Overweight Can Cause Ear Infections to Children

Scientists in South Korea revealed that there is a probable connection between body fat in children and particular kind of ear infection. But some specialists in the US doubt the research.

A study co-author Dr. Seung Geun Yeo, a researcher at Kyung Hee University in Seoul stated that they have to pay attention to lessen the obesity to children.

Ear infections remain very common in children; about 8 to 9 of every 10 kids are affected with such problem. The middle ear is the one being blamed by doctors because it usually does not fully drain fluids when it is developing.

Normally, doctors prescribed antibiotic though there is worry that the germs are developing immunity to the children.

In a new study, researchers examined two groups of kids which ages from 2 to 7. The 155 children had tubes set in the ears in order to help the kids drain the fluid and will recover from the ear infection. The 118 children were hospitalized for another reason.

The children were found to be suffering from a form of ear infection which known as otitis media with effusion. Ear ache and fever, some of ear infections’ symptoms, aren’t present when this condition occurs.

Based on their body mass index (BMI), a ratio of weight to height, the kids who were treated for ear infections were fatter than the other children. It showed that extra fat boosts the risk of ear infections; the total cholesterol was also higher.

Archives of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery were the study was published in the April issue.

Two American specialists of ear, nose and throat stated that they weren’t impressed with the study that the South Korean made.

Dr. Jack Paradise, professor of pediatrics and otolaryngology at the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine stated that one of the obvious problems was that the researchers did not compare similar groups of kids to each other. He also added that the study didn’t look at the socioeconomic levels of the children. He said that it is hard to generalize medical trends by just looking at the hospital records, since there are a lot of factors that can affect kids whether they have tubes in their ears.

Dr. David Darrow, of Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters in Norfolk, Va stated that the authors never gave a theory on how and why obesity can be connected to ear infections. The study lacks physiological explanation, he added.

Paradise said that there is no facts regarding the connection of obesity and ear infections, and it is not possible.

It’s probable that childhood obesity may be connected with ear infections, Dr. Jordan S. Josephson, an otolaryngologist at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City and author of Sinus Relief Now stated.

He stated that obesity can cause people to have huge appearance so their internal spaces become crowded by bulk. That is why their Eustachian tubes that drain their ears are narrowed, and which lead to otitis media with effusion.

Eliza Maledevic Ayson is a writer at http://jump2top.com

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Expel Tinnitus Symptoms - In 5 Simple Steps

Tinnitus may affect more than half of the American population. A curable ailment within the inner ear canal, tinnitus is noticed by uninterrupted ringing, hissing & swishing noises in ears that will not subside. When you struggle from symptoms of tinnitus, you will feel like you’re insane and no one else can hear the noises.

But you don’t have to struggle - tinnitus symptoms are curable.

5 Simple Steps To Silence Tinnitus Symptoms:

Tinnitus symptoms may be common amongst more than twenty five percent of the American population. A curable ailment originating from problems in the inner ear canal, tinnitus is inherent with endless buzzing, ringing or swishing noises that never subside. When the levels of ear ringing are high, it can constitute feelings of insanity and leave you feeling all alone. But you don’t have to feel isolated - ear ringing can be treated and homeopathic treatments have helped many sufferers ease the pain.

Tinnitus symptoms can appear in a single episode, quickly for a few days or weeks, or permanently. The ear ringing can interfere with an individual’s ability to concentrate and may also cause sleep disturbance with the ear ringing.

General tinnitus symptoms and Causes

* Excessive ear wax. When excess wax builds up in the ear canal, it can reduce the ability to hear outside noises and may worsen ear ringing.

* Otis media is the medical term for a middle ear infection or inflammation of the middle ear. If left undiagnosed or untreated, Otis media can lead to infection of the mastoid bone behind the ear, a ruptured ear drum, and hearing loss. Sometimes, tinnitus symptoms appear following a middle ear infection.

* Brain or head injury. General symptoms of a brain or head injury include loss of consciousness, confusion, drowsiness, personality change, seizures, nausea, headache and vomiting. About 25% of individuals who sustain a brain or head trauma, experience tinnitis symptoms following the injury.

* Meniere’s disease is an irregularity of the inner ear that affects balance and hearing. The tinnitus experienced by Meniere’s patients is uninterrupted and does not subside with time, although its intensity may vary.

* Otosclerosis is an abnormal bone growth in the middle ear that causes ear ringing. About 75% of people with otosclerosis also experience tinnitis symptoms.

* Bad Circulation may be an indication of a serious heart disorder. Common symptoms of poor circulation include cold hands and feet, white fingers, dizziness when standing quickly, numbness, varicose veins, migraine headaches, tinnitus and ear ringing.

