Tubo-otitis. Symptoms and treatment in children, adults, clinical guidelines, causes

Tubo-otitis is an inflammatory disease of the Eustachian tube, symptoms of which often appear in preschool children and adults.

When signs of pathology appear the patient must immediately undergo examination and treatment, which will prevent complications. As a rule, therapy includes several groups of drugs, as well as other methods that are selected individually.

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There are several types of pathological conditions. The main classification divides the disease into acute and chronic. In the first case, the symptoms of inflammation develops immediately after the transfer of respiratory or viral diseases. At the same time, manifestations greatly worsen the patient's quality of life and his condition.

In the chronic form, the symptomatology is not so pronounced, it occurs after the transfer of an acute form of inflammation or improper treatment. In most cases, the disease is the result of non-compliance with the recommendations during the treatment of acute inflammation of the Eustachian tube. As a rule, such a classification is used to separate the types of pathology in adults.

In children, inflammation can be bilateral and unilateral. In the first case, the pathology proceeds in a very severe form, often provokes complications and can turn into a chronic stage. With unilateral inflammation, the symptomatology affects only one ear, the disease is easier to treat and less likely to provoke complications.

In addition, there are 3 types of pathology, taking into account the type of inflammatory process. However, they can develop in adults and children.

Type of inflammation	Peculiarities
Catarrhal	This type is considered the least dangerous if treated promptly. It develops after the transfer of a viral disease, when pressure decreases in the tympanic cavity, which leads to the penetration of fluid into it, which is formed in the nasopharynx. As a result, this fluid is released from the ear, but it does not contain pathogens.
Serous	This form of pathology is also called exudative. In this case, the disease most often results from the lack of treatment for the catarrhal form of the pathological process. With a constant accumulation of fluid in the Eustachian tube, pathogens multiply in it bacteria that provoke an aggravation of clinical manifestations, as well as the spread of inflammation on other fabrics
Purulent	The most dangerous form of pathology, in which pus forms in the Eustachian tube and pathogenic microorganisms multiply rapidly. The tissues become swollen, inflammation quickly spreads to other parts of the hearing system, which leads to complications

Each type of disease can progress to a more severe form, but the clinical manifestations in patients may differ.

Stages and degrees

Tubo-otitis (symptoms and treatment in children, adults should be discussed only with a specialist) proceeds in 3 stages, which does not depend on the type of inflammation. The only difference is that in the acute form, one stage passes into another faster, and the symptoms appear more pronounced. In addition, the advanced stage with catarrhal and purulent inflammation differs somewhat in the severity of the course.

The initial stage is accompanied by minor impairments from the hearing aid. As a rule, children react to this more pronounced, talk about discomfort and ear congestion, as well as other manifestations. Adults may not pay attention to the first manifestations, considering them a sign of a cold.

At a progressive stage, it is already possible to identify the form of pathology, which is determined depending on the patient's sensations, as well as the nature of the discharge from the ear. All symptoms are aggravated, the general condition of the patient is disturbed, there is a significant increase in body temperature. It is at this stage that the patient usually goes to the doctor.

It is worth noting that children are more difficult to tolerate the progressive stage of the disease than adults, their body temperature rises to critical levels, and the pain is much stronger.

At an advanced stage, all signs are aggravated, complications from the nasopharynx join. The child's condition at this stage is difficult; adults also adhere to bed rest.

Treatment for this degree of the disease is rather long and difficult, since it is necessary not only eliminate inflammation of the tube, but also complications that have arisen as a result of the lack of timely therapy.

Symptoms

The first sign of tube inflammation is considered to be tinnitus, as well as a significant hearing loss, which worsens the patient's quality of life. At the same time, the symptoms are the same for adults and children, but the latter tolerate the disease more difficult, especially at the age of up to 12 months.

This is due to the fact that a small child is not able to talk about his feelings. As a rule, the baby cries, may try to insert a finger into the ear or put a hand on it.

