Symptoms and treatment of otitis media in adults are much less interested in patients than in inflammatory therapy for children. According to statistics, more than 90% of babies under the age of three years at least once suffered from otitis media. Next, we consider in detail the risk factors, symptoms and methods of treating external or internal ear inflammation in young patients.
Prevalence of the disease among children and some risk factors
Young children are much more susceptible to inflammatory processes of the hearing organ than adults. As a rule, otitis media is most often found in children under three years of age. Several factors contribute to this. In children, for example, the tube connecting the ear cavity with the nasopharynx is much wider and shorter than in adults, so pathogenic microorganisms can easily penetrate it. The inflamed mucosa sometimes swells to such an extent that it closes the lumen. As a result, the air exchange between the nasopharynx and the middle ear is disturbed, and this is a suitable medium for the active reproduction of pathogenic bacteria, the formation of pus and mucus.
Newborns can suffer from otitis media due to getting amniotic fluid in their middle ear during childbirth. In addition, in the tympanum of the crumbs, during the first year of life, a certain amount of embryonic tissue is preserved, which is perfectly suited for the reproduction of bacteria. With normal development of the baby, this tissue quickly turns into a mucous membrane, but in some cases this process is delayed not just for several months, but for years. Risk factors are prematurity, lightness, complications during the birth process. Promotes the formation of otitis media mainly horizontal position of the body of infants. In this case, the remains of amniotic fluid do not come out, but remain in the ears of the crumbs.
In children in the first years of life, adenoids often become the cause of recurrent otitis media. This is a disease characterized by inflammation and proliferation of tonsil tissue in the nasopharynx. In this case, the process of breathing through the nose is disrupted, which brings a lot of inconvenience, and the tonsils themselves become a hotbed of inflammation, from where the pathological process spreads to the ear region. This is facilitated by the fact that the mucous membrane lining the middle ear, oral cavity and nasopharynx is of the same type. In addition, in young children the immune defense has not yet been formed, both local and general immunity. The body is "open" to the penetration of pathogens.
Serious risk factors in the occurrence of otitis media in children are prematurity, complicated pregnancy and the birth process, artificial feeding, low birth weight, various developmental pathologies, as well as possible birth injuries. Most often, the disease is diagnosed in children who do not receive enough vitamins and other beneficial substances, suffering from rickets, malnourished. The provoking factor of otitis media in childhood is measles, flu, scarlet fever.
Varieties of pathology: external, internal, otitis media
Otitis can be external or internal. External occurs, as a rule, due to damage to the ear canal or auricle. If bacteria enter this area, the inflammatory process begins, which is characterized by a slight increase in body temperature, periodic discomfort and pain of moderate intensity, local edema. This disease is easily diagnosed, since damage and the inflammatory process on the auricle are easy to notice.
Internal otitis media often occurs as a complication of previous diseases or of a not completely cured, neglected inflammatory process in the middle ear. Pathology is manifested not by painful sensations, but by a deterioration in hearing acuity. Often, patients feel dizzy. The most common variant of the disease is otitis media. It is localized in the area behind the eardrum, including the tympanic cavity, antrum, Eustachian tube and cells of the mastoid process.
The main symptoms and signs of otitis media in children of different ages
Let's consider the signs of the disease in more detail. What are the symptoms of otitis media in children and treatment, which implies what actions parents need to take? We begin our consideration of this disease with signs. Otitis media is the most common form of the disease in babies, this pathology develops rapidly and is infectious. Allocate an acute and chronic form. In acute, the disease begins quickly, pain immediately appears, and then the temperature rises.
To understand that you need to start treatment for acute otitis media, you can according to the following symptoms of the disease:
- hearing loss for a while;
- a feeling of stuffiness in the ears;
- severe pain, persistent or with short breaks;
- there may be discomfort in the back of the head or in the temples;
- noise in ears;
- enlarged lymph nodes;
- the body temperature of the child rises up to 39 degrees;
- otitis in some cases provokes toothache;
- the baby feels weak, quickly gets tired;
- disturbed sleep and appetite.
