Otitis Externa and Otinova: A Practical, No-Nonsense Guide If your ear suddenly feels itchy, sore, blocked, or painful after swimming or showering, you may be dealing with otitis externa —often called “swimmer’s ear.” The good news: most cases are very treatable with the right early steps. This guide explains what otitis externa is, why it happens, where Otinova fits in, and when to escalate quickly. What is otitis externa? Otitis externa is inflammation (and sometimes infection) of the skin lining the external ear canal. It commonly presents with: Ear pain (often worse when touching or pulling the outer ear) Itching Fullness/blockage Reduced hearing from swelling/debris Sometimes watery discharge Otinova’s own instruction documents describe it as treatment for ear canal inflammation/eczema (swimmer’s ear). Why does it happen? The ear canal is protected by a mildly acidic environment and a skin barrier. Otitis externa tends to flare ...
What is tongue-tie or ankyloglossia? Tongue-tie is a condition present in 5%-10% of newborn babies at birth. In this, a band of tissue called frenulum is shorter than usual. This leads to in some babies tip of the tongue is more attached to the floor of the mouth. When is tongue-tie a problem? When a baby is breastfeeding he or she has to catch on to the nipple and cover the gums to avoid trauma to the nipple. If a baby has tongue-tie, it may take longer to feed, leaving them hungry and unsettled. This can also lead to sore nipples. Is tongue-tie hereditary? Tongue-tie can run in families and is more common in boys. Do we need to treat all tongue-tie? Not all tongue tie cases need treatment — most of the babies' tongue-tie stretch with time. In babies, if there are feeding and breastfeeding problem, leading to growth delay, surgery may be required. In younger babies, it can be done with or without local anaesthesia. In older children, it can lead to speech ...