Far from every person knows what viral otitis media really is. This disease affects the ears. Symptom of viral otitis is called acute inflammation of nearby tissues of this sensory organ. Every year thousands of people suffer from it. Viral otitis media occurs in children and adults. This disease is considered quite dangerous.
What it is?
For a better understanding of whether viral otitis is contagious, it makes sense to decide what the internal structure of the ear is. After all, this is not one auricle, but a complex system that converts sound waves into a format convenient for the brain. At the same time, it performs vestibular functions that allow a person to be in balance.
The main departments of the ear are the middle, outer and inner. The first is the auricle, the ear canal to the eardrum. Further in the ear there is a separate area with three auditory ossicles. They are designed to transmit sounds. This area is the middle ear. From here, the vibrations pass to the labyrinth, where there is a Corti's organ. It is a nerve receptor, and they transform the vibration into an impulse. Here is the inside. Separately, the Eustachian tube is isolated, the palatine tonsils have an entrance to it. It refers to the middle ear.
About otitis
It is important to consider that the symptoms and treatment of viral otitis media in children and adults affects all three varieties. If the disease spreads only to the outside, otitis media is called external. The same goes for the rest of the departments. Usually there is unilateral otitis media specified in the ICD-10. Viral otitis media is a more complex form. It is not easy to treat a bacterial or traumatic form of the disease.
Symptoms
When determining how viral otitis media is transmitted, it is worth considering that the disease begins with infection of the auricles with bacteria or a fungus. According to official figures, about 10% of the world's population suffered from otitis media at least once.
Background
Viral otitis media develops due to hypothermia of the auricles, mechanical damage to this sensory organ, removal of sulfur, or ingress of water. This area is loved by fungus and bacteria, as it is damp and dark here. For this reason, here is an ideal place for their reproduction. Prevents the formation of viral otitis media earwax. It has the most important antibacterial function. For this reason, getting rid of it sometimes leads to the development of viral otitis media. It is not needed only when there is an excessive amount of sulfur, and this makes hearing difficult.
Among the main symptoms of viral otitis media in children and adults, pain syndrome is distinguished, which increases with pressure. An increase in temperature for this ailment is not characteristic. But one of the symptoms of viral otitis media in children and adults is considered hearing loss. At the same time, such a manifestation is considered rare. It develops when the tympanic membranes are affected or the ear canals are blocked by pus. As soon as treatment for viral otitis media ends, auditory functions quickly recover.
Diagnostics
It is extremely important to timely and correctly diagnose the disease. Usually at this stage there are no difficulties and questions. Detailed diagnostics involves the use of an otoscope. This is a device with which they view the far ends of the auditory canals, eardrums.
Treatment of viral otitis media in children and adults is to stop the inflammatory process in this sensory organ. In the course of it, antibiotics and drugs that suppress the fungus are actively used. However, in order to avoid complications of viral otitis media, it is important that the type of disease is established by a specialist. Usually, ear drops are used instead of pills during the treatment of otitis externa. Often, complications of external otitis media are manifested in the transition of inflammatory processes to the middle ear through the eardrum.
Otitis media
Otitis media is inflammation of the middle ear. The inflammatory process here is considered one of the most common diseases on the planet. Every year, millions of people suffer from this disease. According to official statistics, approximately 60% of the world's population suffered from otitis media.
Causes
It should be noted that most often, otitis media alone does not develop. This is not a primary disease, but rather a complication of otitis externa or infection in the upper respiratory region. We are talking about tonsillitis, pharyngitis, laryngitis, rhinitis, sinusitis, flu, measles, scarlet fever.
From the respiratory tract into the ear, the infection travels through the Eustachian tube. In the presence of sneezing or coughing, mucus and sputum sometimes gets into the ears through the pipes. Otitis is often combined with the inflammatory process directly in the Eustachian tube.
Among the causes of the appearance of otitis media are called mastoiditis, allergies that provoke swelling of the mucous membrane.
In many ways, the characteristics of this disease depend on what kind of disease it is. For example, a chronic and acute form of otitis media is distinguished.
Symptoms of otitis media
The main primary symptom that clearly states the onset of the inflammatory process in the ear is pain in this sensory organ. The pain is acute and shooting character. Sometimes the patient feels it at the temple or crown. It is throbbing. Sometimes ears are blocked and there is a sensation of audibility of your voice, vague noises in the ear. Often this is accompanied by tissue edema, hearing impairment, and migraine.
An increase in temperature is not a symptom of the same disease, it is only a manifestation of the disease that caused otitis media. It can be ARI, SARS and the flu. The most difficult is purulent otitis media. In this case, active suppuration in the ear is observed. Drum cavities appear in the pus, and the body temperature rises to 39 degrees. Due to the fact that pus makes the eardrum thin, a hole may appear in them through which it will flow. But this process is considered favorable, since it is it that leads to a decrease in pressure in this area. As a result, the pain syndrome becomes not so acute. Pus flows out for approximately seven days. Further stabilization of temperature begins, wounds heal. Such a disease lasts about two to three weeks, provided that treatment was started on time. Chronic disease occurs with seasonal outbreaks.
