Otalgia primary prevention

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] :

Effective measures for the primary prevention of acute otitis media include treatment predisposing factors(exposure to tobacco smoke), influenza virus, and/or pneumococcal conjugate vaccines. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV) and influenza vaccine is recommended during infancy to prevent acute otitis media.

The following steps can help prevent earaches:

• Avoid smoking near children. Smoking has been shown to cause millions of ear infections each year in children.
• Prevent outer ear infections by not putting objects in the ear, and drying the ear after bathing or swimming.
• Take steps to control allergies. In particular, avoid allergy triggers. Steroid nasal spray may help reduce ear infections. However, over-the-counter sedating antihistamines and decongestants do not prevent ear infections.^[1][2]

Template:WH Template:WS