Symptoms may be severe, but often the clinical manifestations are mild.
There are other symptoms of otitis media in children (and treatment should be selected taking into account the clinical picture, by the way). In the case of a fungal infection, crusts and peeling may appear, itching is noted. External otitis media is characterized by the formation of a boil on the auricle or in the ear canal. An inflamed tubercle can change hue from pink-red to cyanotic. A purulent rod forms in the center of the neoplasm. The pain will be very intense until the receptors die, then it will become slightly weaker. After hiding the boil, a deep wound will remain.
At the initial stage of the disease, the baby rises in temperature and there is a sharp pain in the ear. Then purulent otitis media develops (the symptoms and treatment in adults are about the same as in the case of small patients), with pus accumulating in the ear. Without medical intervention, after a few days the eardrum ruptures and the discharge goes outside. The patient begins to feel better. The temperature drops, and the discomfort gradually disappears. The recovery phase lasts for two to three weeks. At this time, the pus stops coming out, and the rupture of the membrane gradually heals.
Children of a more or less conscious age can talk about what hurts and where. With kids it’s more and more difficult. Breasts with otitis media can touch the ear with their hands, not sleep and be naughty. Often the baby refuses food. The thought of ear inflammation in the baby of the parents can be prompted by the fact that he turns his head from side to side, cries, worries. In this case, you need to immediately show the child to the pediatrician, who will refer you to an ENT doctor.
Methods for diagnosing otitis media in the office of an ENT doctor
An otolaryngologist (ENT doctor) carries out diagnostics using an ear mirror. This tool allows you to see pathological changes and start treatment for otitis media in time. In addition, the doctor can use the otoscope to examine the membrane or tympanometry - this is a method by which you can determine how impaired the patency of the auditory tube is, assess the condition of the tympanic membrane and cavity.
First aid for a child if a visit to the doctor is postponed
Treatment of otitis media should be started as soon as possible, but if the visit to the ENT doctor is postponed for objective reasons, then you need to give the baby first aid, which consists in anesthesia. You can use anti-inflammatory drugs that suppress the infectious process, relieve pain and lower the body temperature of the child. Paracetamol or ibuprofen-based medicines are allowed for small patients. You can give your baby "Kalpol", "Panadol", "Nurofen", "Tiled", "Cefecon", "Tylenol" and other antipyretic drugs. Pills, syrup, or suppositories are available. For very young children it is better to use candles, three-year-olds can be given syrup.
Local anesthesia is performed with Otipax or Otirepax drops. These are combined preparations, but they can be used only if the eardrum is not damaged (pus did not come out of the ear). Two drops are instilled in infants, three or four drops in children from two years old. For the treatment of otitis media, only a medicine warmed up to room temperature can be instilled, and for infants, up to 36 degrees. The ambassadors of the procedure need that the baby lay motionless on its side for at least ten minutes, this is necessary so that the medicine does not immediately leak out. A baby should take a dummy before instilling drops, since sucking in combination with a stuffy nose and dripping drops into the ear can cause a rupture of the eardrum.
Therapy of otitis externa in children at different stages of the disease
Treatment of external otitis media is carried out according to the classical scheme. Before the formation of a purulent rod, that is, before the onset of the infiltration stage, alcohol lotions (compresses) and anti-inflammation agents are used. If the core has already formed, then surgical excision of the abscess with washing the cavity with chlorhexidine, hydrogen peroxide or Miramistin is necessary. At high temperature and general intoxication of the body, the doctor will additionally prescribe antibacterial therapy for the treatment of otitis externa.
Treatment of fungal otitis media in young patients
Fungal infection requires the use of special ointments (topically). Clotrimazole, Fluconazole, Candide may be prescribed. If necessary, antifungal therapy in tablets is additionally indicated. Can be used "Mikosist", "Amphotericin", "Griseofulvin." Children under two years of age are not prescribed such drugs for the treatment of otitis media. These are quite powerful drugs that can be used only at an older age.
