Otitis is an inflammation and swelling of the auricle. It can be chronic or acute, purulent or catarrhal. Most often this disease occurs in children. According to statistics, approximately 80% of children under 3 years of age have had otitis media at least once.
Appears with pain in the ear( pulsating, shooting, aching), fever, hearing loss, noise in the ears, mucopurulent discharge from the external auditory canal.
Otitis is the most common cause of hearing loss( hearing loss).This disease affects people of all ages, but children are most susceptible to an ailment, because of the peculiarities of the anatomical structure of the Eustachian tube.
Causes of otitis
Inflammation at the level of the middle ear is most often secondary. This means that, initially the infection penetrates into the tympanum from other departments communicating with it. Secretory otitis media is observed when a fluid produced by a cold or allergic reaction penetrates into the middle ear through the Eustachian tube.
Depending on the location of the pathological process of , three forms of otitis are distinguished:
- internal;
- external;
- otitis media of the middle ear.
The two main causes of otitis media are infection and the spread of inflammation from the nasopharynx to the middle ear, as well as ear trauma. Also, the disease can occur because:
- skin injury of the external auditory canal;
- after contaminated water enters;
- performing surgical operations in the nasopharynx or nasal cavity;
- as a consequence of ARVI, sinusitis;
- for infectious diseases, kidney disease, diabetes, hypothermia.
Average otitis media can be caused by various pathogens: bacteria, viruses, fungi( otomycosis) and various microbial associations.
Symptoms of otitis media of the middle ear
First of all, otitis and its symptoms will depend on the shape and place of the course of the inflammatory process. Characterize the general picture of acute otitis media of the middle ear and its symptoms can be on the following grounds:
- pain in the ear is sharp, strong and sometimes intolerable, irradiates to the temporal and parietal areas;
- hearing loss, tinnitus;
- hyperthermia;
- elevated temperature;
After 1-3 days from the moment of the onset of the disease, a rupture in the tympanic membrane is formed, a suppuration begins. In this period, the temperature drops, the pain decreases, the general condition improves.
In case of unfavorable development of the disease, pus can break out not inside, but inside, the cranial cavity, provoking the development of brain abscess, meningitis and other dangerous diseases.
Symptoms of otitis in a chronic form are similar, but less pronounced. As a rule, there are painful sensations, hearing loss is more significant than in the acute stage.
Children are more often ill, because of the peculiarities of the structure of the middle ear and often a purulent process can develop over a day or two. The child often cries, cries, clings to the ear, can not sleep. In such cases, you should immediately consult a doctor.
Treatment of otitis
First of all, local treatment of the disease depends on its form. Treatment of otitis should be immediate, in view of the danger of severe consequences: the spread of the disease to the skull space or to the inner ear, which can threaten complete loss of hearing.
In case of timely contact with a doctor, otitis media treatment of the middle ear is successfully carried out with medicines and physiotherapy procedures. For treatment, anti-inflammatory drugs and antibiotics, as well as antipyretic drugs are widely used in patients with high fever. To remove the swelling of the nasal mucosa must be instilled vasoconstrictor drops.
If the tympanum is not draining itself for the first three days, a dissection of the tympanic membrane is indicated.
In general, the scheme for treating otitis media at home consists of the following components:
- bed rest;
- vasoconstrictor for the nose;
- antimicrobials;
- analgesics;
- antibacterial agents;
- physiotherapy treatment;
- warming compresses;
- vitamins.
Acute purulent otitis requires the use of antibiotic therapy, as well as the evacuation of pus from the middle ear cavity. After passing the main course, the patient is prescribed a restorative and resorptive therapy. Treatment of otitis in a chronic form also consists in carrying out anti-inflammatory and antibacterial therapy, with enhanced immunocorrection.
It should be noted that otitis treatment at home should only be performed with the permission of an otolaryngologist. Do not self-medicate. In those cases when conservative methods do not help, they resort to a surgical operation.
Ear drops with otitis
Any of these drugs should be used only after consultation with a physician.
- Garazon, Sofraks, Dexona, Anauran - glucocorticosteroid drops;
- Otinum, Otypax - anti-inflammatory drops;
- Otofa, Tsipromed, Normaks, Fugentin - antibacterial drops.
To achieve the maximum therapeutic effect, it is recommended to combine the use of drops with the administration of antibiotics, they should be prescribed by a specialist after the diagnosis is established.
The main preventive measures of otitis in children and adults are the prevention and timely treatment of inflammatory diseases of the nose and nasopharynx, chronic diseases of the nose, paranasal sinuses. Properly hold the toilet of the nose.