to  emphasise that these complications are serious, but very rare illustrating the need to ensure conditions like earache are not simply ignored.

If you have the symptoms of earache and it's not recovering on its own, book a consultation with our pharmacy under the FREE, NHS Pharmacy First service.

How can NHS Pharmacy First help me?

This free, new, NHS service can in prompt time assist those suffering from minor health conditions like earaches, directly from their local community pharmacy. By simply popping into a pharmacy like Pierremont Pharmacy, you can in no time have these conditions addressed and provided treatment options in a single trip. Instead of the constant back and forth to see a GP. In addition, this service covers six other very common health conditions. We hope that in the future it will be expanded upon to cover even more health conditions so that patients can have easier and more direct access to healthcare.

Learn more about Pharmacy First >

Feel free to book an appointment or simply pop in and speak to our award-winning pharmacy team:

Conclusion

There can be no doubt that earache is a common health condition, though it can often be overlooked and dismissed. Simply treating the symptoms over what is actually causing it. Even though sometimes this is true. Earache remains a tell-tale sign of underlying health problems with our ears. Infection for example can lead down a road to permanent hearing loss. This is why it’s vital not to ignore the symptoms of earache. By and large the complications caused by earache can be easily avoided by simply booking an appointment to speak to our pharmacist who can then make any necessary treatments or referrals that are necessary. Now thanks to NHS Pharmacy First you can easily access excellent healthcare within convenient reach! NHS Pharmacy First service:

Treatment for Earache

The most effective and current treatment option for earache is NHS Pharmacy First! However, beyond this some treatment options could include over-the-counter ear drops that target the painful symptoms of earache. Symptomatic treatment could also include home remedies such as placing a warm flannel onto the affected ear. However, in cases of more serious earache, you may be prescribed medication usually in the form of antibiotics which can help relieve stubborn earache. This is not an exhaustive list of potential treatments for earache. However, you could be appropriately prescribed any of these after a free, NHS Pharmacy First consultation.