Treatment
Therapy for otitis media is considered more complex than external. However, most often in this case, a conservative type of treatment is used. It is usually pointless to drip ear drops with otitis media. They simply do not affect the focus of the process itself. At the same time, the use of painkillers is often used, as the eardrums absorb them. For the most part, otitis media is treated with antibiotics. Usually medicines are taken in pill form. But if the tympanic membrane has broken, ear drops with antibiotics are used. The course of such treatment can only be prescribed by a specialist again. He selects the therapy that is suitable for the particular patient. It is important to consider that the wrong choice of medicines can lead to irreversible hearing loss.
Amoxicillin is most effective. Also, antiseptics - for example, miramistin, can be included in the treatment.
Typically, a patient diagnosed with otitis media requires painkillers. To get rid of pain, he uses drugs, for example, with lidocaine. If the membrane is perforated in order to accelerate the healing process, scarring stimulants are used. Means of this type include iodine solution, silver nitrate 40%.
Glucocorticoids are considered a popular type of anti-inflammatory drugs that relieve swelling. In addition, the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs is often prescribed.
If an allergy has occurred, antihistamines are used, for example, Suprastin or Tavegil. In addition, use is also made to dilute exudate. In this case, we are talking about "carbocysteine."
About ear heating
Often, the patient asks whether the healing process will speed up ear heating. But you need to take into account the fact that the answer will entirely depend on the type of disease. Sometimes warming up only accelerates the therapy process, but in some cases, on the contrary, exacerbates it.
If a purulent form of middle ear disease has been established, it is impossible to use heat in any case. Often, it helps to reduce the intensity of the pain syndrome with otitis media. But you can never use heat in therapy without the consent of a doctor. If it is considered contraindicated, its effect is replaced by UHF or electrophoresis.
Surgery
Sometimes, middle ear therapy requires surgery. In particular, this applies to a purulent variety of the disease. It is this form that threatens with many serious consequences. An operation of this kind is called paracentesis. It consists in the removal of pus.
There is also the use of a catheter in order to clean and purge the Eustachian tubes.
Folk remedies
It must be borne in mind that the use of folk remedies is possible when it comes to the early and mild stages of otitis media. It is important to seek the support of a doctor in this case.
One of the popular folk recipes is wetting cotton wool with propolis and introducing it into the ear canal. A similar composition heals wounds and destroys microbes. It is important to change tampons several times a day. Plantain juice has a similar effect. It is dripped two or three drops a day. To get rid of the infectious diseases of the nasopharynx that caused otitis media, it makes sense to rinse with infusions of chamomile, sage or St. John's wort.
Complications
Otitis media with timely treatment passes, without leaving any special complications. However, inflammation in the ear can easily turn into serious consequences. For example, an infection can go to the inner ear, causing the development of otitis media. In addition, it can lead to hearing loss, deafness in one ear.
Due to perforation of the eardrum, hearing may also be impaired. Despite the fact that the membranes sometimes heal, even after that, the sensitivity of hearing will be irretrievably lost. He will certainly remain, but will be much less sharp.
Inner ear
Otitis media of the inner ear is also isolated, which is often called labyrinthitis. This is the most dangerous inflammatory disease of this sensory organ. Here there are hearing impairments, the vestibular apparatus, intense pain. Therapy in this case is carried out using antibiotics. In this case, not a single popular method of treatment will be effective. Labyrinthitis is considered dangerous because there is a risk that the auditory nerve will die. Meningitis, brain abscess, encephalitis may also begin. Diseases of this kind sometimes lead to death.
Otitis media in children
Otitis in adults is a rare occurrence compared to the same disease in children. It's all about the weakness of the immune forces of the child's body. For this reason, children develop infections in the upper respiratory tract. Also, some features of their auditory tubes provoke a dangerous situation - stagnant processes often occur.
It is important to carefully and completely cure otitis media in childhood. With improper treatment, it passes into the category of chronic diseases, and then periodic flares disturb a person all his life. Also, untreated otitis media can cause partial hearing loss. This leads to impaired mental development of children.
Prevention
Preventive measures in this case are to prevent situations when the body is subjected to hypothermia. In particular, you need to ensure that dirty water does not get into your ears. It is worthwhile to deal with the timely treatment of sinusitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis and pharyngitis. When swimming, you need to use a special hat. After water procedures, it is necessary to clean the ear canals from water. When it is damp and cold outside, it is imperative to wear a hat.
It should be borne in mind that in the presence of viral otitis media, the general condition of the patient is greatly depressed. He suffers from malaise, fatigue, sleep disturbances. Often, he loses his appetite, symptoms of intoxication appear against the background of the development of an infectious disease. Typically, these manifestations disappear as the immune system copes with the virus. Most often, it takes three to five days from the onset of the disease.
Sometimes a complication of this disease is the defeat of the facial nerve. This leads to the fact that a person suffers from a severe pain syndrome, muscle asymmetry. Inflammation of the glossopharyngeal, hyoid nerve may also begin. Hearing loss is very dangerous, which becomes irreversible.