17.07.2021 – 08:42
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Patients: Summer and the beach, how to avoid ear infections?
Doctor: With the arrival of summer and the beginning of the beach season, the number of young patients in the pediatric service at QSUT has increased. In addition to throat problems, fever and various infections characteristic of this season, ear problems are the most common.
Juzela Shehu, ENT doctor at the pediatric service at QSUT, points out that it is the heat and polluted water on beaches and swimming pools that further stimulates these problems, calling on us to be careful to avoid getting into the water, using corks or even swimming hoods.
What are the most common ORL health problems encountered this season?
In this period, in addition to problems with the throat, nose and various infections (acute and chronic) more often we have ear problems, typical for this season as a result of rising temperatures and the start of the beach.
What are the first concerns these patients present?
The first clinical symptom is pain, which depending on the degree can be mild to severe unbearable pain, necessitating the use of sedatives usually given by mouth, ear drops or even antibiotics.
How has this affected the increase in patient flow?
It is a disease characteristic of the season, so without a doubt this translates into an increase in the number of patients, although in hospital centers in this period normally this number should decrease with the relocation of people to beach areas.
How can we avoid pain without consulting a specialist?
If the child complains of pain, the first thing the parent should do is give sedatives, paracetamol or ibuprofen. Further ORL visits are definitely needed where depending on the condition, the doctor prescribes medication or not with antibiotics. There are many cases where parents come to the pharmacy “self-medicating”, but they must take into account that in these cases can occur various complications, which although not life-threatening, affect hearing loss, reversible normally.
What should we keep in mind to avoid these complications?
Avoid getting too much water in the ear, especially for those children who are prone to ear infections or hearing membrane problems. So wash carefully, close your ears, use swimming hoods and earplugs every time you get into the water.
Advice?
Be careful, avoid polluted waters on the beach and swimming pools as much as possible, and in the first case you feel discomfort, see a doctor.
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