* High Blood Cholesterol: High blood cholesterol clogs arteries that supply oxygen to the nerves of the inner ear. Lowering blood cholesterol levels may reduce tinnitis symptoms.

which can be a continuing dilemma.

5 Steps To Silence - Expel Common Tinnitus Symptoms

* Avoid all earsplitting sounds and noisy places.

* Avoid complete silence try and mask the tinnitus with white noise.

* Avoid exorbitant use of alcohol, caffeine, or aspirin.

* Using ear protection when using chain saws, guns, lawn mowers, loud music or power tools. Exposure to loud noises can make tinnitus worse and can also cause additional hearing loss.

* Control stress levels and learn how to relax in stressful situations.

But you don’t have to struggle with your tinnitus. You can’t make all the stress-causing events in your life just go away. You can however, learn how to manage them and how you respond to them to help reduce the way it affects your tinnitus. Use the tips to learn how you too can reduce your tinnitus symptoms.

Tinnitus expert John Currie has helped thousands of sufferers via his tinnitus related website.

A FREE 24 page tinnitus survival guide is available for immediate download at http://www.t-gone.com

Discover how you too can beat the tinnitus symptoms today.

Find The Right Treatment For Your Hearing Loss

Most people over the age of 60 start to experience some hearing loss. However hearing loss doesn’t just affect pensioners, it also affects many young adults, and even children. This problem has become more apparent in recent times because the modern world just keeps getting louder.

If you suffer from hearing loss, then it’s important to get yourself tested so you can start your treatment as soon as possible. There is no real cure for hearing loss, only really prevention, however you can learn to cope with your hearing loss.

How can I treat hearing loss?

There are many different types of hearing loss, and so there are also many different treatments available for it, the cause of your hearing aid determines which type of treatment would be best suited to you.

If you are suffering from temporary hearing loss:

Temporary hearing loss can be caused by infections, blockages, damage, and even diseases. These can all be cured.

If it is caused by an ear infection then this will often clear up by itself, however you might want to get some antibiotics from your doctor to speed up the process.

If your hearing loss is caused by blockages then your doctor will be able to remove the blockages, your local GP can do this, you don’t have to go to a specialist. Often the earwax is removed with a special machine, there are also a number of solutions you can buy over the counter to remove ear wax.

If your ear is injured then you will probably need surgery. While you are recovering the hearing devices may be a help.

Hearing Aids

Most forms of hearing loss can be treated effectively with a hearing aid, these all work by amplifying sounds and then transmitting this sound further inside the ear. There are lots of different hearing aids to choose from, there are so many that you may struggle to see the wood for the trees! You should see your audiologist to get some advice about which one would suit you best.

Permanent hearing loss cannot be cured, however the new hearing aids are very effective and provide many new features to help the user return to as normal a life as possible. Hearing aids are by no means cheap.

Lots of people that are in need of hearing aids don’t wear them simply because they are too expensive. Surely being able to hear clearly again is worth the cost?

Cochlear Implants

If your hearing loss is very severe then hearing aids may be no longer effective, in this case a cochlear implant could be considered. This is where a device is implanted inside you, it is located in the auditory nerve, this transmits electronic signals which are converted into sound.

The sound produced from a cochlear implant is not perfect, it often sounds very electronic, but it can be a help if nothing else is working.

It’s important to go and see your doctor as soon as possible, the sooner you get diagnosed, the sooner you can hear again!

You can also find more information at analog hearing aids and best hearing aids. FirstHearingAids.com is a comprehensive resource for people suffering from hearing loss to get information on hearing aid options, prices and maintenance.

Shopping Spree For Your Hearing Aid, Isn’t It Lucky?

Once you have bought a hearing aid for yourself, you need to take care of it on a regular basis. Taking care means doesn’t just mean keeping it clean, it also means that you should pay extra attention to the maintenance of its electronic components. To make sure your hearing aid stays in tip-top condition you will need to buy some maintenance supplies.

The first and most important thing is to maintain is the battery, everything needs power! Without a battery your hearing aid is useless. Make sure that you change batteries if they are not functioning properly. Hearing aid batteries are not like ordinary batteries, they normally last for a very long period of time. It’s a good idea to note down the date you first installed in the battery, this way you should know when it is about time to have it replaced. If you are not sure whether there is any life left in your hearing aid battery then it’s easiest just to change it, however you can buy a tool to test the amount of power left in a battery.

