Ear Infection News & Features

May 15, 2019 — Researchers studied an app that uses a smartphone's microphone and speaker and a piece of paper to detect fluid behind the eardrum.

August 7, 2017 — The shots are effective in killing the main bacterial cause, but other germs are growing, researchers find

July 27, 2017 — Vaccine that prevents ear infections may have counterbalanced surge in headphone use, expert says

December 21, 2016 — 10 days of the medication was twice as effective, study finds

October 7, 2016 — They're the No. 1 reason kids get antibiotics, and finding could point to better treatments, researchers say

September 22, 2016 — Small, preliminary study suggests oxytocin might ease 'ringing in the ears'

September 14, 2016 — One-time application was highly effective in animal trials, but more study needed, researchers say

July 27, 2015 — For kids with a common hearing problem, procedure may be an alternative to antibiotics, drainage tubes

February 19, 2014 — Finds drops may be preferred remedy when special 'ear tubes' are needed

February 3, 2014 — Instead, use antibacterial or antibiotic eardrops, experts advise

September 17, 2013 — Learn the symptoms of ear infections –- and what to do next.

February 25, 2013 — Less antibiotic use, added focus on pain control among key points

May 19, 2011 — Swimmers often regard inflammation of the external ear canal, known as swimmer's ear, as an inevitable, minor nuisance. But a new study finds that the problem adds substantially to health care costs and the number of annual doctor visits.

January 12, 2011 — Small children with ear infections recover better with early antibiotic treatment -- although diarrhea and diaper rash are common side effects.

October 7, 2009 — Cleaner air resulting from federal pollution laws may have significantly reduced the prevalence of ear infections in children, a new study shows.

August 29, 2008 — Earwax provides benefits to the body, helping to clean and lubricate the ear canal, but too much can cause problems. New guidelines strongly advise doctors to clean out excess earwax and check people with hearing aids every three months.

October 16, 2007 — Doctors in Rochester, N.Y., have found a bacterial strain that causes ear infections and resists FDA-approved antibiotics for kids.

September 18, 2007 — Since the 2000 introduction of the pneumococcal vaccine to prevent ear infections in children, a superbug that is resistant to all the antibiotics approved to treat the condition has emerged, researchers report.

April 16, 2007 — Obese children may be more likely to have fluid build-up in the middle part of their ears, a study shows.

April 2, 2007 — The pneumococcal vaccine recommended for all children may reduce frequent ear infections in children, experts write in Pediatrics.

March 23, 2007 — Inventors of a new nasal spray designed to help prevent ear infections in children report promising results in lab tests on mice.

January 18, 2007 — blah blah

January 18, 2007 — Ear Tubes Not Always Needed

January 18, 2007 — Hundreds of thousands of toddlers and preschoolers in the U.S. get ear tubes each year, but a landmark study shows that a large number may not need them for the purpose of avoiding future developmental problems.

September 12, 2006 — Most children with ear infections do not need antibiotics, but they get them anyway. Now, a new study suggests parents are often willing to delay treatment if they know their kids can get the drugs if they need them.

September 5, 2006 — Kids under 2 years of age have 20% fewer ear infections now that pneumococcal vaccination is routine.

July 13, 2006 — A new study shows that chronic middle ear infections may be caused by a thin biofilm that coats the middle ear and forms a slime-like barrier that prevents the body's natural defenses from fighting infection-causing bacteria.

March 31, 2006 — Ear drops are the best way to initially treat swimmer's ear, according to the first-ever recommendations on how to treat the common condition.

March 2, 2006 — An experimental vaccine might cut infections of the middle ear, researchers report in <EM>The Lancet</EM>.

May 2, 2001 — Treating the pain as effective as treating the infection

April 18, 2001 — Until he was 6 months old Matthew Luber had a very rough life -- and so did his mother Mandy Luber.

January 26, 2001 — New Therapy Could Reduce Antibiotic Use

November 29, 2000 — Remember Raquel Welch breathlessly navigating a microscopic space ship through the human body in the cult classic Fantastic Voyage?

September 11, 2000 — Limit Use to Bedtime

December 7, 1999 — 'Tis the season. While parents are moaning ''Not another ear infection,' scientists have been busy in the lab trying to find out why some kids are more likely to get them.

September 27, 1999 — A new laser procedure that can be performed right in the doctor's office without anesthesia could reduce the need to place tubes in the ears of people with chronic middle ear infections. Linda Brodsky, MD, who presented the results of her research in New Orleans at the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Academy of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, says laser-assisted myringotomy (LAM) involv