Ear Infection Treatment in Las Cruces
Ear pain keeping you or your child up at night? Walk in to Covenant Clinic for same-day diagnosis and relief.
What Is an Ear Infection?
An ear infection (otitis media) occurs when bacteria or viruses cause inflammation and fluid buildup in the middle ear -- the space behind the eardrum. This trapped fluid creates pressure, pain, and sometimes temporary hearing loss. Ear infections are one of the most common reasons parents bring children to the doctor, but adults can get them too.
Children are more prone to ear infections because their Eustachian tubes (the passages connecting the middle ear to the back of the throat) are shorter, narrower, and more horizontal than in adults, making it easier for fluid and germs to get trapped. Most ear infections follow a cold or upper respiratory infection. At Covenant Clinic, our providers treat ear infections in patients of all ages and can determine whether antibiotics, pain management, or watchful waiting is the best approach for your situation.
Ear Infection Symptoms
Symptoms differ between children and adults. Here are the most common signs:
In Children
- Pulling or tugging at the ear
- Unusual fussiness or crying
- Trouble sleeping or lying down
- Fever (especially in infants and toddlers)
- Fluid draining from the ear
- Loss of appetite
In Adults
- Sharp or dull ear pain
- Feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear
- Muffled hearing or difficulty hearing
- Fluid drainage from the ear
When to Visit Covenant Clinic
While some mild ear infections resolve on their own, you should bring yourself or your child to Covenant Clinic if:
- An infant under 6 months shows signs of an ear infection -- they should always be seen by a provider
- Symptoms last more than 2 to 3 days without improvement
- Severe ear pain that is not relieved by over-the-counter pain medication
- Fever above 102.2°F in a child or above 101°F in an adult
- Fluid or pus draining from the ear
- Hearing loss or your child is not responding to sounds normally
- Frequent ear infections -- three or more in six months, or four or more in a year
What to Expect
An ear infection visit at Covenant Clinic is gentle and quick -- especially important for anxious little ones.
Walk in or save your spot online. Let us know if the patient is a child so we can prepare accordingly.
A provider uses an otoscope to look inside the ear, checking for redness, swelling, fluid, and signs of infection. This takes just a minute or two.
Depending on the severity, we may prescribe antibiotics, recommend pain relief strategies, or suggest a short watch-and-wait period with a follow-up plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Young children often cannot tell you their ear hurts. Watch for tugging or pulling at the ear, unusual fussiness or crying (especially when lying down), trouble sleeping, fever, fluid draining from the ear, difficulty hearing or responding to sounds, and loss of appetite. If you notice these signs, bring your child to Covenant Clinic for an evaluation.
Not always. Many mild ear infections, especially in children over age 2, resolve on their own within 2 to 3 days. A provider may recommend a watchful waiting approach with pain management. However, antibiotics are typically prescribed for children under 2, patients with severe symptoms, high fever, or infections in both ears. Our providers will determine the best approach for your situation.
Yes. While ear infections are more common in children, adults can also develop middle ear infections and outer ear infections (swimmer's ear). In adults, ear infections sometimes signal an underlying issue like allergies, a sinus infection, or a structural problem. If you have persistent ear pain or hearing changes, it is worth getting checked.
You can reduce the risk of ear infections by keeping your child up to date on vaccinations (especially the pneumococcal vaccine and flu shot), avoiding secondhand smoke, breastfeeding for at least 6 months if possible, not propping bottles during feeding, and practicing good hand hygiene. If your child has frequent ear infections, talk to our providers about a prevention plan.
Ear Pain? We See Kids and Adults Every Day.
Walk in or save your spot online. Open 7 days a week, 8 AM to 8 PM.