Earache is very difficult to withstand. As a rule, it arises suddenly, interferes with sleep, work, and lead a normal lifestyle. The pain appears unexpectedly and unsettles for a long time. The most common ear disease is otitis media. If you do not start treatment in a timely manner, then the ailment will lead to complications. The first symptoms of otitis media 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.
Ear structure
To be able to distinguish the symptoms of otitis media 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 along the external auditory canal.
Then the sounds fall into the middle ear. It is represented by the eardrum, 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. And one of the symptoms of otitis media is hearing loss.
Further, the sound passes 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, distinguish:
- otitis externa;
- middle ear inflammation;
- otitis media of the inner ear.
The external department 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 occur after hypothermia. Usually, all inflammatory processes with the external type of ailment are visible to the naked eye. They are quickly diagnosed. If suddenly the infection penetrates further, then symptoms of otitis media in adults occur, characteristic of the middle ear.
In this case, the inflammation affects the eardrum and the cavity. If you do not start emergency treatment, then there is a risk of serious complications in which the eardrum is damaged.
Symptoms of otitis media, talking about inflammation of the inner ear, are dangerous for adults. It does not manifest itself as an independent pathology, but arises as a complication. This type of ailment is accompanied by complications, up to deafness. The main feature of this type of disease is the absence of pain. Symptoms of otitis media in adults can cause severe dizziness, hearing problems.
Disease classification
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 speak of a subacute form. Chronic symptoms are characterized by lethargic symptoms of ear otitis media. Clinical manifestations interfere with a full-fledged lifestyle.
According to the type of pathogen, especially the course and symptoms, otitis media can be caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi. In some cases, the pathology occurs due to allergies, more often due to trauma. Damage to the auditory organ may result in inflammation. Most often this happens when cleaning your ears with cotton buds, with pressure drops during diving, during air travel.
Otitis can be exudative, in which liquid without color comes out. Also, inflammation is catarrhal, without secretions, but with severe swelling, and purulent. In the latter form, pus is released from the ear canal.
If the right ear is inflamed, then they speak of a right-side disease, but if in the left, then about a left-side disease. In some cases, both ears are involved in inflammation (bilateral lesion).
Causes of pathology
Symptoms of otitis media and other species appear due to the development of pathogens in the ear canal. It can be bacteria, viruses, fungi. An ailment can occur for various reasons, most often it leads to it:
- Dirty water getting in your ear. This can happen while swimming in the open water.
- Infection through wounds, cracks is possible. During ear cleaning, the walls of the ear canal may be damaged. Pathogenic pathogens penetrate through these injuries, causing a variety of symptoms of otitis media and other types of ailment.
- Otitis may be a complication of untreated ARVI.
- Excessive ear cleaning. Sulfur is a natural barrier to entry into the ear canals. In order for it to fulfill its function, it should not be removed daily.
- Hygiene To protect your ears from the penetration of infection, do not use other people's headphones or ear plugs, as the causative agent of infection may be on them
- The presence of a foreign body. Symptoms of otitis media and other types of inflammation can be caused by foreign bodies entering the ear canals. An insect can also get there.
And these are not all possible sources of infection. The treatment of ear otitis depends on the symptoms, and only a doctor can correctly diagnose.
Clinical manifestations of the disease
The manifestation of inflammation depends on its type.
External otitis is characterized by redness of the skin of the auricle, pain that can radiate to the jaw, to the temples, and itching. Tinnitus, hearing loss may also be observed. Treatment of symptoms of ear otitis media and complications is carried out only after a diagnosis is made by a doctor. Most often, the disease occurs with boils: after their treatment, the pain disappears, the hearing is restored. With this form of ailment, there will always be discharge from the external auditory canal.
Symptoms and treatment of otitis media are closely related: 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 an ailment is pain of a shooting nature, which is difficult to endure. Inflammation leads to hearing loss. As the infection spreads: intoxication symptoms increase: body temperature rises, but this symptom of otitis media does not always occur. Treatment and intoxication, and other manifestations should be comprehensive.
With otitis media, there may be discharge of a different nature. If it is pus, then they speak of a purulent process. In adults and children, the symptoms of otitis media are manifested by the presence of purulent discharge: pus accumulates in the ear, which breaks out and goes out. Usually this happens after the rupture of the eardrum (it can rupture on its own or the doctor makes a puncture). As soon as pus comes out, the patient feels relief, intoxication subsides.
In adults and children, symptoms of otitis media can occur in an acute, subacute, and chronic form. Without timely and adequate treatment, the acute form becomes subacute, and then chronic. The latter has no pronounced signs: for this species is characterized by constant congestion of the ear, noise, hearing loss.
Inflammation of the inner ear is considered the most dangerous. There is practically no pain with this type of pain, but there is severe dizziness, nausea, and vomiting may occur. With the first symptoms of otitis media, treatment is necessary, and if it is not carried out correctly, the prognosis may be disappointing.
Diagnostics
In many cases, it is not difficult to diagnose otitis media. Doctors rarely resort to modern diagnostic methods: only in those cases if the focus of inflammation and existing inflammation are not visible with the eye. The doctor examines the eardrum using the head 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, swelling can be so strong that it completely blocks the visibility of the eardrum. In the case of diagnosing the outer ear, no other examinations other than examination are performed.
Diagnosis of other types of otitis media
In the acute form of inflammation of the middle ear, the main way to establish a diagnosis is examination. The main signs that help to make a diagnosis are hyperemia of the eardrum, perforation, limitation of its mobility.
In some cases, audiometry may be required to confirm the diagnosis. This method of hearing examination is used for chronic otitis media. With inflammation of the inner ear, the diagnosis is made on the basis of symptoms that occur on the background of otitis media. With inflammation of the labyrinth, dizziness is observed, and hearing acuity decreases. In such cases, audiometry is mandatory, and a neurologist and optometrist may also need to be consulted.
If you suspect mastoiditis or with the spread of infection, CT, radiography is prescribed. However, such cases are rare.
Bacterial culture
With otitis media, bacterial inoculation is not always carried out. This is due to the fact that the cultivation of the pathogen is long - about a week from the moment of smear collection. By this time, otitis media is almost passing. With inflammation of the middle ear, bacterial culture is useless, since microorganisms are located behind the eardrum.
However, just in case, doctors recommend taking a smear for analysis. If during treatment the treatment does not give the desired results, then bacteriosis will help to identify the causative agent and correctly adjust the therapy.
Treatment methods
Treatment of symptoms of otitis media and other types is carried out strictly as prescribed by the doctor. For each type of inflammation, an individual therapy regimen is selected, including ear drops, antibiotics and other drugs.
Treatment of external inflammation
Ear drops are the main drug for treating external inflammation. 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 anti-inflammatory substance. The duration of therapy is about a week. Most often, Ciprofarm, Normax, or Otofu and their analogues are prescribed for ear treatment. As an antiseptic, Miramistin can be prescribed.
If otitis media is of fungal origin, then Candibiotic, Clotrimazole and other topical preparations may be prescribed.
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. Without fail, all patients are prescribed ear drops. They are different: with perforation of the eardrum and without damage, different drugs are used. Most often, doctors prescribe Otinum, Otipaks, 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 be careful of hypothermia, properly conduct hygiene of the ears, and while swimming in open water, refrain from diving. If even mild discomfort in the ear canal suddenly occurs, you should immediately consult a doctor.