Ear pain is very hard to bear. As a rule, it occurs suddenly, interferes with sleep, work, and lead a normal life. The pain appears unexpectedly and for a long time unsettles. Otitis media is the most common ear disease. If timely treatment is not started, then the disease will lead to complications. The first symptoms of otitis in each person are individual, but most often it develops acutely. If you do not immediately consult a doctor, at the first sign of illness, complications arise, up to deafness.
Structure of the ear
To be able to distinguish the symptoms of otitis from other pathologies, you need to understand the structure of the ear. In our understanding, the ear is only the upper part that everyone sees, but this is only its beginning: it is called the outer ear. Its main task is to catch sounds and pass them on through the external auditory meatus.
Then the sounds go to the middle ear. It is represented by the tympanic membrane, the auditory tube and the tympanic cavity with three auditory ossicles. In this part, the sound signal is amplified several times. It is in this part of the ear that inflammation most often occurs. Andone of the symptoms of otitis media is hearing loss.
The sound then travels through a very complex ear system called the inner ear.
Types of ear diseases
The ear consists of three sections, respectively, the symptoms of otitis media in each of them will be slightly different. Depending on the site of inflammation, they are distinguished:
- otitis externa;
- middle ear inflammation;
- otitis media.
The outer section is rarely exposed to inflammatory processes. If inflammation occurs, then it is a consequence of other pathologies of the ears, such as boils, acne, eczema. Symptoms of otitis media may appear after hypothermia. Usually, all inflammatory processes with an external type of ailment are visible to the naked eye. They are quickly diagnosed. If suddenly the infection penetrates further, then there are symptoms of otitis media in adults, characteristic of the middle ear.
In this case, the inflammation affects the eardrum and cavity. If you do not start urgent treatment, then there is a risk of developing serious complications in which the eardrum is damaged.
Dangerous for adults are symptoms of otitis media that indicate inflammation of the inner ear. It does not manifest itself as an independent pathology, but occurs as a complication. This type of disease is accompanied by complications, up to deafness. The main feature of this type of disease is the absence of pain. Symptoms of otitis in adults can cause severe dizziness, hearing problems.
Classificationdisease
According to the duration of the course, inflammation of the ear is divided into chronic, acute and subacute forms. Acute lasts about two weeks. If during this time the disease has not passed, then this may indicate a subacute form. For chronic, sluggish symptoms of otitis media are characteristic. Clinical manifestations interfere with leading a full life.
According to the type of pathogen, features of the course and symptoms, otitis media can be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi. In some cases, pathology occurs due to allergies, more often due to trauma. As a result of damage to the auditory organ, inflammation may occur. Most often this happens when cleaning the ears with cotton swabs, with pressure drops during diving, during air travel.
Otitis can be exudative, in which a liquid comes out without color. Also, the inflammation is catarrhal, without discharge, but with great swelling, and purulent. At the last sight, pus comes out of the ear canal.
If the right ear becomes inflamed, then they speak of a right-sided ailment, if in the left, then they speak of a left-sided one. In some cases both ears are involved (bilateral).
Causes of pathology
Symptoms of otitis media and other types appear due to the fact that pathogens develop in the ear canal. It can be bacteria, viruses, fungi. The disease can occur for various reasons, most often it leads to:
- Dirty water getting into the ear. This can happen while swimming in open water.
- Possible penetration of infection through wounds, cracks. Incleaning the ears can damage the walls of the ear canal. Pathogenic pathogens penetrate these lesions, causing a variety of symptoms of otitis media and other types of ailment.
- Otitis media can be a complication of undertreated SARS.
- Excessive cleaning of the ears. Sulfur is a natural barrier to infection in the ear canals. For it to perform its function, it should not be removed daily.
- Violation of hygiene. To protect your ears from infection, do not use other people's headphones or earplugs, as they may contain the causative agent of the infection
- The presence of a foreign body. Symptoms of otitis media and other types of inflammation can be caused by foreign bodies in the ear canals. Insects can also get in.
And these are not all possible sources of infection. The treatment of otitis media depends on the symptoms, and only a doctor can correctly diagnose.
Clinical manifestations of the disease
The manifestation of inflammation depends on its type.
Otitis externa is characterized by redness of the skin of the auricle, pain that can radiate to the jaw, temples, itching. You may also experience tinnitus and hearing loss. Treatment of symptoms of otitis media and complications is carried out only after the diagnosis is made by a doctor. Most often, the disease occurs with boils: after their treatment, the pain disappears, hearing is restored. With this form of the disease, there will always be discharge from the external auditory canal.
Symptoms and treatment of otitis media are closely related to each other:the doctor selects symptomatic therapy aimed at eliminating pain and other clinical manifestations. In adults, the pathology often proceeds in an acute form. The main symptom of the disease is pain of a shooting nature, which is difficult to endure. Inflammation leads to hearing loss. As the infection spreads: symptoms of intoxication increase: body temperature rises, but this symptom of otitis media does not always occur. Treatment of both intoxication and other manifestations should be comprehensive.
