Ears, noses and throats get a real workout in most households. Between daycare colds, spring pollen, swim lessons and earbuds, ear pain, stuffy noses and sore throats are among the most common reasons families call the pediatrician. Good ear, nose and throat health mostly comes down to a few simple habits and knowing which symptoms can wait.
Most of these problems are mild and respond well to home care. In this WhatsOnTech guide, we cover the everyday issues you are most likely to see, what helps, what to skip, and the warning signs that call for a doctor.
Key Takeaways
- Most sore throats, colds and sinus infections are caused by viruses, and antibiotics will not help them.
- Ears clean themselves. Cotton swabs and ear candles can push wax deeper or cause injury.
- Noise-related hearing loss is permanent but preventable, so keep headphone volume moderate and protect ears around loud sounds.
- Nonprescription decongestant nasal sprays should only be used for a few days to avoid rebound congestion.
- Trouble breathing or swallowing, sudden hearing loss, or a nosebleed that will not stop needs prompt medical care.
Everyday Ear Care and Common Ear Problems
Earwax: Mostly Leave It Alone
Earwax is not dirt. It traps dust and germs, protects the ear canal, and slowly moves outward on its own as you chew and talk. Wiping the outer ear with a damp washcloth is usually all the cleaning needed.
Cotton swabs, bobby pins and fingertips in the ear canal push wax deeper, where it can harden into a plug, and can scratch the canal or even puncture the eardrum. Ear candling is neither safe nor effective and can cause burns.
If wax causes muffled hearing, over-the-counter softening drops may help. Follow the label, and skip them if you have ear tubes, a hole in the eardrum, ear pain or drainage. A doctor can remove stubborn wax safely.
Middle Ear Infections
Middle ear infections are especially common in babies and toddlers, often after a cold blocks the small tube that drains the middle ear. Look for ear pain, tugging at the ear, fussiness, trouble sleeping, fever and sometimes fluid draining from the ear.
Not every ear infection needs antibiotics. Depending on a child’s age and symptoms, doctors sometimes recommend watching for a couple of days, since many infections improve on their own. For pain, use acetaminophen or ibuprofen dosed by the label, check with a doctor before giving ibuprofen to a baby under 6 months, and never give aspirin to children or teens.
Up-to-date vaccines, including flu and pneumococcal shots, a smoke-free home, frequent handwashing and no bottles in bed all lower the risk.
Swimmer’s Ear
Swimmer’s ear is an infection of the outer ear canal, usually after water stays trapped inside. A telltale sign is pain that worsens when you tug the outer ear. To help prevent it:
- Dry the outer ears gently with a towel after swimming or bathing.
- Tilt the head to each side so trapped water can run out.
- Use a hair dryer on the lowest heat and speed, held several inches from the ear.
- Try well-fitting swim earplugs for frequent swimmers.
Swimmer’s ear usually needs prescription ear drops, so see a doctor if pain develops.
Protecting Your Family’s Hearing
Hearing loss from noise cannot be reversed, but it can be prevented. Long or repeated exposure to sounds at or above 85 decibels, about the level of heavy city traffic, can damage the inner ear. Lawn mowers, power tools, concerts and fireworks often go well beyond that.
If you have to raise your voice to be heard by someone an arm’s length away, the setting is probably too loud. Ringing or muffled hearing afterward is a sign your ears were overexposed.
Practical Hearing Habits
- Keep headphone volume moderate and take listening breaks. Many phones can cap maximum volume.
- Choose noise-canceling headphones so nobody needs to crank the volume over background noise.
- Keep foam earplugs or earmuffs handy for yard work, concerts and games. Child-sized earmuffs work well for little ones.
Not responding to sounds, delayed speech or often asking “what?” are good reasons for a hearing check.
Nose and Sinus Care
Colds, Congestion and Sinus Infections
A typical cold runs its course in about a week to 10 days. Thick yellow or green mucus is common during a cold and does not, by itself, mean a bacterial infection. Most sinus infections are viral and get better without antibiotics. Call a doctor if sinus symptoms last more than 10 days without improving, get worse after first getting better, or come with a high fever or severe facial pain.
Safe Saline Rinses
Saline sprays and rinses thin mucus and ease congestion. For a neti pot or squeeze bottle, use only distilled, sterile, or previously boiled and cooled water, because plain tap water can carry organisms that are dangerous in the nose. Rinse the device and let it air-dry after each use.
A Word on Decongestants
Nonprescription decongestant nasal sprays work fast, but using them longer than the label allows, usually about three days, can cause rebound congestion that makes stuffiness worse. Decongestant pills can raise blood pressure and heart rate. Check age limits, and ask a pharmacist or doctor first for children or anyone with high blood pressure, heart disease or another ongoing condition.
