Getting an ear piercing can be totally trendy but there are some points to consider and take care as the ear piercing can cause a lot of infections and pain too. These trendy ear piercing can get infected too soon for they need proper care for first few weeks. Ear piercing infections is a common problem which adults and children face soon after they get their ear pierced. Ear piercing infections can also result in permanent scars if left untreated.
Ear Piercing Infection Signs and Symptoms:
There is more pain and apparently different color around the ear piercing if it gets infected. There is also pus and blood oozing out from the ear piercing site, which can be painful and also uneasy. Some symptoms of ear piercing infection are:
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Tenderness on the site where ear was pierced
- Swelling and pain around the piercing site for over 48 hours post piercing
- Smelly and thick discharges from around pierced site. This can also be yellow in color and painful too
- A bump on ear lobes which is white or red in color
- Fever in children due to pain and infection
- Bleeding in extreme cases
- Ear studs or earrings stuck and you are unable to rotate them in ears
- Itching and burning around ear pierce for long
Causes of infection around Ear Piercing:
There are several causes which add up to infection near ear-piercing site. This infection mostly appears when the new piercing is done or due to other factors around the old ear piercing site. These causes include:
- Using piercing tools which are not sterilized
- Touch the ear piercing site with dirty hands full of germs and infections
- Wearing too tight ear-rings which have a short post. This decreases normal blood flow thus more infectious
- Poor quality of ear-rings, which causes injury when you wear them. This results in lot of infection
- The wrong insertion of earring and this injures the already sore piercing site
- Metal causing reactions on the skin where the piercing is done
- Injury at ear-piercing site by kids while playing
- Using mobile phones or land-line phones which have germs just near the ear piercing site
- Keep the ear jewellery polished and even as otherwise, it causes a lot of infections
- Fidgeting with ear piercing by kids often ends up in infection and wounds.
How to Treat an Infected Ear Piercing Without it Closing:
How to treat an ear piercing at home and without letting it close is easy. There are some preventive and curative steps you must ensure to keep the ear pierce fine. Both for new ear piercings and old ear piercings these treatments and precautions can be used, especially for babies:
1. Rubbing alcohol:
Rubbing alcohol contains around 70% of pure isopropyl alcohol is an antiseptic and it soothes the skin too. Rubbing this twice a day on both sides of ear lobes where ear piercing is done can help in removing this ear infection quickly. Just be sure that injury and bleeding is not there when you apply to rub alcohol as it may cause a burning sensation
2. Saline solution made of sea salt:
Wash the ear piercing site with saline solution and clean the site twice or thrice a day. This will kills all infection causing bacteria. You must submerge the entire ear love and the piercing site in saline water to help get clear the pierce and let saline water flow through
3. Anti-bacterial soap:
Wash the ear piercing site using an anti-bacterial soap and this can be done in addition to rubbing alcohol or saline solution to make sure no infection or germ stays in
4. Warm compress:
Apply warm compress on ear lobes for few minutes at least 3 times a day. This will increase blood flow at the ear pierce site and enrich the healing process.
5. Use tea tree oil to cure ear piercing bump:
Tea tree oil is a rich anti-septic and anti-inflammatory which works magical on healing the ear piercing infection. This is supposedly the most popular of home treatment for ear piercing infection
6. Use tropical antibiotic gels and creams:
Applying over the counter antibiotic creams and gels can be helpful in curing and treating an infection on the ear piercing site. Just make sure to read through the instructions on these before applying. And for kids be sure to consult your paediatrician
Some more tips on infected ear piercing treatment at home:
We must ensure the utmost care and precautions to prevent any unusual ear infections around piercing site. Some tips are:
- Do not use any hydrogen peroxide or alcohol as it irritates and slows the healing process.
- Keep rotating the ear stud and its posts
- Don’t try to remove ear piercing as the hole gets closed and infection is trapped inside
- Don’t let the ear piercing area get wet, use a paper napkin and pat it dry for infection triggers in moist and damp areas
- See a doctor immediately if an infection does not improve in 2 days and there is persistent fever and swelling in addition to pain and pus.
- Avoid handling or playing with ear pierce or studs to prevent infection from spreading
The above compilation on How to treat an infected ear piercing without it closing is to help you prevent and treat ear piercing infection at home.
This is very common for adults as well as toddlers and preschoolers, and must be dealt with precision and care. For anything unusual see your pediatrician or health care provider immediately are ahead and keep writing us your feedback, we love hearing your suggestions.
