| We know that smoking has numerous secondary | | | | is provoked by the defensive action of our body |
| effects, both to active smokers and passive smokers. | | | | facing smoke inhalation. |
| More familiar are lung cancer and heart attack. But, it is | | | | Apart from thickening our mucus, smoke also |
| not well known that smoking also have side effects on | | | | decreases our immune system. Tons of researches |
| our ears, and may produce ear infection named Otitis | | | | have shown that being exposed to smoke makes the |
| Media. | | | | body weaker to diseases. Also etablished is that this is |
| This infection is actually quite general to children. When | | | | true not only for actual smokers, but for passive |
| a kid has a virus or a cold, an augmentation of the | | | | smokers. So, even if children, or or adults, do not |
| mucus occurs on the nose that turns into home for | | | | smoke but are exposed to second-hand smoke, their |
| bacteria. The bacteria can go to the ear canal through | | | | immune system are still lesseneddiminished, making it |
| the Eustachian tube in the nose. This bacteria might | | | | tougher to fight off infections. |
| then very well provoke an infection which give | | | | Now, it is not only the pain and discomfort that this |
| symptoms fever, fluid on the ear, and earache after a | | | | infection brings that we must be wary of. Repeated |
| few days. On the average, children go through this | | | | Otitis Media could indeed turns into a gradual loss of |
| process 3 times before the age of six. Nevertheless, if | | | | hearing for children. Though this is rare, this is not |
| the kid is exposed to smoke, say from smoking | | | | something that you want to risk. |
| parents, the average process happens 8 times. | | | | Thus, for all smokers out there, it is important that if |
| Now, how can smoking cause this ear infection? | | | | you cannot stop smoking (actually, you can), please try |
| As we are all familiar of, smoke is irritant to our nasal | | | | to avoid smoking if children are near. Ear infections |
| canal. Because our body is weaponed with defence | | | | may be less-not as evil than heart attack or |
| mechanisms, our nasal passage will increase with | | | | emphysema, but seeing it is kids that we are talking |
| mucus irritants are present. As said above, aumented | | | | about, even a little infection should be given much |
| mucus turns into a favorable home to bacteria that | | | | importance. |
| could travel and infect our ears. Hence the Otitis Media | | | | |