John P. Cunha, DO, is a U.S. board-certified Emergency Medicine Physician. Dr. Cunha's educational background includes a BS in Biology from Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and a DO from the Kansas City University of Medicine and Biosciences in Kansas City, MO. He completed residency training in Emergency Medicine at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark, New Jersey.
Dr. Shiel received a Bachelor of Science degree with honors from the University of Notre Dame. There he was involved in research in radiation biology and received the Huisking Scholarship. After graduating from St. Louis University School of Medicine, he completed his Internal Medicine residency and Rheumatology fellowship at the University of California, Irvine. He is board-certified in Internal Medicine and Rheumatology.
The skin in the ear canal and the eardrum are very sensitive. Any
inflammation or injury is usually readily apparent due to pain or irritation.
In young children who are not old enough to verbalize their pain, the
diagnosis can be challenging. Redness, swelling, or discharge (blood,
inflammatory fluid, or pus) are the main signs of injury to the ear. Small
children often scratch or rub the ear repeatedly.
In the case of earwax impaction (cerumen impaction), a "fullness" or pressure is often reported
and a decrease in hearing on the affected side is noticed. In extreme cases,
dizziness, nausea and vomiting,
or unsteady walking result from inflammation of the
ear or build-up of pressure on the eardrum causing dysfunction of their middle
ear.
When should I call the doctor for an object in the ear?
The vast majority of foreign bodies in the ear are not true medical
emergencies. Call a doctor if something is in the affected person's ear, but
the
symptoms are minor. This can usually wait until the morning when your doctor's
office opens if it occurs at night.
If the affected individual has inflammation (swelling), fever, discharge, bleeding, or increasing pain; see a
doctor urgently. If the object in the ear is a battery, seek medical attention
immediately. If you are unsure of the severity of the injury, see a doctor.
Certain foreign bodies are potentially more harmful than others. Organic
material (bugs, plants, or food) should be removed promptly due to the
possibility of swelling of the material and rapid onset of infection. Insects
should be removed quickly as they cause distressing symptoms and great
discomfort, and can sting or
bite causing further damage. A few drops of mineral oil may be placed in the ear
canal prior to going to the doctor to kill the insect and stop the buzzing or
scraping sensation on the eardrum.
Button-type batteries from household gadgets are
particularly dangerous and need to be removed as soon as possible as they may leak
chemicals that can burn and severely damage the ear canal even within an hour.
Vertigo is a feeling of spinning movement, and at times accompanied by nausea and vomiting occur. Vertigo is most often associated with an inner ear problem. The treatment for vertigo can be lifestyle changes and medication if necessary.
Middle ear infection or inflammation (otitis media) is inflammation fo the middle ear. There are two types of otitis media, acute and chronic. Acute otitis media is generally short in duration, and chronic otitis media generally lasts several weeks. Seventy-five percent of children in the U.S. suffer from otitis media at some point. Treatment depends upon the type (chronic or acute).
Ear was is a natural substance secreted by special glands in the skin on the outer part of the ear canal. It repels water, and traps dust and sand particles. Usually a small amount of wax accumulates, dries up, and then falls out of the ear canal carrying with it unwanted particles. Under ideal circumstances, you should never have to clean your ear canals. The absence of ear wax may result in dry, itchy ears, and even infection. Ear wax may accumulate in the ear for a variety of reasons including; narrowing of the ear canal, production of less ear wax due to aging, or an overproduction of ear wax in response to trauma or blockage within the ear canal.
Balance is a state of body equilibrium or stability. We often take for granted how dependent we are on a healthy balance system. When the system breaks down, however, patients will describe symptoms such as dizziness, vertigo, lightheadedness, or motion sickness.
Swimmer's ear (external otitis) is an infection of the skin that covers the outer ear canal. Causes of swimmer's ear include excessive water exposure that leads to trapped bacteria in the ear canal. Symptoms include a feeling of fullness in the ear, itching, and ear pain. Chronic swimmer's ear may be caused by eczema, seborrhea, fungus, chronic irritation, and other conditions. Common treatment includes antibiotic ear drops.
Hearing RSS
Healthy Living Tips