If congestion flares with pollen, pets or dust, our guide to seasonal and indoor allergies covers practical ways to reduce those triggers.
How to Stop a Nosebleed
Most nosebleeds start near the front of the nose and are set off by dry air, colds or nose picking. Try these steps:
- Sit up and lean slightly forward. Tilting the head back sends blood down the throat.
- Pinch the soft part of the nose, just below the bony bridge, firmly closed.
- Hold steady pressure for 10 to 15 minutes without letting go to check.
- Afterward, avoid blowing the nose or heavy lifting for several hours.
A clean cool-mist humidifier and a thin layer of saline gel or petroleum jelly just inside the nostrils can help prevent repeat nosebleeds in dry winter months.
Sore Throats and Voice Problems
Viral Sore Throat or Strep?
Most sore throats are caused by viruses and arrive with a cough, runny nose or hoarseness. Strep throat, a bacterial infection, more often starts suddenly with painful swallowing, fever, red and swollen tonsils that sometimes have white patches, and swollen neck glands, usually without a cough. It is most common in school-age children and uncommon in kids younger than 3.
Nobody can diagnose strep by looking; a quick swab test at the doctor’s office is the only way to know. If the test is positive, finish the full course of antibiotics as prescribed.
Comfort Measures That Help
- Sip warm broth or caffeine-free tea, or try ice pops and other cold treats.
- Gargle with warm salt water, an option for older children and adults.
- Offer a spoonful of honey to anyone older than 1 year. Never give honey to babies under 12 months.
- Save throat lozenges for older kids and adults, since they are a choking hazard for young children.
Hoarseness after a cold or a weekend of cheering usually fades with voice rest and water. Hoarseness lasting longer than three to four weeks, especially in someone who smokes, should be checked by a doctor.
Snoring and Sleep
Occasional snoring during a cold is normal. Regular, loud snoring with pauses in breathing or gasping is different. In children, enlarged tonsils and adenoids are a common cause, and poor sleep may show up as daytime sleepiness or trouble focusing in school. In adults, loud snoring plus daytime sleepiness can point to obstructive sleep apnea. Your doctor can evaluate this and may refer you to an ear, nose and throat specialist (otolaryngologist) or a sleep specialist.
You can find more ENT guides in our library, or browse more family health guides on the WhatsOnTech homepage.
When to See a Doctor
Call your doctor or seek care promptly for:
- Sudden hearing loss in one or both ears, which should be evaluated within days, not weeks.
- Ear pain with a high fever, pus or blood draining from the ear, or redness and swelling behind the ear.
- Ear infection symptoms that get worse or last longer than two to three days.
- Any fever of 100.4°F or higher in a baby younger than 3 months.
- Drooling, trouble swallowing, a muffled voice or difficulty opening the mouth.
- A nosebleed that does not stop after 15 to 20 minutes of steady pressure, follows a head injury, or is very heavy.
- A small object stuck in the ear or nose. A button battery in either place is an emergency.
- A neck lump, ongoing hoarseness, or one-sided nasal blockage that does not go away within a few weeks.
If someone is struggling to breathe, cannot swallow their own saliva or has bluish lips, get emergency help right away. For any medical emergency in the US, call 911.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I tell if my baby has an ear infection?
Watch for tugging at an ear, extra fussiness, crying when lying flat, poor sleep, trouble feeding, fever or fluid draining from the ear. Only a doctor looking into the ear can confirm an infection, so call your pediatrician if you notice these signs.
Is it safe to fly with a cold or stuffy nose?
Many people fly with a mild cold without trouble, but congestion can make takeoff and landing painful. Swallowing, chewing gum and yawning help, and babies can nurse or take a bottle during descent. With an active ear infection or recent ear surgery, ask a doctor first.
Are earbuds worse for hearing than over-ear headphones?
Either type can damage hearing when the volume is high or sessions run long. Volume and time matter most. Noise-canceling models of any style help because listeners are less tempted to turn the sound up.
When should a child see an ENT specialist?
Your pediatrician may suggest a referral for frequent ear infections, fluid behind the eardrums that lingers for months, hearing or speech concerns, snoring with breathing pauses, or repeated strep throat. The specialist can explain options such as ear tubes or tonsil surgery.
Sources and Further Reading
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
- ENT Health (American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery)
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
- MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine)
This guide is for general education only and is not medical advice. Please talk with your doctor about your own health or your child’s health before starting or changing any treatment.
