In the grip of viral and vector-borne infections, the city is now seeing a spurt in the number of people reporting ear infections. ENT specialists in major hospitals across the city said the upsurge is nearly two-fold.
While common cold and upper respiratory tract infections are common in winter and rainy seasons, this time patients are complaining of severe pain resulting in prolonged treatment and even use of antibiotics, doctors said. The infections are uniform across all ages.
At the State-run Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital, doctors are seeing over 60 cases daily. “Although the infection is common across all ages, children are more prone to it. Ear infections are usually high during winter,” said S. Karthik, Associate Professor (ENT), Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute to which Bowring Hospital is attached.
The situation is similar in Victoria Hospital, said Medical Superintendent H. S. Satish, who is also an ENT specialist.
Balasubramanyam A. M., Professor (ENT), St John’s Medical College Hospital, attributed the upsurge to the dip in temperature, especially in the aftermath of cyclone Ockhi, and rising pollution in the city.
“Ear infections are directly proportional to throat and nose infections. After the cyclone, the weather has been fluctuating. Moreover, a lot of construction activity coupled with the increasing traffic in the city have resulted in an increased number of people getting ENT complications,” the doctor explained.
Pointing out that the upsurge in the number of cases — noticed since the last week of November — is nearly two-fold, Dr. Balasubramanyam said most patients are suffering from Otitis Media, an infection of the middle ear that causes inflammation (redness and swelling) and a build-up of fluid behind the eardrum.
“Patients are complaining of severe pain. This shows the virus causing this infection is more virulent this time. Initially, patients feel the infection has subsided after the pain has reduced, but we have noticed that the tendency for relapse is high and the complete treatment lasts for more than 10 days. Any infections in the ear should not be ignored,” he said.
Sreenivasa Murthy T.M., ENT consultant in Columbia Asia Referral Hospital, Yeshwantpur, said sensitivity in the ears is high when they are exposed to cold and wind.
Middle ear infections are often caused due to a stem from a prior infection of the respiratory tract that spreads to the ears. “The fluid that accumulates behind the middle ear results in inflammation and redness. If ignored, it can even result in temporary hearing loss,” the doctor added.