Other than these maintenance supplies, you also need some tools to clean your ears regularly. This helps to protect your hearing aids and keeps them going for a long time. The cleaning products include ear cream, ear picks or cotton buds, sanitized ear sprays, certain wax removal tools, and dri-aid (hearing aid dehumidifier). These products can be bought individually from different companies but if you buy a kit you might be able to get quite a good deal. These kits contain all the necessary supplies you are going to need in order to clean your hearing aids as well as your ears.

In addition to buying hearing aid maintenance kits, you also need to take precautions while cleaning your hearing devices. Do not use water to clean electronic parts and remember to use a dry cloth to wipe away any earwax and other dirt that has built up on the surface of your hearing aid. Occasionally a toothbrush can be used to remove stubborn wax, there are also specialist tools that you can buy so you don’t have to use your toothbrush! Of course you shouldn’t be using the same toothbrush that you use to clean your teeth with anyway. Take extra care while cleaning sensitive areas of your hearing aid, like the tubing that goes inside the ear and ear mold. If water bubbles are allowed into the tube, then just blow through one side.

Ear molds and other non-electronic parts can be washed with water and soap, but do not soak them for too long. Always dry the hearing aids completely before putting them back on otherwise you may experience some feedback, whistling and echo. If that’s the case, then remove your hearing aid and hold it in front of a fan for a few minutes, this dries off any accumulated water or soap bubbles.

You may also want to buy a hearing aid tester device. These devices or tools are shaped like a stethoscope, and therefore called stethosets. It is used in much the same way as a doctor uses a stethoscope to check the heartbeat. You can check if your hearing aid is working properly. If there is a fault, you can use this tool to diagnose exactly where the fault is located this maintenance tool especially comes handy when your kids use hearing aids and cannot tell by themselves whether or not they are working correctly.

You can also find more information at deals on hearing and old hearing aids. FirstHearingAids.com is a comprehensive resource for people suffering from hearing loss to get information on hearing aid options, prices and maintenance.

Labyrinthitis on Children - Symptoms and Treatment

Ear infections may be caused by viruses or bacteria and are common to young children. Ear infections can caused severe illness and symptoms should be addressed promptly. Persistent ear infections may lead to hearing difficulty, which can delay speech and learning.

Labyrinthisis

The inner ear, also called the labyrinth, contains fluid-filled chambers that are concerned with balance and hearing. Labyrinthisis, or inflammation of the labyrinth, can be a complication of a viral infection and causes dizziness and nausea.

SYMPTOMS

  • Vertigo, making your child feel that everything is spinning around uncontrollably.
  • Unsteadiness and falling down. She may need to lean on something to support herself.
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Ringing in the ear or hearing loss
  • CAUSES

    This rare but distressing condition results when a bacterium or virus that has caused a respiratory infection then infects the fluid inside the sensitive inner ear. Children lose their balance and hearing and become unsteady on their feet, and may feel nauseous and as if they are moving.

    MEDICAL TREATMENT

    If you are worried about your child’s unsteadiness and think she might be suffering from labyrinthisis, seek medical care immediately.

    The pediatrician will examine your child and will ask about any recent infectious illnesses. An ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist will evaluate your child’s hearing and balance function. She may prescribe bed rest for about a week as well as a special type of antihistamine syrup to relieve the vomiting and dizziness. Other treatment such as antibiotics, may be required.

    OUTLOOK

    Labyrinthitis usually last days to several weeks, then gradually improves. It can cause permanent impairment. But children can often compensate well for balance problems that may result.


    Erin Mae Crohn is a health professional and part time webmaster. She writes about health and fitness articles and diseases and disorders articles. If you have a site, submit your URL to Premium Web Directory for a free or paid listing.

    Before Buying a Hearing Aid, Ask Questions

    There may come a time in your life or that of a loved one when the guidance of a hearing specialist or physician is needed. Whether through illness or injury, genetics or aging, hearing loss may become an issue you or somebody in your family must face. The decision to invest in a hearing aid is an important, and not one to be entered into lightly. Therefore, it is important to be armed with the knowledge you need before you spend any money.

    If ever you find yourself in this situation, take the time to ask questions of the provider before signing any agreements or payment plans. If the hearing aid provider is reputable, you will be thoroughly tested before hearing aids are brought up in conversation, but all the time it is good to be prepared with a few questions. Here are some to ask your physician, hearing specialist, or hearing device provider:

    1) Are there any other alternatives to hearing aids?

    It may be possible that medication or minimally invasive surgery can correct your hearing problem.

    2) What type of hearing aid is best for me?

    Hearing devices come in different sizes - from full shell inserts to smaller modules with nearly invisible behind the ear devices. Not all work for everybody, however.

