Earache

• Can I talk to a doctor on Gotodoctor.ca about my earache?

Yes, Gotodoctor.ca provides virtual care services for earache. A doctor will take a comprehensive in-depth history and may provide you with prescriptions. Depending on the severity of symptoms further recommendations will be provided. If a patient is suffering from a severe earache the doctor will direct him to clinic treatment.

• What is earache?

Earache is a pain that arises from the area of the middle ear and it can result from any condition that affects the tract of Eustachian tubes and cavities in the ear^[1]. It can be an infection of the middle ear as well as infection of the outer ear canal, as in a swimmer’s ear in which unclean water gets stuck in the outer canals of the ear which attracts bacterial infections^{[2, 3]}. Blockage in Eustachian tubes leads to air and fluid accumulation leading to an increase of the pressure of fluid in the ear, allergies, tooth infection, barotrauma and building up of wax in the ear^[4][5].

• What are the symptoms of earache?

A doctor will be able to diagnose earache at the clinic by identifying characteristic symptoms^[6]. Symptoms associated with earache are fever, hearing loss, headaches, jaw pain, clicking and popping^[7]. Children with earache present with increased crying and loss of appetite^[8]. Complications of earache are loss of hearing, vertigo and recurrent chances of infection^[9].

• How is earache treated?

A doctor decides on treatment after taking a comprehensive history of the patient. Treatment of earache depends on the underlying cause and investigations should be done. First of all, life-threatening conditions are excluded by the doctor at the clinic^[10]. Pain relief medications may be prescribed to make the patient free of pain^[11]. Prescriptions for broad-spectrum antibiotics may be provided for the patient who suffers from middle ear infections and prescriptions for topical anaesthetic ear drops may also be provided. ^{[12] [13, 14]}.

• How can an online doctor on Gotodoctor.ca treat earache?

Online doctor on Gotodoctor.ca treat earache through virtual care services. An appointment can be easily made with an online doctor. Earache can be treated via virtual care methods^[13-21]. An online doctor will take a comprehensive history of your signs and symptoms and may provide you with prescriptions. Prescriptions can be obtained by online doctors. Virtual care services provided by Gotodoctor.ca assure comfort, convenience and a higher level of care for the patient.

References

1. Conover, K., Earache. Emergency medicine clinics of North America, 2013. 31(2): p. 413-442.
2. Karmacharya, S. and S.K. Sah, Etiological Profile of Referred Otalgias in a Tertiary Care Hospital. Janaki Medical College Journal of Medical Science, 2020. 8(2): p. 32-36.
3. Wang, M.-C., et al., Ear problems in swimmers. Journal of the chinese medical association, 2005. 68(8): p. 347-352.
4. Taziki, M.H. and N. Behnampour, A study of the etiology of referred otalgia. Iranian journal of otorhinolaryngology, 2012. 24(69): p. 171.
5. Vaghef-Davari, F., et al., Approach to Acute Abdominal Pain: Practical Algorithms. Advanced journal of emergency medicine, 2019. 4(2): p. e29-e29.
6. Kontiokari, T., et al., Symptoms of acute otitis media. The Pediatric infectious disease journal, 1998. 17(8): p. 676-679.
7. Yiengprugsawan, V., A. Hogan, and L. Strazdins, Longitudinal analysis of ear infection and hearing impairment: findings from 6-year prospective cohorts of Australian children. BMC pediatrics, 2013. 13(1): p. 1-7.
8. Burke, P., et al., Acute red ear in children: controlled trial of non-antibiotic treatment in general practice. British Medical Journal, 1991. 303(6802): p. 558-562.
9. Laxdal, O., My child has an earache. Canadian Family Physician, 1974. 20(9): p. 65.
10. Fisher, P. and P. Holmes, Walk-in Clinic: Earache. Practice Nursing, 1998. 9(15): p. 39-42.
11. Perquin, C.W., et al., Chronic pain among children and adolescents: physician consultation and medication use. The Clinical journal of pain, 2000. 16(3): p. 229-235.
12. Hamre, H.J., et al., Antibiotic use in children with acute respiratory or ear infections: prospective observational comparison of anthroposophic and conventional treatment under routine primary care conditions. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2014. 2014.
13. Almathami, H.K.Y., K.T. Win, and E. Vlahu-Gjorgievska, Barriers and Facilitators That Influence Telemedicine-Based, Real-Time, Online Consultation at Patients’ Homes: Systematic Literature Review. J Med Internet Res, 2020. 22(2): p. e16407.
14. Deldar, K., K. Bahaadinbeigy, and S.M. Tara, Teleconsultation and Clinical Decision Making: a Systematic Review. Acta informatica medica : AIM : journal of the Society for Medical Informatics of Bosnia & Herzegovina : casopis Drustva za medicinsku informatiku BiH, 2016. 24(4): p. 286-292.
15. Gunasekeran, D.V., et al., Evaluating Safety and Efficacy of Follow-up for Patients With Abdominal Pain Using Video Consultation (SAVED Study): Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of medical Internet research, 2020. 22(6): p. e17417-e17417.
16. Myers, D.R., et al., Towards remote assessment and screening of acute abdominal pain using only a smartphone with native accelerometers. Scientific Reports, 2017. 7(1): p. 12750.
17. Staub, G., J. Overbeck, and E. Blozik, Teleconsultation in children with abdominal pain: A comparison of physician triage recommendations and an established paediatric telephone triage protocol. BMC medical informatics and decision making, 2013. 13: p. 110.
18. Bokolo Anthony, J., Use of Telemedicine and Virtual Care for Remote Treatment in Response to COVID-19 Pandemic. Journal of Medical Systems, 2020. 44(7): p. 132.
19. Eaton, L.H., et al., Development and implementation of a telehealth-enhanced intervention for pain and symptom management. Contemporary clinical trials, 2014. 38(2): p. 213-220.
20. Wang, X., et al., Impact of Telemedicine on Healthcare Service System Considering Patients’ Choice. Discrete Dynamics in Nature and Society, 2019. 2019: p. 7642176.
21. Williams, O.E., et al., The use of telemedicine to enhance secondary care: some lessons from the front line. Future healthcare journal, 2017. 4(2): p. 109-114.