Ears are hearing organs that help the child learn and correctly perceive the world around him. This body cannot be called too vulnerable, but it requires some attention. In childhood, it is especially important to avoid drafts and hypothermia, as well as unwanted mechanical injuries. The vessels that ensure proper blood flow in the ear are very small and recover for a long time. Further we will consider why the child has blood from the ear, and how to help him.
Features of the structure of the ear
To understand why blood can flow from the ears of a child, it is important to understand the structure of this organ. First of all, cilia (small hairs), which are located in the ear canal, are on guard of health. They accumulate excessive dust and dirt on themselves, pushing it out and not allowing them to get deeper.
Earwax accumulates in all in different quantities, the main thing is to prevent its overabundance, which can lead to the formation of a cork. Doctors recommend cleaning daily, but do not use cotton swabs for this. Careless use of them can lead to undesirable mechanical damage, which can cause the appearance of blood from the ears of the child.
In childhood, ear health problems are more common, due to the small size of the organs, which makes them more vulnerable.
The structure of the ear from the point of view of anatomy is divided into three parts:
- The outer part, or outer ear, is the external auditory meatus.
- The middle ear, which consists of a malleus, anvil and stapes.
- The inner part, or inner ear, that contains the fluid through which waves are transmitted to the auditory nerves.
Ear pain in a child can occur in any of the described parts. Only after a thorough examination can you determine the causes and find the right treatment.
Types of bleeding
Any bleeding causes the child's parents to panic. It is important to determine the reason for the bleeding from the ear:
- Damage to the skin of the auricle. Slight scratches or other minor injuries. Such bleeding stops on its own, it is enough to carry out standard disinfection procedures.
- Causes that are not associated with damage to the skin. If such symptoms appear, it is necessary to consult a doctor in a timely manner and undergo a diagnosis.
Seeing a child’s blood from the ear, only a competent specialist can answer the question of why it goes. He will in time determine the presence of inflammation, trauma or pathology of a different nature that provoked an unpleasant symptom.
Ear and mechanical injuries
Injuries that lead to the appearance of blood in the ears are divided into several types:
- Craniocerebral in many cases is accompanied by bleeding from the ear.
- Incorrect cleaning of the ears and the elimination of unpleasant itching lead to damage that causes the appearance of blood from the ears of the child. Therefore, sharp objects cannot be used to clean the organ.
- A child may also suffer mechanical damage during play. An unexpected blow in the ear (for example, with a ball) will provoke inflammation or damage to the membrane, which leads to pain in the ear and bleeding.
From the described herbs, not even an adult is safe. So, athletes often suffer from various injuries of a mechanical nature. Often, it is blood that allows us to understand that the eardrum has burst, there is an internal trauma to the skull, and urgent medical attention is required.
Infectious diseases
Ear diseases in people, regardless of age, are difficult to tolerate, accompanied by pain and fever, especially if it is associated with an infection. Inflammation in the ear is dangerous and can seriously impair your hearing. For this reason, you can not put off seeing a doctor, undergoing examination and treatment.
Among infectious pathologies, there are:
- The formation of suppuration, which takes the form of a boil. Acute symptoms last until the moment of its breakthrough.
- Infectious inflammation of the tympanic membrane (myringitis), during which a serous vesicle forms inside the ear.
- Fungal diseases of the ears in people against a background of weakened immunity and impaired healthy microflora. Candida mushrooms feel great in the environment that forms in the body after taking antibiotics.
- Otitis, or inflammation of the middle ear. The symptomatology of the disease is quite intense, severe headaches, fever and dizziness do not allow to leave the pathology unattended.
Self-medication is dangerous in most cases, the inflammatory process can severely injure parts of the described organ and spoil the hearing of the child. It is important to consult a doctor on time, who will not only relieve severe symptoms, but also help get rid of the main cause of the disease.
Oncological causes
In some cases, the cause of blood from the ears of a child or adult is a tumor. The oncological nature of the pathology requires emergency medical supervision, diagnosis and treatment. Any neoplasm in the ear causes bleeding. What is the nature of the tumor, only a doctor can determine. Even the benign nature of the tumor requires treatment, since its growth exerts increased pressure on the eardrum, impairs hearing and leads to the appearance of blood.
