Treatment for Chronic Ear Infections in Manhattan, NYC

Do you ever think you or your child develop too many ear infections? While ear infections are much more common in children, there may be an underlying cause for repeat or chronic ear infections that need to be treated.

If your child is struggling with chronic ear infections in the Manhattan area, Dr. Stacey Silvers with Madison ENT may be able to help. Give us a call at (212) 213-3339 to schedule an appointment, or request an appointment online.

What Causes Chronic Ear Infections?

The Eustachian tube goes from the middle of each ear to the back of the throat and is supposed to drain fluid from the ear. When you have a cold or allergies, the tube can swell and become blocked causing fluid to build up behind your eardrum.

A middle ear infection occurs when this fluid builds up and becomes infected. A chronic ear infection means that the initial infection did not completely go away. This is likely because the infection didn’t respond to treatment or was never treated.

Hearing Loss and Other Complications

When you, or your child, have an ear infection that doesn’t respond to treatment, see your doctor at Madison ENT & Facial Plastic Surgery to prevent a chronic ear infection. If a chronic ear infection is not treated correctly, it can lead to serious complications including:

• A ruptured eardrum
• Hearing loss
• Infection or damage to bones in the ear
• Damage to the tissues in the middle ear
• A cyst in the middle ear

Ear Tube Surgery in Manhattan

Surgery may be needed to drain the fluid behind the eardrum if you or your child have a chronic ear infection or if you develop multiple ear infections in a short amount of time.

A myringotomy procedure to insert ear tubes is commonly done to drain the fluid and equalize pressure on the eardrums. A small cut is made in the eardrum and excess fluid may be removed. A small tube is then placed through the cut so fluid can continue to flow out of the middle ear and reduce the chance of another ear infection. The eardrum usually sheds the tube naturally after two to three years.

Depending on the cause of your ear infection, your ENT may also recommend the removal of the adenoids or tonsils as well as other treatments.