Treatment scheme for otitis media: local drugs
Antibiotics are too serious a burden on the immunity and digestive system of a small child. So the treatment of acute otitis media is carried out mainly local. There are serious indications for taking antibiotics. This is a high temperature that persists for three days from the start of local therapy, severe pain that prevents the baby from sleeping and eating normally, as well as severe intoxication of the body.
Drops for the treatment of otitis media in children are used for at least a week. During this time, the baby must be examined at least once by an ENT doctor to make sure that there is a positive trend. If necessary, a qualified specialist will adjust the treatment regimen for otitis media. For babies from two years, local therapy is supplemented with antibiotics.
Treatment for a cold: features and recommendations
A prerequisite for the treatment of otitis media in children is the absence of a cold. Otherwise, there is a risk that the therapy will not bring relief, and in the event of a successful recovery, the likelihood of relapse will remain. But in this case, it is perfectly visible that the symptoms and treatment of otitis media in children are interconnected. The treatment regimen is designed in such a way as to cure a runny nose, an inflammatory process in the ear, and also to prevent a recurrence of the disease.
For rhinitis, complex combination (Vibrocil), antiviral (Interferon) and antibacterial (Isofra, Protorgol) drops are used. Effective drugs for the treatment of otitis media are Otipax, Albutsid (sodium sulfacyl), Otof, and Polydex. Other drops may also be used (as prescribed by your doctor).
This should be the treatment of otitis media in children (in adults, by the way, the same basic principles of therapy are used, except that the means may differ, since stronger antibiotics are allowed if necessary), if the disease is accompanied by a runny nose.
Antiviral and antibacterial drugs
As for antibiotics, medications are used in tablets, injections or suspensions. The medicine should be safe and effective. Penicillins, second, third and fourth generation cephalosporins, macrolides (although nowadays cephalosporins are often used instead, which are much more convenient in several respects), aminoglycosides (if purulent staphylococcal otitis media) are suitable. Antibiotics of the last group are used mainly in hospitals.
Antihistamines for the treatment of inflammation
Classical treatment regimens usually involve the appointment of antihistamines to reduce the likelihood of an adverse reaction of the child's body to some components in other drugs. Recommended, as a rule, funds that do not cause drowsiness, for example, Cetirizine, Desloratadine, Clarisens and others. But today, many experts believe that the use of antihistamines is impractical. The question remains open, since there are currently no uniform standards that define treatment regimens for otitis media in children.
Some folk remedies and recipes
What can be the treatment of otitis media at home? Many parents rely on alternative medicine, but they can only be used after consulting a specialist, in addition to the main drug therapy and in moderation. So, alternative treatment of otitis media (external) involves alcohol compresses and lotions. It is enough to apply camphor alcohol or vodka on a gauze dressing and apply to the affected area. Insulate the dressing and hold for 15-30 minutes. In a similar way, aloe leaves are used, cut in half.
Treatment of otitis media at home with warming is unacceptable. This will only worsen the condition of the child. Also, you can not make alcohol lotions for kids who are younger than a year, for older children this is also undesirable. It is contraindicated to use medical alcohol in its pure form. It is better to use vodka, boric or camphor alcohols for compresses. Treatment of otitis media at home should be adequate - do not turn a child into a "testing ground" of hundreds of folk recipes.
Prevention of relapse and primary acute otitis media
The symptoms and treatment of otitis media at home will not have to be recognized by those parents who take care of prevention on time. First, ear hygiene should be rational. Do not clean your ears with improvised objects and penetrate too deep into the ear canal. Secondly, avoid getting water in your ears. After bathing, wet or shake out the baby’s ears. Thirdly, a child up to a year should not be left under a draft without a hat. The same applies to walks on the street, including in the summer. Fourth, all diseases of ENT organs must be treated on time and until the end.