With otitis media, there may be discharge of a different nature. If it is pus, then they talk about a purulent process. In adults and children, the symptoms of otitis are manifested by the presence of a purulent discharge: pus accumulates in the ear, which breaks through and comes out. This usually happens after a rupture of the eardrum (it can rupture on its own or the doctor makes a puncture). As soon as the pus comes out, the patient feels relief, intoxication subsides.
In adults and children, the symptoms of otitis can occur in acute, subacute and chronic forms. Without timely and adequate treatment, the acute form turns into subacute, and then into chronic. The latter does not have pronounced signs: this species is characterized by constant stuffiness of the ear, noise, hearing loss.
Inflammation of the inner ear is considered the most dangerous. With this type of pain, there is practically no, but there is severe dizziness, nausea, and vomiting may occur. At the first symptoms of otitis media, treatment is necessary, and if it is not carried out correctly, the prognosis can be disappointing.
Diagnosis
In many cases, diagnosing otitis media is not difficult. Doctors rarely resort to modern diagnostic methods: only in cases where the focus of inflammation and existing inflammation are not visible to the eye. The doctor examines the eardrum using a forehead reflector through the ear funnel or using a special optical device - an otoscope.
Diagnosis of the external type of inflammation
During the examination, the doctor sees redness, swelling and other symptoms of otitis media. Treatment is selected depending on the discharge, the degree of narrowing of the auditory lumen and the type of pathogen. With external inflammation, the swelling can be so strong that it completely blocks the visibility of the condition of the eardrum. If the outer ear is diagnosed, no examination other than an examination is performed.
Diagnosis of other types of otitis media
In the acute form of inflammation of the middle ear, the main way to establish the diagnosis is an examination. The main signs that help to make a diagnosis are hyperemia of the tympanic membrane, perforation, restriction of its mobility.
In some cases, audiometry may be required to confirm the diagnosis. This method of hearing examination is used in chronic otitis media. With inflammation of the inner ear, the diagnosis is made on the basis of symptoms occurring against the background of otitis media. With inflammation of the labyrinth, dizziness is observed, hearing acuity decreases. In such cases, audiometry is required, and consultation with a neurologist and an ophthalmologist may also be necessary.
Whenmastoiditis is suspected or if the infection spreads, CT, x-rays are prescribed. However, such cases are rare.
Bacterial seeding
In otitis media, bacterial culture is not always performed. This is due to the fact that the cultivation of the pathogen is long - about a week from the moment the smear was taken. By this time, otitis is almost gone. With inflammation of the middle ear, bacterial culture is useless, since microorganisms are behind the eardrum.
However, just in case, doctors recommend taking a smear for analysis. If during therapy the treatment does not give the desired results, then bakposev will help identify the pathogen and correctly adjust the therapy.
Treatment methods
Treatment of symptoms of otitis media and other types is carried out strictly according to the doctor's prescription. For each type of inflammation, an individual therapy regimen is selected, including ear drops, antibiotics and other drugs.
Treatment of external inflammation
The main drug for the treatment of external inflammation are ear drops. Most often they contain antibiotics, which is why this group of drugs is not prescribed additionally.
Ear drops can be of a combined type: contain an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory substance. The duration of therapy is about a week. Most often, Cipropharm, Normax or Otofu and their analogues are prescribed for the treatment of ears. Miramistin can be prescribed as an antiseptic.
If otitis is of fungal origin, then they can prescribe "Candibiotic", "Clotrimazole" andother topical preparations.
Treatment of inflammation of the middle and inner ear
Therapy should include the following drugs:
- Antibiotics. The main treatment for inflammation is antibiotics. Recently, the process of spontaneous recovery has been high, which is why the use of antibiotics is a controversial issue. About 90% of cases of inflammation are cured without antibiotic therapy. However, in 10% of cases without this type of drug, the disease is complicated. The main types of antibiotics prescribed for otitis media are Amoxicillin, Amoxicillin with clavulanic acid, Cefuroxime and analogues of these drugs. Antibiotics are taken for at least a week.
- Ear drops. Ear drops are mandatory for all patients. They are different: with perforation of the eardrum and without damage, different drugs are used. Most often, doctors prescribe Otinum, Otipax, Otizol, Otofa. It makes no sense to drip preparations containing an antibiotic, since the focus of purulent inflammation is located behind the membrane.
- Drugs to lower the temperature. Usually prescribed "Paracetamol" or "Ibuprofen", "Ibuklin".
- Painkillers.
With labyrinthitis (otitis media), treatment is carried out in a hospital under the supervision of a doctor. To prevent otitis media, you should beware of hypothermia, properly carry out ear hygiene, and refrain from diving while swimming in open water. If you suddenly experience even slight discomfort in the ear canal, you should immediately contactdoctor.