    3) What payment plans are available?

    Find out if your provider accepts insurance, Medicare, and other alternative financing plans.

    4) Is there a warranty or free trial period? What does the warranty cover and for how long?

    Some companies offer both, other only one. Be sure to check.

    5) Will I be able to wear a hearing aid in the shower, swimming, etc.?

    Know the durability of your hearing aid before you buy it.

    6) Will anybody else be able to repair the hearing aid?

    If you move or are not near the provider, find out if others can work on the aid without difficulty.

    The more you know about the hearing aid you are about to buy, the less headaches you are certain to endure should something ever go wrong. If you work with a reputable provider and quality equipment, that will likely not happen, but always remember to be informed.

    Robert Hutchcraft is owner of Advanced Hearing Technologies, provider of quality digital hearing aids and repair services. AHT offers hearing device assistance and services throughout the Ohio Valley, in Virginia, and online at http://www.advancedhearingtechnologies.com

    5 Ways To Silence The Ringing Noise In Ears

    It is a very stressful dilemma when it is constant or repeated and it can intrude with your ability to concentrate or sleep. Studies has not been able to produce an exact cause for why people hear a ringing. But, there are many theories floating around among the professionals and non professionals. This ringing can be a symptom of almost any ear condition including wax, ear infections, and injury from deafening noises. Antibiotics, aspirin, alcohol, caffeine, and other drugs can lead to buzzing noises. Many times tinnitus is a symptom of high blood pressure, an allergy, or anemia.

    A simple strategy for you:
    By boosting your immune system the levels of your tinnitus can be reduced.

    When one has been around deafening levels of noise for a long period of time it is very possible that hearing loss and tinnitus may occur. The levels of the ear ringing will get louder in quite places where there is very little background noise. The sounds can not be heard by anyone else and can worsen if your stress levels are not in control. Stress can be a big factor in dealing with tinnitus and the ringing noise in ears, which is the reason why exercise is recommended.

    At home there are some things you can do to lessen the ringing noises in the ear such as avoiding coffee (caffeine), alcohol, and smoking (nicotine); get plenty of rest and sleep with head propped up to lessen head congestion; at night try using competing sounds, such as low-level music, ticking clocks, or other noises.

    The natural sounds of the rain, wind or sounds of a washing machine running can help mask the ringing noise in ears. Also white noise CD’s and homeopathic remedies will also help when dealing with bouts of tinnitus attacks. One of the biggest mistakes tinnitus sufferers make is to neglect the immune system. Your immune system is very important in your struggle against the ringing noise in your ears.

    Ellen and John Currie have been helping tinnitus sufferers from the tinnitus website since 1999, we offer both email and telephonic support for sufferers to overcome their battle with ringing noise in ears.

    To learn more how you too can stop ear ringing noises from driving you crazy visit http://www.t-gone.com to learn more now.

    Purchase Insurance For Your Hearing Aid

    Very few insurance companies cover hearing aids on their policies, which is very unfortunate because they can be very costly to repair and replace. The population of the United States is continually growing older, which in turn increases the demand for hearing aids, and the demand for insuring them.

    On some policies you can get your hearing aid included if you pay a higher premium. This includes Midwest Hearing Industries. If you are a hearing aid wearer, then one of these plans could well be worth its weight in gold.

    Hearing aids are required for many children that suffer from hearing disorders, without them they may not develop the necessary language skills, so insuring them is practically a must.

    Insurance companies will no doubt start offering cover for hearing aids quite soon as there is a lot of demand for it, surely if enough people write letters demanding such a service eventually they will oblige.

    Several states have made laws stating that any health benefit plans should also cover the hearing aids for children, these states include Connecticut, Missouri, and Rhode Island. Each state has a slightly different law, different ages, money, and kinds of hearing loss are all mentioned in the different states laws.

    Many people have written letters to their insurance companies complaining that their hearing aid is not covered, some have even received a small amount of cover in return. So it’s a good idea to discuss these with your insurance provider.

    Ear surgery on the other hand is almost always covered on insurance plans, if a wearer needed implants the funding will often be provided by the insurance companies.

    You can visit the listen up website at http://www.listen-up.org/haidfund.htm for more details about insurance and hearing aids. This site is fantastic as it gives advice on different states, as well as different companies.

    As the number of users of hearing aids increase so will the pressure for insurance companies to provide some much needed cover.

    You can also find more information at temporary hearing loss and buy battery tester. FirstHearingAids.com is a comprehensive resource for people suffering from hearing loss to get information on hearing aid options, prices and maintenance.

