Is it really THAT unusual for an adult to have an ear infection?

[lady raven]

I am currently being treated with antibiotics for a NASTY bacterial infection of the middle ear, which followed a bad cold. It was diagnosed and treated at urgent care rather than my regular doctor, and the urgent care doc thought it was strange that someone of my age (33) would have it, since it's primarly an ailment of children.

When I got home and did a little internet research, most of the sites said that it is primarily children who suffer from otitis media and that it is uncommon in adults. One site even called it "rare" in adults.

Now of course I'm getting all paranoid, wondering if there's something wrong with my immune system. This isn't my first bout of OM either- I have allergies, sinus issues, and eustachian tube dysfunction, and I have had two other diagnosed cases of OM in my adult years.

No, I'm not asking for medical advice- Just wondering if it's really THAT uncommon and if any of you have had it as adults.

[Atmashine]

1. I was 22

when I had my first ear infection ever. The doctors said usually (younger toddler aged) kids get it. I would rather win the lottery.

[ScreamingMeemie]

2. I get them...but I have immune issues...so, you probably don't

want to talk about it with me. Do you often get infections? I get infections all the time. That's what led me to go to the doctor. :hi:

[lady raven]

10. Not really that often

The last case of OM I had was in 1999, so it's been awhile. Since I have a kindergartener and he's bringing home bugs all the time, the whole family gets them but they are very mild and short lived. Aside from the paranoia about THIS infection, I really am not too concerned about immune issues. This is just one of those illnesses I'm not too knowledgeable about.

[gollygee]

3. I don't think it's rare

I had an ear infection last year that caused my eardrum to rupture, as did my husband.

I've had ear infections once or twice before as an adult, but I never got them as a child.

[China_cat]

4. I have recurrent OM

At least 3 times a year. The last time it was really, really bad and I ended up in the ER I became somewhat of a celebrity...the attending kept calling in all the other doctors he could think of to look at my ear because I was first adult with this condition that he had ever seen.

[grrl62]

5. if you have allergies

it's not uncommon.

[stellanoir]

6. I had chronic OM for many years

in my late twenties and early thirties. The antibiotics can often only "embolden" the bacteria over time.

A friend joked that they had established condominiums in my ears.

The only way I finally kicked them permanantly was with one acupuncture treatment.

I had some success with mullein and garlic tinctures (applied topically) and oriental botanicals (nui huang jie du pian) as well.

No one ever told me that secondary ear infections were unusual in adults either.

[eyesroll]

7. I get one every few years.

I had them chronically as a child, but only occasionally as an adult. (I'm 30.) It often accompanies sinus issues for me.

Last summer, I had OM in both ears, and a sinus infection on top of it. The urgent-care doc didn't think it was particularly weird, especially given my history.

[Brazenly Liberal]

8. I just had a really nasty one in December

Oy, the pain! I told my doctor to make it go away or shoot me and I didn't care which. My hearing still hasn't fully returned in that ear.

Some adults are prone to having them. The doc says people who are prone to clogged eustachian tubes are at higher risk, as are people who are a little too diligent about cleaning the outer ear.

[lady raven]

9. Thanks for the responses, everybody!

I guess when they say it's uncommon, or even rare, they mean by comparision to the rates that kids get it.

I just took the third day of my 3 day course of Zithromax and I'm still having symptoms. I do really hope that the antibiotics work. I HAVE had a significant improvement, it's just not gone yet.

Thanks again!!!!!!!!!!!!

[NewJeffCT]

11. I had one that lasted a while recently - I'm 39

I caught it from my now 3 year old daughter. I was battling a cold, and then I woke up on the morning of Nov. 1 with both my ears blocked. Called the doctor & went in and saw the Nurse Practioner. She diagnosed me with an ear infection in each ear & gave me samples of a new antibiotic called "Ketek". (said she didn't want to use Zithromax as it was too common now)

That did nothing. In the meantime, I developed a hacking cough that often kept me up for stretches at night.

So, a week later, I went in and saw the PA in the he said I still had the ear infection. he prescribed a special version of Amoxicillen that he called "Amoxicillen with a kicker", as well as a cough suppressant and Zirtec for the congestion in my nose.

10 days later, when the Amox prescription was done, my ears seemed to be 90-95% better. I only noticed the blockage if I leaned over. I called them up & the PA said that they didn't want me to stay on antibiotics, but that I should continue with the zirtec to get rid of my congestion.

I seemed pretty good for a few weeks until I woke up one morning in December with both my ears blocked again.

And, the cough came back as well. This time, I finally saw the doctor & he put me back on amoxicillen.

This time, the amoxicillen didn't work, and my cough got worse.

Finally, they threw up their hands & sent me to an ear, nose & throat specialist.

the ENT guy seemed pretty good, and recommended I use prilosec to get rid of the cough instead of all the cough suppresents. Also suggested I pop my ears regularly to open them up for drainage.

The prilosec worked miracles for the cough almost immediately. However, my ears continued to be blocked.

For my follow-up, the ENT guy physically popped my ears with some tool there and I seemed better again.

Unfortunately, the cough came back a few weeks later... but, my ears seemed better.

This time, the prilosec didn't really work too well, so after 2 weeks, I used some other OTC stuff to help a bit.

[leftofthedial]

12. Huh?

what'd they say?

[AlienGirl]

13. Not that rare

I get them every couple years or so. Just having troublesome eustachian tubes can be cause enough.

Tucker

[politicat]

14. Our ENT told us...

That adults who should have had tubes in their ears as children but didn't get them tend to still have eustachian tube problems. DH and I both have allergies and horrible sinuses, and we both should have had tubes, but in the seventies, they didn't put them in all that often.

One of us gets an ear infection at least once a year, and it's usually related to a sinus infection. The ENT we both see said it's not terribly common, but a history of ear infections or nasal issues (I had horrible nose bleeds as a child) tend to lead to adult ear infections.