The ear is the organ responsible for the perception of sounds and is complex in its structure. The normal functioning of the ears can be disrupted due to the slightest injury or infectious disease. Lack of treatment can lead to hearing loss - total or partial.
Building
The ear consists of three parts:
- outdoor;
- medium;
- domestic.
The outer ear consists of a shell and a hearing aid, that is, everything that is on the surface of the head and is visible to the naked eye. The middle part is the auditory ossicles and the tympanic cavity. This part is located in the temporal bone. The inner part is a whole system of channels, where the received sounds are converted into nerve impulses in the brain. Also, this system is responsible for the balance of a person.
Classification
Ear injuries have an extensive classification. In particular, injuries are distinguished by localization, that is, when the outer, middle or inner ear suffers.
Depending on the type of damage, allocate:
- Blunt injuries, bruises and other soft tissue injuries.
- Wounds, that is, inflicted by sharpobjects and accompanied by skin damage.
- Thermal, that is, obtained as a result of exposure to too high or low temperatures.
- Actinotrauma, i.e. radiation damage.
- Chemical - formed after chemicals enter the ear.
- Acoustic, obtained from the strongest sound vibrations and as a result of a strong pressure drop.
- Objective injuries are those that occur against the background of the penetration of foreign objects into the body.
Injuries to the external part of the hearing organ
In this part, the auricle is most susceptible to injury, as it is outside and is not protected by anything. The rest is "hidden" in the skull.
The most common causes of outer ear damage:
- bites from fauna, including poisonous insects;
- fall;
- jaw punch;
- targeted strikes.
In fact, there are many more reasons, and in medical practice there are unique cases. Almost all of these injuries have the same symptoms:
- redness and swelling at the site of injury;
- hematoma formation;
- pain when touching the injured part of the auricle;
- clearly palpable pulse at the site of injury;
- blood.
If you cut your ear or inflicted another wound on yourself, which is accompanied by bruising, then the damaged area must be treated with an antiseptic or wiped with a clean cloth,if there is no disinfectant.
If the ear shell is severely damaged, you should immediately contact a medical facility. With a complete detachment of the ear, it should be placed in a slightly damp cloth or a vessel with ice and urgently sent to the hospital. If no more than 8-10 hours have passed since the ear injury, then it can be sewn back. Further treatment may consist of antibiotics to prevent infection.
Untreated bruises can cause the accumulated blood to lead to an abscess and, as a result, to necrosis of the cartilage of the auricle, which seems to melt and look like sluggish cabbage leaves.
If a chemical or thermal burn touches the ear canal, swelling may occur, which will later lead to scarring. In some cases, such scars cause complete blockage of the ear canal and, accordingly, cause hearing loss.
Diagnosis and further treatment
Due to the fact that the outer ear consists of cartilage and is located on the surface, special diagnostic measures are not required. If, nevertheless, the injury is deep, then the doctor will use, first of all, endoscopic and / or otoscopic examination. The latter technique allows you to assess the severity of the lesion. A bellied probe allows you to assess the severity of damage to cartilage and bone tissue. X-ray examination allows you to assess the extent of damage and the condition of the bone tissue.
Choice of treatment tacticsdepends entirely on the nature of the injury. If it is a mild injury, then perhaps only an antibacterial treatment and a sterile dressing will be applied. If the injury is complex and deep, then you will need to drink antibacterial agents so that nearby tissues are not infected.
If there is a hematoma, it must be opened to remove clotted blood. If an ear fracture occurs, or rather a bone, then in order to avoid interference from chewing movements, the jaw is fixed, and nutrition during the recovery period consists exclusively of liquid dishes. Naturally, such treatment is carried out only in a hospital.
Injuries to the middle ear
Unlike injuries to the outer ear, the middle ear has a minimal amount of damage. In particular, it could be:
- acoustic injury;
- ruptured eardrum;
- damage due to sudden pressure drop, barotrauma;
- ear concussion;
- injuries with sharp objects that "reached" the eardrum;
- damage to the auditory ossicle.
However, such injuries are very dangerous because they often lead to a decrease in sound perception. In such cases, the eardrum ceases to perform the functions assigned to it, in particular, does not receive or poorly receives sound signals, respectively, and transmits vibrations to the inner ear poorly.
After such ear injuries, there is a huge risk of developing otitis media.
There are a number of symptoms that are characteristicfor middle ear injuries:
- bleeding;
- pain;
- decrease or even complete loss of hearing.