Eardrum Damage
The eardrum can be damaged for various reasons. Mechanical trauma, as mentioned earlier, or a strong sound explosion often lead to perforation. If the eardrum bursts, it becomes noticeable by the deterioration of hearing.
At the first moment, a person feels severe acute pain, which gradually turns into a constant dull buzz. The prognosis for recovery depends on the severity of the damage. Minor injuries tend to heal. A serious gap often requires the intervention of a surgeon, as well as taking a complex of medicines.
How to provide first aid to a child?
Each parent should understand what to do first if bleeding from the ear is detected. It is not always possible to establish the root cause; the child could be injured without the presence of mom or dad.
The main actions of first aid are as follows:
- Thoroughly clean the ear of any contamination. Disinfect damage to the skin of the auricle.
- If bleeding is not associated with external wounds on the skin, an ear patch is required . For this procedure, you need to use sterile cotton wool and bandages, it is advisable to have these funds in your home medicine cabinet.
- Take the child to a medical facility where specialists will provide further assistance.
For washing the ear, warm water can be used, best boiled, and treatment of wounds can be carried out with a solution of iodine. If there is a suspicion of rupture of the eardrum, then a bandage or compress is placed on the child’s ear, which consists of a tampon that closes the ear canal and dressings.
How to treat
A competent doctor should determine the cause of bleeding before prescribing the necessary course of treatment. Any deviation from the norm requires a detailed study, after which the necessary approach is developed.
The main treatment regimens:
- If the child is diagnosed with otitis media, then there may be two approaches. When the disease is dry, the ear warms up with heat, antiseptic agents are used, which are buried in the ear. If otitis media is in a purulent stage, then any compresses on the child’s ear and heating are strictly prohibited. A course of antibiotics, painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs is prescribed.
- With external damage to the skin, local antiseptics are used and a bandage is applied. With minor injuries, the blood stops very quickly and the use of bandages is not required.
- Damage to the eardrum of varying severity should be treated under medical supervision. The use of antibacterial agents and ear washing with an antiseptic is mandatory.
- Candidiasis is fungal in nature, therefore, antimycotic drugs are used for treatment, which can be taken orally or applied directly to the affected ear.
- In case of traumatic brain injury, the patient needs a serious examination and treatment of the underlying damage. Blood from the ears in this case is a consequence, this symptom will disappear after eliminating the root cause.
Medicine is ready to offer surgical intervention, which is used to restore the eardrum. This approach is applicable if the damage is significant and does not lend itself to other methods of treatment.
Oncology also requires the consultation of an oncologist, who will have a serious impact on the course of treatment. In the treatment of cancer, chemotherapy and radiation are indicated.
What can not be done
Parents seek to help the child as soon as possible, to relieve him of discomfort and formidable symptoms. At such moments, it is important to remember the precautionary rules, which will not harm:
- You can’t try to cleanse the ear from contamination using sharp objects, trying to reach the deepest parts.
- It is contraindicated to use the first ear drops that have fallen into the medicine cabinet.
- If a foreign object is observed in the ear canal, you should not try to remove it yourself.
- Do not resort to warming up a sick ear without appropriate doctor's prescription.
Ear bleeding cannot be called a frequent occurrence in children's health, however, such cases do occur. Do not self-medicate, timely medical care will save time and nerves.
Key Health Recommendations
Specialists also give some recommendations aimed at reducing the formation of earwax in a child:
- Balance nutrition. It is advisable to reduce the consumption of foods that contribute to increased sulfur formation (refined foods, dairy products, sugar).
- If necessary, resort to a washing procedure. This procedure is indicated for softening and eliminating ear deposits. It is carried out in the presence of a doctor or independently at home, but only on the recommendation of a specialist.
- It is allowed to use special pharmacy solutions, which are shown after consultation with a doctor.
To maintain the health of the child does not require anything supernatural. The main thing is to respond in time to signs of deviations and not neglect a visit to a specialist.