Injury of the auricles rightfully occupies one of the first places in the frequency of occurrence in adults and children. This damage, at first glance, does not carry over the danger to humans. However, if untimely medical care is provided, a person may face death or disability.
The peculiarity of ear injuries lies in their enormous diversity. Thus, the treatment of mechanical injuries of the auricle is radically different from the injury caused by thermal damage.
With some kind of injuries a person can quite cope on his own, but many of them are absolutely undesirable to leave without the doctor's attention and attention.
Ear trauma ICD classification 10
Ear injury involves any damage to the auricle - whether it's a superficial wound, an injury to the middle or inner ear. The most dangerous for human life is the last type of damage.
Trauma to the ears, fractures and burns, according to statistics, are found most often. A person faces daily situations that somehow can lead to damage.
Children injure their ears no less than adults do. This frequency is due to the fact that children are more active and more likely to get into unforeseen situations, which provokes the appearance of damages - active games, sports, conflicts with peers.
Types of
There are a lot of types of ear injuries. For each type of injury is selected their own treatment, which has its own specific characteristics and requirements.
So, due to extensive classification of ear damages, doctors are able to quickly find out the type of injury and prescribe effective treatment.
External ear trauma
Injuries to the external ear are classified as the most common and non-dangerous injury to humans. The human auricle always remains under the threat of potential injury, as it is not protected against accidental bumps, burns, mechanical damage of another kind .
The structure of the external ear
External damage to the ear cartilage can occur in such cases:
- hit in the area of the ear;
- fall from height;
- animal bite;
- bite of a poisonous insect;
- injury when playing sports;
- other.
In fact, ear damage can be the most unusual. In medicine, isolated lacerated, bruised, chopped and cut wounds. Each of these types of wounds requires virtually identical in complexity of first aid.
Symptoms of an external ear injury include:
- appearance of redness;
- presence of a hematoma;
- blood or bruising;
- swelling of the bruised site;
- pain when touching;
- pulsation in the area of damage.
If there is an obvious deformation of the cartilage of the auricle and the appearance of blood, the affected area should be treated. It is best to do this with a disinfectant, an antiseptic and a clean cloth or a napkin, if nothing else is at hand.
In case of severe rupture of the auricle and during its deformation, the injured person should be taken to the nearest clinic to assist in ear-stitching. Such a cosmetic procedure should be carried out as quickly as possible to preserve the original appearance of the auricle.
If the ear is completely detached, the ear should be kept in a clean, slightly damp cloth or in a jar of ice. Torn off the ear and the victim should be taken to the clinic. If these measures were performed in the first 8 - 10 hours, then the ear can be safely preserved.
Depending on the complexity of the injury, the doctor prescribes treatment. In most cases, everything is limited to the treatment of the wound and the appointment of a course of antibiotics. It is designed to prevent infection and further infection of tissues.
Injury of the middle ear
Damage to the middle ear can be called one of the most common in everyday life.
The structure of the middle ear
In many cases, children and adults are involuntarily injured of this kind. The causes of the injury of the middle ear are as follows:
- foreign body entry into the auditory meatus;
- strong blow;
- sharp pressure drop inside the ear canal;
- differential pressure when flying on an airplane;
- carelessness when kissing in the ear.
Despite the harmlessness of many of the reasons, they are really capable of causing significant damage to the eardrum. So, a sharp change in pressure can easily lead to fracture and dislocation of the auditory ossicles. There may also be a rupture of the joints and displacement of the stapes.
Infection of the middle ear almost always leads to the appearance of otitis media. Untimely rendered assistance provokes the development of mastoiditis or chronic acute otitis media.
Symptoms that indicate the presence of a middle ear injury include:
- decrease or loss of hearing;
- the presence of bleeding from the ear;
- sharp pain inside the ear canal.
These signs indicate a rupture of the tympanic membrane or rupture of the auditory ossicles. If such a trauma is found in a child, do not rush to the pediatrician. The only help he can provide is primary treatment of the ear with the application of a sterile bandage. Help in this case will be an otolaryngologist.
Watch a video in which experts tell how to remove a foreign body from the ear:
Ear tissues are usually regenerated and restored quickly enough. Therefore, when providing correct and timely assistance, the victim does not experience complications and the hearing returns by itself.
For minor injuries, multiple treatment of the auricle with an antiseptic and the wearing of sterile tampons inside the ear may be necessary. This will help to protect the ear from infection during treatment.
If the tympanic membrane does not heal for two months or if there is a feeling of congestion, this indicates the progress of the inflammatory process.
In such cases, the victim is prescribed a short course of antibiotics, treat the ear with cauterizing solutions. In some cases, laser exposure may be necessary. If the auditory ossicles are damaged, only surgical treatment is prescribed.
Internal ear injuries
Internal ear trauma is a fairly complex injury. Due to concussion or injury( punctured, bullet, fragmentation wound), the structures of the labyrinth can be damaged.
The photo shows where the inner ear is located.
In such traumas, a person may develop an acute or chronic form of a traumatic labyrinth syndrome. Symptoms of this syndrome are as follows:
- Nausea;
- Coordination disorder, accompanied by a feeling of rotation of surrounding objects;
- Noises in the ears or in one ear.
Such an injury can also be accompanied by such signs as:
- Loss of consciousness;
- General cerebral neurological disorders;
- Paresis of the facial nerve.
There is also an acoustic trauma to the inner ear. It comes because of the strong impact of sound. Acoustic injury of an acute nature occurs after a short, one-time exposure to strong noise on the labyrinth.
Afterwards, hemorrhages form in his tissues. Human hearing is restored only after resorption of hemorrhages.
The chronic type of acoustic trauma occurs with prolonged and constant exposure to sound on the inner ear. Most often, a chronic form occurs in those who work in production.
Those ear injuries that affect the labyrinth require careful diagnosis. It includes such procedures:
- Initial inspection;
- MRI of the brain;
- Radiography;
- Studies of the vestibular analyzer;
- Study of auditory function.
Treatment of internal trauma requires effort not only from the doctor, but also from the injured person. In addition to the initial treatment of the wound and ear cleaning, drainage of the ear canal is carried out with further application of a sterile bandage.
After the assistance rendered, the patient must personally control his condition, in order not to provoke the appearance of deterioration.
In case of severe injuries, the individual is treated individually. It involves the provision of therapeutic measures to prevent cerebral edema and neurological disorders. This includes therapy with antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs. In the presence of severe pain, sparing painkillers can be prescribed.
If there is a rupture of the eardrum, see in our video:
As the symptomatology wanes, the doctor prescribes an operation to restore the hearing, and restores the aesthetically acceptable appearance of the auricle.