The middle ear is a system of airways that consists of three parts: the auditory tube, the tympanic cavity, and the airways of the mastoid process.
In the middle ear system, the central place is occupied by the tympanic cavity. It has a volume of up to one cubic centimeter. The tympanic cavity includes auditory ossicles, which serve to conduct sounds further to the inner ear from the eardrum. It is noteworthy that at birth, a person has a tympanic cavity filled with myxoid tissue, that is, it is not yet airy. Myxoid tissue is absorbed for the most part on the sixth to seventh day, but may be present for another whole year.
The auditory tube (or Eustachian) is the only natural entrance to the middle ear system, it opens with the mouth in the nasopharynx, on its side wall. It connects the middle ear with atmospheric air, due to which there is a balancing of air pressure on the eardrum. The norm for an adult is considered to be the auditory tube in a dormant state, while its opening for air passage is made only with yawning, swallowing and talking.
The structure of the middle ear of the child has some differences from the structure of the middle ear of an adult. So, due to the incomplete formation of the bone section in young children, the auditory tube is constantly open, which, along with sizes (which are much shorter), leads to a more frequent occurrence of otitis media in children. Penetration in such cases of infection into the middle ear occurs from the nasopharynx and nose through the auditory tube, is natural and most frequent and is called rhinogenic. There is also a rarer, hematogenous pathway that occurs in some infectious diseases, for example, acute respiratory viral infection, measles, scarlet fever.
Otitis, in turn, can be distinguished in two types: chronic and acute.
Otitis is a rather serious disease, and therefore, when it occurs, you should consult an otolaryngologist as soon as possible. Only a qualified specialist will be able to correctly establish the type of disease, as well as prescribe the correct treatment. On average, treatment of otitis media takes about ten days if the call to a specialist was timely.
The treatment of inflammation is complex. In order to eliminate the possibility of complications, the patient should be provided with complete rest. To combat the main pathogens of otitis media, specialized antibiotics are prescribed, both in tablets (Tsifran, Flemoklav solyutab and others), and in drops (Otipaks, Sofradeks and so on). Drops must have a temperature not lower than room temperature. The dosage is indicated on the packaging of the drugs, however, the appointment of antibiotics should be done by a doctor. In acute pain, painkillers are prescribed, in the presence of temperature - antipyretic. In case of suppuration, the doctor makes an incision in the tympanic membrane, accelerating the flow of pus.
The middle ear is a complex system of the body, and therefore any diseases associated with it are quite difficult to cure. Therefore, prevention is of great importance. No matter how fantastic it may sound, but so that otitis does not occur, you should not be sick. It should be tempered, strengthen the immune system and not "throw" a runny nose and cough, because it is such small infections, with seemingly mild and unimportant symptoms, that cause the middle ear to become inflamed.
Follow the general state of your own health, do not “throw” cold treatment into the far corner, and then the otitis media will not be scary for you.