Ear infection

[anxious09]

Can an ear infection develop after putting a finger in the outer part of the ear (tragus area) ?? If so, what is the incubation period please?

[specialmom]

No, I wouldn't think so.  Ear infections are deeper.  They are usually secondary to something like a cold.  So, with a cold you have lots of mucus, right?  It is in your sinuses which link to your ears believe it or not.  That stuff can get backed up and fester.  Bacteria then can grow and wa la, ear infection is the secondary infection if it has moved that direction.  If it sticks just in sinuses, the secondary infection for a cold is sinusitis.  If it moves to the chest, the secondary infection is bronchitis, and so on.  So, just putting a finger in your ear would not cause you to have an inner ear infection.  Now, if you have a sore in the opening of your ear and you put your finger in there, you can get a skin infection.  You can even get a staff infection.  This happened to my husband.  It wasn't inside his ear, it was the lobe but he got cellulitis!  The whole side of his face blew up and it was because he had bacteria on his hands like we all do and a break on the skin on his ear that he touched and transferred the bacteria.  But that is different than an ear infection, that is more like an infected cut or skin infection .  Make sense?

[anxious09]

Yea, thank you!!!