    Ringing Ear Symptoms

    When you have tinnitis the distinguishing features don’t only include ringing ear. In fact the tinnitis sounds associated with ringing ear symptom are so varied as to be virtually hopeless to decribe. You may call it a ringing while I could well descrine it as a buzzing, you and I will call a beating, or a pulsing noise in the ear.

    Other sufferers of tinnitus may simply call them noises and shrug it off!

    Ringing Ear Symptoms Explained A strange phenomenon regarding tinnitis is that it is often not correctly spotted. The problem is that there are too many possible variations of the ringing ear symptom and also that many causes that medical professionals will often not recognize the tinitus symptoms you describe to them.

    Many times the ringing ear symptom in the ears will cause TMJ resulting from a “bad bite”. The mechanics of the jaw consist of a network of vessels, muscles and nerves and when the bite is out of sinc, the muscles, nerves and vessels of the ears can be affected. When these contract too much it may result in tinnitis. If a tentative bite causes the ringing ear symptom, a neuromuscular dentist can realign your bite so the jaws are synchronized with less muscle tension.

    It is my experience that the ringing ear symptom is very common among those with a high frequency hearing loss which often will be caused from exposure to loud noise. However everyone with high frequency hearing loss may not necessarily experience tinnitis. The fact that you have high frequency hearing loss does not mean you will develop tinnitis. That’s because there are too many possible variations associated with a ringing noise in the ears. If you are subjected to a exposure to loud noise the tinnitis is often triggered.

    A well known tinnitis fact, 95% of all instances of tinnitus are as a result of exposure to noise, stress or sinus problems.

    Ear infections, reduced hearing hearing, or even vertigo (dizziness) can be connected to a muscle-spasm problem originating with the teeth. In addition the ringing ear symptom can be an indication of an allergy, high or low blood pressure, diabetes, a tumor, injury to the head or neck, thyroid problems, and a variety of other causes including medications such as anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, sedatives, antidepressants, and aspirin.

    Symptoms of tinnitis may be intermittent, always with you, or of a pusatile quality. You may even have single or multiple tones. When there are fewer distractions or at night the ringing ear symptom can be more annoying.

    The symptoms of tinnitis experienced by sufferers of this affliction can range from being merely a mild annoyance to being severly debilitating. In fact there are about 5 million people in the US that are so badly afflicted by ringing ear symptom that they are unable to work or function normally.

    Ellen and John Currie have been advising constant ear ringing sufferers from the tinnitus website since 1999. They offer both email and telephonic support for sufferers to overcome their battle with ringing ears. To learn more how you too can stop ear ringing symptom from driving you crazy you must visit http://www.t-gone.com

    Using A Bluetooth Headset With A Hearing Aid

    Many people that have to use hearing aid also want to use a cell phone. Quite often the hearing aid frequencies interfere with the frequency used by cell phones. It’s quite common to experience squealing when trying to use a cell phone with your hearing aid.

    If your hearing aid isn’t very severe, then you may be able to hear well enough to take your hearing aid out and use the phone without the hearing aid.

    Manufacturers of hearing aids are quite innovative, they are always finding new features to add to the hearing aids.

    If you wanted to use Bluetooth headsets with your hearing aid it may have been difficult before, however now you can buy a Bluetooth compatible headset, these enable users to talk on the phone like other people can normally.

    Bluetooth is the name of a wireless radio system that can be used as a wireless headset. Bluetooth is a standard protocol which is compatible with Bluetooth enabled phones and PDA’s.

    Ear level instrument (ELI) is a Bluetooth headset produced by Starkey, this headset works perfectly with most hearing aids. The ELI is very small and considerably light, there is a built in battery which you can recharge. It uses a digital system to minimise the interference.

    The only problems with the ELI is that they are relatively new, and so they are quite difficult to come by.

    The ELI is positioned behind the ear, it uses the telecoil system to ‘talk’ to a telecoil enabled hearing aid. This works similar to when talking on a conventional phone with telecoils.

    The ELI battery does not last very long, however because it’s rechargeable you can charge it up instead of having to replace it.

    So how do you know whether or not you can use a Bluetooth headset with your phone? Well your cell phone should have a Bluetooth logo somewhere on the case, or box. You can also look in the product specifications.

    If your handset is Bluetooth enabled then you should be able to use an ELI, however it is worth checking compatibility before purchasing.

    You can also find more information at conduction hearing aids and analog hearing aids. FirstHearingAids.com is a comprehensive resource for people suffering from hearing loss to get information on hearing aid options, prices and maintenance.