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For older people, particularly those with warning signs or risk factors for cancer, doctors often do several tests to look for a source of cancer before doing a needle biopsy or excisional biopsy (remove entire lump for testing). For younger people without risk factors for or findings that suggest cancer (such as mouth growths), doctors often take a tissue sample (biopsy). In very low doses, x-rays are used to produce images that help doctors diagnose disease. Wondering whether an ear piercing infection is appropriate for urgent care? Contact us today.Most other people should have a blood count and a chest x-ray Plain X-Rays X-rays are high-energy radiation waves that can penetrate most substances (to varying degrees). Knowing the red flags for infection can save you and your child a lot of pain and frustration. Keep on eye on your child’s ear piercing after the procedure. Forcibly popping them could cause further infection and damage to your child’s earlobe. You’ll need to contact your child’s doctor for an antibiotic topical ointment to take care of the pustules safely. Though it’s more common in other body piercing sites, your child could develop pus-filled blisters on their infected ears.ĭon’t try to pop the blisters yourself. A fever is a sign that their body is fighting off an infection.Ĭontact your doctor if your child spikes over 100 degrees, so you can start the proper antibiotic treatment. If your child develops a fever with no other apparent symptoms in the days following an ear piercing, it could very well be due to an infection.ĭon’t hesitate to take your child’s temperature if anything seems off after a recent piercing. With an infection, discomfort will increase over time rather than decreasing like normal. If your child is old enough to verbalize the pain, ask them if their ear hurts worse than it did yesterday. Ibuprofen can help to offset the tenderness until proper treatment has relieved your child’s symptoms. Pain can also be caused by lacerations from rapid swelling. Is your child overly fussy or complaining of pain or tenderness in their ear? Unless it’s immediately following the actual piercing, soreness is a major warning sign of infection. If you see any yellow or greenish discharge coming from the immediate piercing area, your child likely has an infected ear piercing. If your child’s piercing site is crusty upon waking, it could be a sign that pus is leaking overnight. A foul-smelling, off-colored discharge is a probable sign of infection.Ĭheck your child’s ears in the morning. A clear-ish or slightly yellow liquid is normal. Keep an eye on any discharge draining from your child’s piercing. If major swelling and redness haven’t subsided within a few days of the piercing, contact your child’s doctor. Inflammation shouldn’t last longer than a week and should be considered abnormal if it persists beyond that. However, if your child’s ear appears significantly large, red, and warm to the touch, it could mean that an infection is brewing. Some swelling is to be expected following the trauma of an ear piercing. Significant Swelling and Rednessĭoes the site of your child’s ear piercing look significantly puffier than normal? That could be a red flag for a potential infection. Here are some signs that your child may have an infected ear piercing and needs antibiotic treatment. It’s important to keep an eye on any new piercing, even one as tame as an earlobe piercing. If left untreated, the infection could turn dangerous, possibly even deadly.
Studies have shown that about one in every five body piercings will get infected at some point. Is your child’s recent ear piercing not looking as healthy as it should?