how do you know that your ear is infected from getting it pierced?

Question

my brothers ear is all red and its kind of swolen. is it infected?

Answer 1

Any break in the skin has the potential for introducing infection. Sometimes, this can occur even with excellent hygiene and care.

When infection occurs anywhere in or around the ear, great care must be taken to avoid spreading of the infection. This area has much less of a blood supply then most other parts of the body. Because of this, infection spreads faster and takes longer to heal.

Please have his physician look at his ear. I can't see what it looks like, but he still has soreness and your description of the swelling is of concern. Clean with peroxide. I would take the earring out at this time. Leaving in may worsen the infection, prolong the healing and cause scar tissue to build up. Scarring normally occurs ANYTIME the skin is broken.

Answer 2

First of all...how long ago was he pierced? If it was recently, swelling and redness are very normal, and to be expected.

Many so-called piercing infections are actually irritations. Did he catch the piercing on anything? Tug on it? Infections are fairly obvious. There is greenish yellowish pus that can be blood tinged, and a foul smell. Redness and swellling are present, but on their own don't always indicate infection. Sometimes you see red streaks radiating out from the piercing in infections. Some other signs are swollen lymph nodes and fever.

Without knowing how new the piercing is, or if there's been any trauma to it, I'm not comfortable saying it is or isn't infection. However, you didn't mention any other symptoms so I wouldn't say it's neccesary to run off to the doctor in a panic right away. A smarter choice would be to see the piercer if it doesn't go away soon.

To reduce redness and swelling in a piercing you should treat it with sea salt soaks. Put 1/4 tsp seasalt in 1 cup lukewarm water. Soak the piercing for 10-15 minutes twice a day. This will greatly soothe an irritated piercing, and I've used this to treat infections.

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT use hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol on a piercing. It is very bad for it, and it kills newly forming cells. Do not put any ointment on it that is not prescibed by a doctor, neosporin included. Ointments block much needed oxygen flow and can cause granulomas.

I have piercings in my earlobes, cartiledge, nose and naval. I've had piercings since I was 7 years old. I think I have had 1 actual infection, and it was blatently obvious. There was pus, intense itching, swelling, and red radiating out from it. I treated it with sea salt soaks, and it healed up perfectly.

Answer 3

Yes. Have him see a doctor. He could lose a chunk the size of a small coin if it is left untreated. Lucky it wasn't his tongue or eyebrow. If he has hepatitis from a dirty needle he may have liver problems the rest of his life. The absolute worst it could be (from a dirty needle) is HIV+, which leads to AIDS, but that is rare and doesn't swell up.

Answer 4

Possible , could be . Should be looked at , especially if it is swolen. Try putting Peroxide on it . It wont make it any worse .

Answer 5

It gets a little gross goopy stuff coming out, it hurts to put earings in, can be swollen.
Clean out your ears with Rubbing Alcohol, dont use the stuff they gave you cause its just sh!t.

Answer 6

hi, it could be, very common with new piercings. put some pressure on his lobes to see if anything comes from the hole, tell him to spin his earrings often, apply alcohol to his lobes, both sides. i hope this helps. :)

Answer 7

yes