In addition, the baby's skin turns red, he constantly cries, refuses food and liquids. In addition, the child's body temperature rises, anxiety, weakness, or excessive activity associated with attempts to relieve pain is noted.

If the parents cannot determine the cause of the crying of the child, you can try to gently press on the tragus located at the entrance to the ear. Increased crying and strong anxiety in the baby speaks of an inflammatory process in the Eustachian tube.

Children over 2 years old can tell quite clearly about their feelings, complain of severe pain, especially when touching the affected ear. Among the external manifestations, one can distinguish the presence of a transparent or pink liquid in the ear canal, which, after drying, leads to the formation of crusts. They are quite difficult to remove without first soaking.

In addition, a change in the timbre of the child's voice is noted, he speaks of a strong noise and crackling in the ears, a constant sensation of liquid being in them. With a long course of pathology, the symptoms are aggravated, the color of the discharge changes to reddish or yellow-green, which indicates the development of purulent inflammation. The child's appetite is weakened or absent altogether, the body weight decreases.

An increase in body temperature leads to dry mucous membranes, intense thirst and sweating. The child spends most of the time in a horizontal position, his activity is significantly reduced, interest in games and other activities disappears.

Adults tolerate the disease more easily, but the symptoms are almost the same. The first signs are congestion in one or both ears, noise and pain when touched. Adults are more likely to suffer from headaches, dizziness. Their performance decreases, symptoms of depression appear. In addition, the patients' body temperature rises, but not to critical levels.

The patient becomes lethargic, refuses food, consumes a lot of fluids. In this case, the symptoms may worsen, the pain in the affected ear increases, the amount of fluid released increases.

Additionally, children and adults suffer from impaired coordination of movements, nasal congestion. In each case, the set of symptoms may differ, which is explained by the individual characteristics of the organism.

Reasons for the appearance

Tubo-otitis (symptoms and treatment in children, adult patients are considered an urgent problem in the autumn) develops as a result of various reasons.

The most common predisposing factors are the following:

• Frequent colds, viral pathologies.
• Underdevelopment of the Eustachian tube in children under 3 years of age is becoming the most common cause of inflammation, since it is easier for microorganisms to penetrate the tissues.
• Angina, tonsillitis and chronic laryngitis.
• Congenital malformations of the hearing aid.
• Whooping cough, scarlet fever often causes inflammation in preschool and school children.
• Sinusitis in acute and chronic form.
• Vasomotor rhinitis, which often affects adults and children of all ages.
• Allergic reactions to foods or drugs can trigger illness.
• The presence of adenoids in the nasal passages.
• Chronic sinusitis.
• Hypothermia of the body.
• Weakening of immunity, which leads to the multiplication of microorganisms in the Eustachian tube.
• Mechanical damage to the tympanic membrane. This reason is more typical for preschool children.

In addition, any chronic pathology of the nasopharynx can lead to the development of the disease. It is worth noting that in children, the cause in most cases is an acute illness, and in adults - chronic conditions.

Diagnostics

To clarify the diagnosis, specialists use several modern methods to assess the degree of neglect of the condition.

The most effective ones are:

• General examination and questioning of the patient is carried out free of charge in every clinic. The method is the first stage of diagnosis, it helps to assess the patient's condition, to identify the time and conditions for the onset of symptoms. When it comes to a small child, the doctor interviews the parents. Already at this stage, you can approximately determine the degree of neglect of the condition.
• Clinical and biochemical blood test is considered an important and effective diagnostic method. It is carried out in state clinics, in private institutions the price is about 600 rubles. In this case, a small amount of the patient's blood is taken and sent to the laboratory. The result usually shows signs of inflammation.
• Oral swab and nose to identify pathogenic bacteria - one of the effective methods of research, in which a swab is taken from the pharynx and nose of the patient with the help of a cotton swab. In laboratory conditions, microorganisms are detected that could provoke inflammation. The cost of an examination in a private clinic is approximately 300 rubles. In state institutions, it is carried out free of charge.
• Otoscopy using a special device is the most effective and simple method in which the doctor examines the affected area through the external auditory canal. In doing so, he can see signs of inflammation, the color of the secreted fluid and its amount. Such diagnostics are carried out free of charge in public and private clinics.
• Tympanometry usually performed in any clinic free of charge after an otoscopy. The essence of the method is in the complete overlap of the external auditory canal using a special probe with a plug and the subsequent supply of sounds of different frequencies in order to identify the mobility of the tympanic membrane and auditory bones. The specialist sees indicators on the device, the decoding of which will allow assessing the condition of all parts of the hearing aid. Usually, the technique is used as an additional diagnostic method, it is effective.

