Eustachitis is an inflammation of the Eustachian tube and tympanum. If you do not start treatment for eustachitis in a timely manner, then the ailment can cause a decrease in hearing acuity. Most often, the pathology arises as a result of advanced rhinitis or sinusitis. The clinical manifestations of the disease depend on the causes of the pathology, the severity and individual characteristics of the body.
Clinical manifestations of the disease
With the course, an acute and chronic form of the disease is distinguished. The first is characterized by congestion of one or both ears, a feeling of transfusion of fluid when turning the head. Noise, heaviness may occur in the ears, a feeling of fullness appears. When talking aloud, an echo occurs.
With eustachitis, the general state of health remains normal, body temperature does not increase. With the addition of purulent otitis media, intoxication symptoms appear: headaches, weakness, fever. Purulent discharge appears from the ear.
The chronic form of inflammation of the tube is characterized by a less pronounced clinical picture. With this type of ailment, changes in the lumen of the auditory tube are observed, and deformation and thinning of the tympanic membrane also occur.
What causes the disease
Before starting treatment for eustachitis, it is necessary to determine what exactly caused it. They are divided into infectious and physical. In the first case, pathology is a complication of rhinopharyngitis, sinusitis, rhinitis, sore throat, acute respiratory viral infections and other diseases of the nasopharynx, in which inflammatory processes go to the Eustachian tube.
Physical causes include conditions and diseases in which the patency of the tube and nasal passages changes. This can lead to a curvature of the nasal septum, overlapping or narrowing of the nasal passages, enlarged nasopharyngeal tonsils.
Treatment methods
Treatment of eustachitis can be carried out by various methods, depending on the cause of the pathology. If the problem arises from changes in biometric pressure during diving, flying on an airplane, descents and climbs uphill, then you can normalize the pressure by blowing your ears with the help of regular swallowing with closed nostrils and sudden exhalation with closed nostrils, closing your mouth.
If pathogenic microorganisms became the cause, then treatment of eustachitis should be carried out by the method of suppressing them. For this purpose, antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, antifungal agents can be prescribed.
To eliminate the pathology, the following methods are used:
- Eliminate the cause that led to inflammation.
- Puffiness of the mucous surface of the tube is removed.
- Patency and functionality are restored.
- The treatment of inflammation and swelling of the respiratory tract.
- Immunity increases.
- Prevention of frequent colds is carried out.
If eustachiitis is caused by an allergy, then a comprehensive treatment of allergies is carried out.
Antibiotics for the treatment of pathology
Treatment of eustachitis in adults with antibiotics is carried out if purulent otitis media of the ear or nasopharyngeal diseases caused by bacteria are diagnosed. In other cases, these drugs are not used.
For therapy, ear drops are used that have antibacterial properties. It can be Danzil, Sofradeks, Normaks, Otofa, Otipaks, Polydeks and other means. Drops are selected by the doctor, taking into account the condition of the eardrum. Some of them cannot be used for perforation. Each of the selected drugs has its own characteristics, which are taken into account when prescribing.
For pain, temperature, purulent discharge from the ear, antibiotics of a wide spectrum of action are prescribed. Most often, the following drugs are used to treat eustachitis: Amoxil, Gentamicin, Biseptol, Amoxicillin, Ceftriaxone. The standard course of treatment is 5-14 days. Usually, clinical manifestations of the pathology disappear on the second or third day, but this does not mean that treatment should be discontinued. The course of antibiotics should be completed completely. Otherwise, the pathology will not make you wait for your return.
The list of the best antibiotics for the treatment of eustachitis is presented below:
- Amoxicillin. Applied in the form of intramuscular injections.
- Ceftazidime, Ceftriaxone.
- “Azithromycin”, “Summamed”.
- Clarithromycin.
- "Tetracycline."
- "Linkomycin."
- Gentamicin.
- Ceftractam.
- "Medoklav".
- Amoxiclav, Auugmentin, etc.
Antibiotics can be prescribed in different pharmacological forms: tablets, capsules, injectable solutions, sprays, drops, syrups (in the treatment of pathology in children). In especially severe cases, intravenous administration of drugs is carried out.
Vasoconstrictor drugs
In addition to the treatment of eustachitis with antibiotics, the doctor selects vasoconstrictor drugs. They help reduce discharge and eliminate nasal congestion. This group of medicines relieves swelling and restores patency of the ear canal. Most often, the following drugs are prescribed: Naphthyzin, Otrivin, Nazol, Sanorin, Galazolin. In case of an overdose, these drugs can cause irritation of the nasal mucosa and its dryness.
Antipyretic
When the temperature rises, the following drugs are prescribed for the treatment of eustachitis: Paracetamol, Ibuprofen, Ibuklin, Nurofen, etc. These drugs are taken only if the body temperature rises above 38.5 degrees and lasts more than 12 hours. But most often, it begins to subside itself as the inflammatory process subsides.
Pipe blowing
Sometimes the doctor flushes the pipe with a rubber spray connected to the olive. The latter is inserted into one nostril, the wings of the nose are clamped. In order for air to enter the tympanic cavity, the patient swallows water or speaks loud words. During a sip or pronunciation of some syllables, the doctor squeezes the balloon. With the help of an otoscope, air is monitored.
