Ear Infections

In-ear headphones don’t necessarily increase the risk of ear infection.

Though there’s wisdom in the age-old advice not to stick anything in your ear but your elbow, ear buds and earplugs needn’t lead to an outer-ear infection (also called otitis externa, or swimmer’s ear). To avoid a problem, make sure your earphones are comfortable and not too tight. If they cause an irritation, as indicated by redness, soreness or itching, the earpieces could be making small cuts (microabrasions) in the outer ear which can lead to infection.

Though every third person seems to be listening to an MP3 player these days, Q-tips probably cause more infections than earplugs. Some people may be allergic to the materials earplugs are made of, in which case changing brands is a simple resolution.

Roaches crawl in your ear… but they don’t crawl out.

“I’ve pulled out a lot of bugs” says Dr. Jennifer L. Smullen with nary a wince. Smullen, an otologist and instructor at the Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, explains, “When the lights go on, cockroaches look for a place to hide, and they can run into the ear. You should not try to pull them out. Cockroaches have little barbs on their legs, and if you try to pull one out it will just dig those barbs in, which can cause a microabrasion in the ear. Cockroaches have all kinds of germs on them which directly seep into the ear and cause an outer-ear infection. It’s just like having germs carry into a little cut on your finger.”

If you have a live bug in your ear, Smullen recommends putting mineral oil or baby oil in the ear, which will stop the bug from moving until you can have it removed by a doctor. The physician will usually then use drops to treat any microabrasions. No cure yet for a case of the heebie-jeebies.

Chronic ear infections are more dangerous for diabetics.

Anyone with a compromised immune system needs to be extra cautious about introducing infections to the system. Like people with HIV and cancer patients, diabetics have problems fighting infection. Because of proximity to the brain, an infection of the middle or inner ear can lead to very serious conditions such as meningitis (infection of the lining of the brain) or encephalitis (infection of the brain itself).

Fluid in the ear does not appear to affect school performance.

A 2005 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) showed there was no difference in the school performance of young children based on when fluid from middle-ear infections was drained. Before the study, it had been thought that hearing loss from fluid build-up might affect the development of a child’s speech, language or learning ability. The conclusion was that 3-year-olds showed no significant developmental differences whether they were treated promptly or nine months later.

There is some debate about using antibiotics to treat ear infections.

The NEJM study stoked an ongoing discussion about treating infections with antibiotics. “If a child is healthy and not at high risk because of medical problems or preexisting hearing loss, it’s probably okay not to use antibiotics the moment an infection develops,” says Smullen. “It’s likely to clear on its own.” She cites good reasons to avoid the use—particularly the repeated use—of antibiotics, including allergic reactions, side effects and the development of drug resistance.

Note that there are two possible issues to address with a middle-ear infection (otitis media): the infection itself, and the possibility of fluid building up behind the eardrum. “Fluid can affect hearing but it can usually stay there for 90 days before I would recommend draining it,” Smullen says. “Infection is something different. If there’s fever, pain and purulence [pus] behind the eardrum lasting more than three to five days, it’s time to see a doctor and get antibiotics.”

Ear Infections has been reviewed for accuracy by Jennifer L. Smullen, MD, instructor at the Massachusetts Eye & Ear Infirmary, Harvard School of Medicine.

Confused by health myths and misinformation? Each week, Rich Maloof talks to leading health experts to bring you the straight facts on a broad range of health topics.

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Rich Maloof is a regular contributor to MSN Health & Fitness. He specializes in health as well as technology and music. Rich has also written for CNN, Yahoo!, Women's Health, Billboard and the “For Dummies” book series.