Diagnosis and therapy
The organs and tissues of the ears regenerate fairly quickly. The main thing is to seek medical help in time. If the therapy was prescribed correctly and the course of treatment was completed, then the hearing returns.
However, if no improvement is observed for 2 months, then, most likely, the inflammatory process continues inside. In some cases, laser or conventional surgery may be recommended. In particular, the operation is performed if pus has accumulated inside the cavity.
Diagnostic measures are basically the same as for damage to the outer part. This is an otoscopy, an X-ray examination. In cases where the tympanic membrane has been ruptured or barotrauma has been inflicted, no special therapy is required.
Inner ear damage
This part of the human ear is deep enough that no foreign or sharp objects seem to harm the labyrinth. However, it is possible. It can be not only penetrating wounds, but also acoustic impact. In such situations, the main symptom is nausea and intense tinnitus.
The casu alty may feel that objects are spinning around him. In the future, it can reach loss of consciousness, neurological disorders and even paresis of the facial nerve can be observed.
If there wasacoustic ear injury in humans, then hemorrhage may begin. The chronic development of the pathology can occur against the background of a prolonged strong effect of sound on the organ of hearing. Such a disease is typical for people working in noisy industries. One of the reasons for the development of the disease may be a fracture of the temporal bone.
Diagnosis and treatment
When making a diagnosis, the doctor first of all conducts an initial examination, and X-rays may be prescribed. Hearing function is also investigated. In some cases, it is possible to establish an accurate diagnosis only after MRI. Very often, a study of the vestibular apparatus is required.
Treatment of the inner ear is a rather complicated and lengthy process that requires efforts not only from the doctor, but also from the victim himself. First of all, ear treatment is required and, if necessary, drainage is performed, after which a sterile dressing is applied.
With mild injuries, the prognosis for recovery is positive. If we are talking about the presence of foreign bodies, then an otosurgical operation is required to remove these objects.
Congenital anomalies
Protruding ears are the most common anomaly of the auricle, which occurs in 50% of cases in newborns. At the same time, in the same parts in both boys and girls. Although protruding ears are not the result of an injury, it still causes great psychological discomfort; in adulthood, a negative impact on character can be observed. Differences can already be seenthe birth of a baby.
Recently, doctors offer ear correctors. Best of all, they help get rid of protruding ears in infancy. By the age of 6 months, you can fix the ears in the correct position, and due to the softness of the cartilage, they will take the correct shape, that is, you can do without surgery.
At an older age, ear correctors do not have this effect, and they will have to be worn constantly, but the psychological component of protruding ears is eliminated and surgery can be avoided.
Injury First Aid
An ear fracture, acoustic injuries and other pathologies can lead to severe consequences, so it is very important to provide first aid on time.
First of all, it is necessary to examine the area of injury, calm the victim and immediately call an ambulance. Then you should carefully treat the wound, best with antiseptics, if they are at hand. A cooling bandage or ice can then be applied to the ear.
If there is constant bleeding, then it should be stopped with hydrogen peroxide and a bandage applied. If possible, the movement of the jaw apparatus should be limited. When providing first aid, you should try not to damage the cartilage.
Rehab
Eardrum injuries are especially dangerous, therefore, with such injuries of the ears, it will not be possible to do without medical help. After the course of treatment, rehabilitation plays a huge role in order to avoid hearing loss - completeor partial.
The patient will have to give up physical activity and strictly follow the prescribed treatment. You should be very careful about the damaged hearing organ, even during sleep. It is recommended during the recovery period to use funds that will speed up the healing process. It can be tea with chamomile or rose hips.
Possible Complications
If the ear injury is fairly mild and superficial, then the healing process is fast and, as a rule, there are no complications. In cases where the injury is of moderate severity, complications of a neurological nature of origin are possible, and hearing may even be completely or partially lost. It is very dangerous when an inflammatory process joins an injury, especially if there is no appropriate treatment. This condition can even lead to death or disability.
Prevention
It is clear that it is unlikely that you will be able to protect yourself from a bullet wound or a stab wound. But protecting yourself from the strong sound from the headphones is very easy. When riding potentially dangerous sports equipment (bicycles, skates, etc.), it is worth using protective equipment.
When applying for a job at a manufacturing enterprise, you should clarify how strong the noise in the shops is, assess for yourself how much such work is needed. In the most extreme case, if the work is still very necessary, you should strictly adhere to the safety rules.
