Otitis of the middle ear - symptoms and treatment, photo

The human ear is a complex organ, the work of which is provided by many natural mechanisms. Most of them are hidden in the area of ​​the temporal bone( inner ear), they communicate with the environment through the external auditory canal and Eustachian tube.

Deeper into the anatomy and structure of the ear, it turns out - the external auditory canal ends with a tympanic membrane, which reliably blocks the way pathogenic microorganisms into the middle sterile organ( middle ear).If an infection occurs in a person, otitis develops.

Otitis, what is it?

Otitis is an infectious and inflammatory disease that occurs when pathogens get into the middle of the hearing organ, as a result of which the middle ear becomes inflamed and can not perform its functions to the fullest. In simple terms, otitis is an inflammation of the middle ear.

In most cases, the inflammatory process develops again, as a complication of the disease of the nasal or oropharynx. Through the Eustachian tube, the hearing organ communicates with the nasal cavity and pharynx, so the diseases of the ENT organs can cause the infection to spread.

Predisposing factors for the development of otitis media are:

• General supercooling of the body;
• Weak immunity, frequent viral infections;
• Prolonged intake of antibiotics, destructively affecting the intestinal microflora and destroying the immune system;
• Inflammation of adenoids;
• Chronic infections of the nasopharynx - sinusitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, frontalitis;
• Postoperative sore throat
• Inflammation in the eustachian tube( eustachian).

Infectious agents easily penetrate into the hearing organ with blood flow from pathological foci of the disease in the body, for example, inflammation of the kidneys, dental caries and others.

Other factors can also provoke the development of the inflammatory process in the middle part of the hearing organ - trauma, damage to the tympanic membrane, getting into the ear of water during bathing.

Forms of manifestation

Depending on the severity of the disease and the severity of the clinical picture of the inflammatory process, several forms of otitis are distinguished:

1. Catarrhal - occurs most often, develops as a result of complications of acute respiratory viral infection( the most common pathology in pediatrics).
2. Exudative form - characterized by accumulation of pathological discharge in the tympanic membrane and eustachian tube. The main cause of the development is the violation of air circulation in the Eustachian tube and can lead to deafness.
3. Allergic form - develops against a predisposition of the patient to allergies, for example, with bronchial asthma, atopic dermatitis, wet eczema, allergic rhinitis. Purulent form - develops as catarrhal otitis progresses, is characterized by accumulation of pus in the cavity of the middle ear, intolerable acute pain and high fever.
4. One-sided or two-sided - depending on the lesion of one or both ears.
5. Chronic form - develops as a result of neglected acute otitis media of the middle ear, the treatment of which was not started on time or was ineffective.

In contrast to the acute form, the symptoms of chronic otitis media of the middle ear in adults can be absent for a long time or be negligible - the patient simply does not pay attention to them.

Under the influence of predisposing factors( hypothermia, advanced ARI and others), the chronic process worsens and is difficult to treat.

Symptoms of otitis media of the middle ear, photo

Clinical symptoms of inflammation of the middle ear largely depend on the form of the disease, but common manifestations of otitis are:

• Impairment of hearing, feeling of stuffiness of the ears( or one ear with unilateral lesion), tinnitus;
• Increase in body temperature - with chronic otitis, the temperature can remain within normal limits, with a purulent form the thermometer readings reach 39-40 degrees;
• Shooting pain in the ear with irradiation in half of the head, temple, neck, jaw, eyes;
• Increasing weakness;
• Headache;
• Possible nausea and vomiting;
• There is reluctance, since chewing movements only increase pain.

With the development of a chronic form, the symptoms of otitis abruptly cease, pus with blood admixtures can be released from the external auditory canal, and the obstruction of the ear remains for a long time.

If the disease is not treated, then it is possible to develop serious complications - frontal sinusitis, meningitis, sinusitis, neuritis, trigeminal neuralgia and others.

Middle ear otitis media in children

Ear inflammation is a common problem among infants and young children. This is due to the peculiarities of the structure of the ear canal - in children it is wide and short, and accordingly the probability of infection in the middle ear is much higher than in adults.

Unlike a teenager or an adult, a babe can not complain of pain and describe what it feels, so parents should be especially attentive and immediately consult a doctor if the following symptoms appear:

• The kid behaves restlessly at the chest, rushes, makes a sucking motionand sharply throws the nipple with weeping. A new attempt at eating is accompanied by the same symptoms;
• The child becomes sluggish, capricious, can not fall asleep;
• Refuses to eat;
• When you press your finger on the tragus of the ear, the child begins to cry.

Body temperature may remain normal or its rates rise to subfebrile markings.

Treatment of otitis media of the middle ear

The sooner an otitis media of the middle ear is diagnosed and the treatment is prescribed, the less likely the development of complications and chronic processes. Depending on the form of the disease treatment will be different, so the patient categorically is forbidden to select the drug alone !

Conservative therapy is as follows:

1. Any nasal drops - in the otitis media of the middle ear, appoint 1-2 in the auditory meatus. Preparations from this group help to widen the lumen of the auditory canal, thereby relieving pain.
2. Antihistamines - when diagnosing a disease of allergic origin.
3. Glucocorticosteroids - prescribed for severe disease. Preparations of this group quickly remove swelling and inflammation.
4. Commonly restorative drugs that stimulate immunity.
5. Vitamins.
6. Antibiotics - with otitis of a purulent form or attachment of a bacterial infection. Depending on the severity of the disease, drugs of this group are prescribed in the form of tablets or injections.

After the acute inflammatory process has subsided, a physiotherapeutic treatment can be used - a tube of quartz, heating with a blue lamp, ultrasound and electrophoresis.

Prevention

To prevent otitis development it is important to monitor the health of the whole organism:

• In time to treat viral infections and nasopharyngeal diseases;
• Strengthen immunity;
• Carefully perform hygiene procedures, using a cotton swab or other hard objects for cleaning the ears, but a cotton wool soaked with physiological solution, hydrogen peroxide or sterile oil.

Young children for the prevention of otitis should thoroughly soak the ears after bathing and make sure that water does not get inside the ear.