A small tube connects your ear to your throat. A cold can cause this tube to swell. When the tube swells enough to become blocked, it can trap fluid inside your ear. This makes it a perfect place for germs to grow and cause ear ache. Ear aches happen mostly to young children because their tubes are smaller and get blocked more easily.

Symptoms

The main symptom is an earache. It can be mild, or it can hurt a lot. Babies and young children may be fussy. They may pull at their ears and cry. They may have trouble sleeping. They may also have a fever.

You may see thick, yellow fluid coming from their ears. This happens when the infection has caused the eardrum to burst and the fluid flows out.

Cure

Usually, ear aches are cured naturally and go away on their own. You can treat your child at home with an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen (such as Tylenol or Tempra), a warm washcloth or heating pad on the ear, and rest. Your doctor may give you eardrops that can help your child's pain. Your doctor can give your child antibiotics, but ear infections often get better without them. Talk about this with your doctor.