Otoscopy is the most effective and simplest examination method. It should be noted that the same diagnostic methods are used for adults and children.

When to see a doctor

Tubo-otitis is considered a rather dangerous disease. If its symptoms appear in children or adults, it is worthwhile to visit a doctor immediately and undergo treatment in order to prevent complications. The otolaryngologist deals with the therapy of such pathologies. Additionally, you may need a consultation with a neurologist, therapist and infectious disease specialist.

Prophylaxis

It is impossible to completely exclude the development of the disease, but you can significantly reduce the risk of its occurrence. It is necessary to avoid hypothermia, it is especially important to wear a hat during the cold season. For preschool children, it is necessary to choose hats that cover the external auditory canal well.

Babies should be bathed in warm water, and drafts in the room should be prevented. Additionally, the child should be provided with adequate nutrition, which will strengthen the immune system and prevent the development of pathology. During an exacerbation of colds, it is necessary to constantly ventilate the room, give the baby a lot of warm drinks and the necessary medicines.

This will eliminate the likelihood of the development of microorganisms in the nasopharynx, which can subsequently penetrate into the Eustachian tube and provoke an inflammatory process.

If the patient has a history of chronic pathologies of the nose or pharynx, it is important to undergo timely treatment when the first symptoms of an exacerbation appear. It is necessary to strictly follow the doctor's recommendations and not to self-medicate, especially when it comes to a child.

An additional method of prevention is a regular visit to a doctor and a diagnostic examination, which will reveal pathology at the initial stage and immediately begin treatment.

Treatment methods

Tubo-otitis (symptoms and treatment in children should definitely be discussed with a doctor, but not self-medicated) is quite successfully eliminated with the help of medications and other methods.

Medications

For therapy, agents from different groups are used, which have a complex effect on the body.

The most effective medicines:

• Sumamed - an antibiotic from the macrolide group, which is actively used to treat children and adults. It helps to destroy all pathogens and stop the symptoms of inflammation, is highly effective. For adults, a dose of 500-1000 mg per day is prescribed, the course lasts up to 7 days. For children, the dosage is determined taking into account the weight, per 1 kg there is 10 mg of the active substance. As a rule, adults are prescribed tablets or capsules, children - a suspension. Price - from 300 rubles.
• Azitral - Another very effective antibiotic, which in most cases is prescribed by adults. The daily dosage is 1 to 2 g. The tablets are taken orally for 5-7 days. The drug helps to destroy bacteria and prevents complications. Price - from 100 rubles.
• Tsipromed - ear drops from the group of antibiotics, help to destroy bacteria and localize the inflammatory process, preventing its spread to healthy tissues. Drops are prescribed for adults and children from 1 year old. The course of treatment lasts up to 14 days, it is necessary to instill drops after preliminary and careful cleaning of the ears, 5 drops into the ear canal 3 times a day. The drug is highly effective, its price is about 150 rubles.
• Otrivin - drops with a vasoconstrictor effect, which are highly effective and help eliminate edema, which is always present during inflammation. Drops are prescribed for adults and children from 1 year old. Instill 3-5 drops into the ear canal, repeat up to 4 times a day. The maximum course duration is 7 days. Price - from 100 rubles.
• Tavegil - antiallergic and very effective medication, which is used in the complex treatment of tubo-otitis. Helps eliminate swelling and prevent complications. Adults take 1-2 tablets per day for 7 days. Children are prescribed from 2 to 7 ml of syrup, depending on age and body weight. It is necessary to take the syrup from 5 to 7 days. Price - from 200 rubles.
• Claritin Is another effective antihistamine medication that can also be prescribed for inflammation. Adults take 1 tablet a day for 5-10 days. Children are prescribed syrup depending on age and weight. The dosage ranges from 2.5-7.5 ml. The price of the product is from 250 rubles.
• Bronchomunal - an immunostimulating medication that is highly effective. It is usually prescribed for adults and children in case of a chronic course of the disease. Helps to stimulate the body's immune defenses and fight disease more effectively. Capsules are prescribed for adults and children from 6 months, 1 piece per day for 10-20 days. Price - from 400 rubles.

