Key Takeaways

1. While ear infections are not contagious, it is best to avoid contact with people suffering from viral or bacterial infections like cough or flu, as these microbes can spread the disease from one person to another. 
2. Ear infection can be developed as a result of compromised immunity and can cause severe symptoms if the disease spreads to nearby regions. However, taking proper medicines can decrease the chances of spread and reinfection. 
3. Finally, if left untreated, ear infections can cause various complications like mastoiditis (infection spreading to the bone under the ear), labyrinthitis (inner ear infection causing vertigo and hearing loss), cholesteatoma (build-up of skin cells inside the inner ear), facial paralysis (compression of facial nerves), meningitis (infection spreading to the protective brain and spinal cord layers), speech and language development problems, and brain abscess (bacterial infection causing pus and swelling inside the brain). These complications can be avoided by early treatment and correct diagnosis of the cause. 

Overview

An Ear Infection results from an infection from a bacterial, viral, or fungal microbe. These infections usually infect the middle ear and cause pain inside the ear. Children are more prone to these infections than adults, and they go away alone. However, if the infection spreads, it can worsen the symptoms and is usually treated with medications prescribed by your doctor. Chances are you developed an ear infection from the last time you caught the flu and cold. So you might be thinking, “Can I rule out the possibility of ear infection being contagious?”. Keep reading to explore the answer with appropriate reasoning. 

Are Ear Infections Contagious?

So the short answer to this question is No. Ear Infections are not contagious, but if triggered by certain conditions, including viral, bacterial, and fungal infections, then they can spread to others too. To further explore the possible implications associated with these infection types, let’s first examine the types of ear infections: 

1. Labyrinthitis: In this condition, the inner ear is infected and inflamed. 
2. Middle Ear Infection: This type is most common, especially in children, and is also called otitis media. 
3. External Ear Infection: The infection of the outer ear is also called the swimmer’s ear. 

In middle ear infections, the causal agents are mostly bacteria or viruses and often accompany contagious infections like colds or flu. These infections are contagious and can spread from one person to another. Ear infection develops when your immune system is compromised via other infectious diseases like cold and flu that spread from saliva droplets through sneezing, talking, or inhaling. Thus, increasing the chances of contracting an ear infection. Therefore, personal hygiene and abstinence from people suffering from contagious diseases can reduce the spread of risk. 

Although neither of the ear infections (viral, bacterial, or fungal) is contagious, the organisms causing them are. It means that without proper treatment, there is a possibility that these microbes can spread from one person to another and cause infections, if not the same then other types of conditions. 

How Do You Catch An Ear Infection?

Ear infections can be caused if your immune system is already on the toll of diseases. For example, the common cold caused by viral infection compromises the body’s natural defense, and it is easier in this state for germs to enter the body and cause infection. Therefore, if you suffer from the symptoms of a cold or flu, get proper treatment to avoid turning it into an ear infection. The most common ear infection is the middle ear infection called otitis media (OM) which is caused by bacteria and accompanies other symptoms, including excess fluid buildup in the middle ear, which causes pain and swelling. The fluid buildup in the sinuses due to the common cold at the back of the nose is transferred to the ear causing chronic otitis media (OM). Therefore, taking steam and flushing out the excess fluid from the nose can prevent the chances of ear infection. Another reason for developing chronic otitis media (COM) is damage to the eardrum, as the bacteria can gain access to the body from the damaged area and cause infection.

How Fast Can An Ear Infection Develop?

Ear infection can be acquired overnight, especially if you are experiencing nasal congestion due to the flu. The cold causes swelling of eustachian tubes, which run from the middle ear to the back of the throat, supplying air and draining excess fluid in the ear. Thus, swelling of these tubes can cause inflammation and accumulation of fluid in the ear as the tubes are no longer functional to remove the excess liquid. This fluid accumulation can create pain, pressure, and headaches as hearing provides balance to our body, and once it is affected overall body is affected. The swelling of these tubes can also be caused by smoking, allergy, changes in air pressure at height, swelling of adenoids, seasonal change, and nasal infection. 

Complications of Ear Infections

Ear infections, mainly middle ear infections, can cause many different complications if left untreated, as follows: 

1. Mastoiditis: It is a condition in which the infection spreads from the middle ear into the bone under the ear called mastoids. These mastoids cause fever, swelling behind the ear, pain, off-white discharge from the ear, headache, and even hearing loss in some cases. Treatment is usually done through antibiotics intravenously. 
2. Labyrinthitis: In this condition, the inner ear infection affects the ear structure called the labyrinth and causes vertigo, loss of balance, dizziness, and hearing loss in some cases. This infection usually takes a few weeks to go away completely. 
3. Cholesteatoma: It is a build-up of skin cells inside the inner ear which accumulates due to recurring long-term middle ear infections. These abnormal skin cells develop cholesteatoma, which can damage the delicate ear structures that maintain hearing and the body’s balance. This condition is accompanied by the symptoms like tinnitus which causes sounds to be heard from inside the body instead of outside, dizziness, half-face weakness, and even hearing loss.
4. Facial Paralysis: It is usually the symptom of ear infections like otitis media can cause compression of the facial nerves. These nerves run from the face to the brain and control facial expressions. Therefore, if these nerves are compressed, they can cause facial paralysis due to their inability to supply blood which causes no or minimal facial movement. This can look like a stroke, but once the underlying infection is treated, the condition restores to normal and rarely cause long-term complications. 
5. Meningitis: This condition causes severe middle ear infection in which the infection spreads to the protective brain and spinal cord layers called meninges. This causes fever, headache, neck stiffness, fast breathing, red blotchy rash, and light sensitivity. This is an implication of bacterial infection and is treated with intravenous antibacterial medication. 
6. Speech and Language Development Problems: Frequent and recurring ear infections can affect a child’s hearing, along with the risk of developing speech and language development problems. If you notice a similar pattern, contact your healthcare provider immediately. 
7. Brain abscess: It is a bacterial infection that causes pus and swelling inside the brain. This condition is accompanied by changes in mental state like confusion, fever, seizures, headache, and one-sided body paralysis. It can be treated with antibiotics and joint surgery to remove the pus and stop the infection from spreading. 

Can An Ear Infection Cause a Fever?

Ear infection can also cause fever, which indicates that the immune system is fighting back against foreign agents, i.e., viral, bacterial, or fungal infection. This causes a rise in temperature from 100 degrees Fahrenheit to 104 degrees. According to Seattle’s Children’s Hospital, fever is accompanied in 50% of cases of children with ear infections. 

How To Stop An Earache?

Ear infection can be treated by the correct diagnosis of the causal agent and appropriate treatment course as per the infection, i.e., antiviral, antibacterial, or antifungal. Usually, the infection goes away in a week or two in adults. In the case of younger children, if the symptoms don’t improve in 2 days, then immediate medical advice should be sought. The doctor usually recommends antibiotic ear drops in some cases, or chronic issues can include the removal of excess fluid from the ear. 

In case of a bacterial infection, antibiotics can improve the situation by killing the infection-causing bacteria and controlling its spread. Your doctor may prescribe you amoxicillin or cefdinir. Cefdinir is used for ear infection treatment in cases where the patient is allergic to penicillin. However, Cefdinir is less effective against certain bacteria like Haemophilus influenza. 

Other over-the-counter medicines that doctors suggest include anti-inflammatory medications like naproxen and ibuprofen, which do not directly treat infections but are effective in improving the symptoms like pain, fever, and swelling to avoid other complications like rupturing of the eardrum. In chronic cases, eardrum surgery may also be required to drain out the excess fluid, which is only done by professional surgeons. 

FAQs

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