With positive blowing of the pipe, the patient's overall well-being improves from the first day. Patients report an improvement in hearing. If the blowing method is ineffective or does not give any result at all, then catheterization is carried out by pneumatic massage of the tympanic membrane.
Folk methods
At the initial stages of the disease, folk methods have positive results. They can also be used at the final stage of pathology. However, if the disease is caused by pathogenic microorganisms, then in most cases traditional medicine does not give the desired results: with perforation of the eardrum, some methods can cause complications. Therefore, before starting treatment of eustachitis at home, you should consult a doctor, take tests, determine the true cause of inflammation.
Instead of antibiotics, in the treatment of inflammation of the tube, you can use onion or garlic drops, alcohol tinctures of eucalyptus, celandine, St. John's wort. They have bactericidal properties, improve blood circulation, have an anti-inflammatory effect. 3-5 drops are instilled into the sore ear up to three times a day, the ear canal is closed with a cotton swab.
Boric alcohol
Positive results in the treatment of chronic eustachitis and other species shows boric alcohol. This substance does not have an antimicrobial effect, but has a strong anti-inflammatory effect. Having penetrated the ear, boric alcohol warms the ear, relieves inflammation, restores blood circulation. The substance has a number of contraindications, so you should consult your doctor before use.
Warming up
If there is no purulent inflammation, then the doctor may prescribe a deep warming of the ear. This can only be done if there is no purulent infection, otherwise heating can lead to sepsis. For warming, salt bags, alcohol compresses, paraffin and other methods are used.
Traditional medicine recipes
There are many methods of treating eustachitis with folk remedies, among them the following recipes:
- Aloe juice. Aloe leaf is taken, washed and juice is squeezed out of it. It is diluted with boiled warm water in the same volume as the juice left. Everything is mixed up. The resulting product is buried in the sore ear and in the nasal passages. You can moisten tampons with this solution and inject them into the ear canal.
- Onion drops. To prepare the product, you need a medium onion. It is twisted in a meat grinder. Then squeeze the juice from the pulp. It is recommended to dilute it with water in a ratio of 1: 1. The solution is used as drops in the nose. You can prepare other droplets: the onion is slightly heated in a frying pan or in the oven (a couple of minutes). Then juice is squeezed from the onion, and the pulp is wrapped in a napkin and carefully introduced into the ear canal. Drops are used for instillation into the ear and nasal passages.
- Potato inhalation. This classic remedy helps get rid of Eustachitis. For inhalation, boil the potatoes, then breathe over it, hiding in a towel or blanket.
- Infusion of herbs. Symptoms and treatment of eustachitis with folk remedies depend on what exactly led to the disease. In the initial stages and with inflammation, drug therapy can be supplemented with infusion of St. John's wort, pine buds, meadowsweet and nettle. These plants are taken in equal quantities. Then two tablespoons of the mixture are poured with half a liter of boiling water, insisted for half an hour. Accepted funds are one hundred grams three times a day. You can prepare another remedy by taking eucalyptus, dandelion root, lavender, celandine, and yarrow. All herbs are taken in equal parts, mixed. Two tablespoons of the mixture are steamed with 0.5 liters of boiling water and insisted for twelve hours. The drug is taken one hundred grams three times a day. With this tool, you can moisten the swabs and insert them into the ear, nasal passages.
- Celandine. This plant is poisonous, therefore, drops and other drugs for the treatment of eustachitis with homeopathy, are used only on the recommendation of a specialist.
- Calendula. To prepare the product, take a spoonful of raw materials, a glass of boiling water. The composition is cooked for half an hour over low heat.
- Garlic. Drops are made from it. They have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory effects. To prepare the droplets, take the average head of garlic, 100 ml of oil. Garlic is crushed. The gruel is mixed with oil and infused for two weeks. Before use, a little glycerin is added to the composition. The resulting drops are used for instillation in the ear.
Features of the treatment of chronic pipe inflammation
When diagnosing a chronic form of the disease, the treatment of pathology is carried out by integrated methods that allow achieving long-term and lasting results. Medicine allows you to eliminate inflammation, stuffy ear, restore hearing. It is mandatory to carry out therapy aimed at increasing immunity, which reduces the risk of remission of the pathology.
Laser therapy and magnetotherapy are used to increase immunity locally. These methods have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial and decongestant effects.
Good results are herbal medicine. With its help, puffiness is eliminated, local and general immunity increases.
Pathology Prevention
Everyone knows that it’s easier to prevent a disease than to treat it.
To avoid inflammation of the Eustachian tube, it is necessary not only to timely treat diseases of the ENT organs, but also not to supercool the head and protect your ears from the cold. Those who once suffered from pipe inflammation are advised to avoid working with sudden changes in atmospheric pressure. For such people, the prohibition of diving, prolonged stay under water, diving. It is also worth trying to avoid hypothermia, take vitamins, lead a healthy lifestyle, monitor the state of the immune system, and in cases of colds, properly treat diseases without leaving them to chance.