In each case, the scheme is drawn up individually, taking into account the symptomatology of the pathology. Similar medicines can be used to treat children and adults. Drops should not be cold when administered.

Folk remedies

Tubo-otitis (symptoms and treatment in children, adults are often interrelated, since, depending on the manifestations, drugs are prescribed) cannot be completely cured with folk remedies. But they can be used to alleviate the condition.

Honey tampons can help relieve pain and inflammation. It is necessary to take liquid honey and warm it up a little in a water bath. After that, moisten small cotton swabs in the composition and insert into the affected ear canals for 20 minutes. Repeat 2 times a day for 7 days.

A decoction based on calamus is considered a good remedy. It is necessary to boil 20 g of raw materials in 200 ml of water for 5 minutes, filter the composition. Take 20 ml 3 times a day for 2 weeks.

Pharmacy propolis infusion in combination with vegetable oil brings good results in the treatment of inflammation. You need to take 1 ml of tincture and add 4 ml of warm vegetable oil. In the resulting mixture, moisten a cotton swab and insert into the ear canal for 20-25 minutes. Repeat the manipulation daily at bedtime for a week.

It is worth remembering that in the treatment of children, the use of traditional medicine recipes is allowed only after the permission of a doctor. Adults should also not experiment if the inflammation progresses.

Other methods

After the relief of acute symptoms, children and adults are usually prescribed a course of physiotherapy. This helps to stimulate tissue repair and prevents complications, recurrence of pathology.

• UFO therapy considered the most common method. In this case, the patient's ear canal is exposed to ultraviolet rays, which promote tissue regeneration and destroy microbes. The procedure is carried out 2-3 times a week for a month, lasts 20 minutes.
• UHF therapy It is also considered a good way to normalize blood circulation, kill bacteria and repair tissue. The procedure lasts 20-30 minutes and is performed 3 times a week. The course consists of 10-15 sessions, depending on the severity of the symptoms.
• Laser therapy it is used immediately after the relief of acute symptoms and helps to eliminate edema, shorten the period of treatment. It is carried out 3 times a week, the session lasts 25 minutes, the course consists of 10 procedures. During the manipulation, laser beams are applied to the patient's tissues, which help to stimulate the process of tissue repair.

Possible complications

As a rule, the disease is successfully treated, but it can provoke complications.

The most common ones are:

• The transition of pathology to the chronic stage.
• Damage to ear tissue as a result of the spread of a purulent process.
• Decreased hearing acuity or complete loss of hearing.
• The transition of inflammation to the second ear.
• Pathological narrowing of the auditory canal.
• Atrophy of the tissues of the ear canal.

To prevent such complications, you should visit your doctor immediately after the first symptoms appear.

Tubo-otitis is a common disease, the symptoms of which more often occur in children of different ages, but adults can also appear. Treatment of the disease is long and complex; in its absence, complications develop that can lead to permanent hearing loss.

Article design: Vladimir the Great

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