Colorful fall leaves, chestnuts, nuts, and mushroom hunting—there’s no doubt that fall has its golden moments. But for many people, the onset of the colder months often marks the beginning of a period of illness, with one cold following another. Children, in particular, are at risk of developing an ear infection if they don’t properly protect their ears in cold, wet weather.

Inflammation of the middle ear is usually caused by bacteria or viruses that travel from the nasopharynx into the ear as a result of a harmless cold and cause the mucous membrane there to become inflamed. As a result, the eardrum can only vibrate to a limited extent and can no longer transmit sound properly. Typical symptoms of an acute middle ear infection—known medically as otitis media—include ear pain, fatigue, fever, headache, and pressure in the ear, and sometimes ringing in the ears.

Toddlers are particularly susceptible, as they come into daily contact with many other children at daycare centers or similar settings and are more likely to be exposed to pathogens. Since an untreated middle ear infection can have serious consequences, parents should not hesitate to see their pediatrician or an ENT specialist. Similarly, adults suffering from ear pain should not take it lightly and should seek medical evaluation. Otherwise, there is a risk that a middle ear infection will become chronic and lead to hearing loss. That is why it is important to treat every acute middle ear infection under medical supervision.

If your doctor diagnoses a middle ear infection, they will usually prescribe pain relievers and an antibiotic for treatment. In some cases, they may drain the pus that has accumulated in the inner ear due to the infection by making a small incision in the eardrum to reduce the pressure and pain. Proven home remedies that support healing include holding a sliced onion, wrapped in a cloth, against the ear. The onion’s antibacterial properties help the inflammation subside more quickly. Shining a red light on the ear can help relieve the often very uncomfortable pain.

The best way to prevent a middle ear infection is to keep your ears warm on cold, wet, windy days by wearing a hat, a headband, ear muffs, padded, over-the-ear headphones, or a hood. Protection through warmth is especially important now for the sensitive ear—which lacks its own protective fatty tissue—because cold reduces blood flow in and around the ear. This makes it easier for bacteria and viruses to take hold and, in the worst case, cause a painful middle ear infection.

Just like warm ears, dry ears are also less susceptible to pathogens. That’s why, after showering, bathing, or visiting a swimming pool or sauna, you should thoroughly dry your ears with a hair dryer before going outside. And as beautiful as earrings may be—it’s best to take them off before setting out on a long walk. This is because metal absorbs cold particularly quickly, causing parts of the body that come into contact with it to cool down rapidly. If you don’t notice until you return home to the warmth that your ears have become chilled and almost numb, you can stimulate blood flow again with a massage. Vaccinations also help prevent middle ear infections caused by pneumococci.

To stay as healthy as possible during the cold seasons, when bacteria and viruses are rampant, it also helps to strengthen your immune system by taking the following steps:

1. a balanced, vitamin-rich diet
2. Walks in the fresh air stimulate blood circulation—even in the ears
3. Avoid overheated rooms and cigarette smoke

It’s not just our bodies—our minds often react sensitively to the colder, darker months as well. The waning sunlight and shorter days in the fall can dampen many people’s moods. However, according to a study by the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the U.S., untreated hearing problems can also be a cause of depression. The researchers found that the risk of depression among older adults with untreated hearing loss is 40 percent higher than among those without hearing problems. The risk of developing dementia, suffering a stroke or heart attack, and the risk of falling are also significantly higher if you have poor hearing in old age and still do not wear a hearing aid. In the study, which spanned more than ten years, there were 6.9 percent more diagnosed cases of depression among people with hearing loss who did not wear a hearing aid than among those without hearing loss. For the study, researchers at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health analyzed data from a large-scale health survey involving over 150,000 participants aged 50 and older, collected between 1999 and 2016.

Another study shows that symptoms of depression worsen as the severity of hearing loss increases. According to the study, the risk of depression increases by a factor of 1.44 for every 20 dB of hearing loss. Compared to people without untreated hearing problems, the risk of depression is 1.81 times higher with mild hearing loss, 2.38 times higher with moderate hearing loss, and 4.3 times higher with hearing loss bordering on deafness than in people who hear well without a hearing aid.

To prevent these and other serious health consequences, there is a simple solution: Have a professional hearing test performed by a hearing care professional or ENT specialist in your area and compensate for declining hearing with hearing aids, so that you don’t run the risk of developing depression due to hearing problems in the first place. Treating hearing loss with hearing aids can also reduce the risk of falls. In addition to the health benefits, hearing aid users also experience numerous social and professional advantages; by compensating for their hearing loss, they increase their vitality, cognitive performance, and quality of life.

Do you or your children frequently suffer from middle ear infections during the colder months? Here, we've summarized everything you need to know about prevention, causes, symptoms, and treatment of this common childhood illness: Middle Ear Infection—A Common Childhood Illness