Secretory otitis media is considered a childhood disease. In adults, the disease is rare, but it is difficult. Otitis is the main reason for the development of hearing loss. Moreover, noticeable consequences do not arise immediately. Treatment of this disease should be carried out under the supervision of a physician.
What is secretory otitis media
In the human ear is the Eustachian tube, which performs the function of the exchange of air between the outside world and the middle ear. With the development of infection in it and the appearance of stagnation, hearing is impaired.
Secretory otitis media is a middle ear disease with secretion of purulent secretion. This disease is characterized by an imperceptible hearing loss and the absence of pronounced pain sensations. This form of the disease does not deform the eardrum.
The discharge at the beginning of the disease is quite fluid and not always noticeable, as the disease progresses, they become viscous. If otitis is not immediately noticed, then after six months the hearing loss becomes noticeable. If untreated, after two years irreversible consequences occur and hearing cannot be restored.
Symptoms
Secretory otitis media goes through three stages of development:
- acute lasts up to three weeks;
- subacute - up to two months;
- chronic - more than two months.
In children, otitis media develops most often against the background of infections of the nasopharynx. In the treatment of the underlying disease, it most often disappears, but this does not always happen.
The disease may be unilateral or bilateral. Signs of the development of otitis media in children and adults are the same:
- persistent stuffiness or pressure in the ears;
- hearing loss, which depends on the position of the head;
- tinnitus during movement;
- when talking, the patient hears his own voice.
These symptoms are difficult to see in a small child who cannot speak or cannot explain what is happening to him. The task of parents is to pay attention to any discharge from the ears that previously was not there. Even if everything went away after a couple of days, then showing the child to the otolaryngologist will not be superfluous. Discontinuation of discharge may indicate the development of a chronic process. When acute secretory otitis media occurs, there are no typical manifestations of inflammation, such as pain and fever.
Causes of the disease
Secretory otitis media in a child develops most often up to six years. Factors conducive to the occurrence of otitis media:
- The Eustachian tube in children is narrow and short, it is easier to develop infections in it.
- Children's immunity is imperfect.
- The appearance of adenoids in the nasopharynx creates a mechanical effect and reduces the lumen of the Eustachian tube.
Reasons that affect the appearance of secretory otitis media:
- physical deformities of the soft palate or other diseases of the oral cavity;
- operations on the nasopharynx;
- congenital or acquired curvature of the nasal septum;
- swelling and cyst in the nasopharynx;
- disturbances in the development of the structure of the ear;
- chronic inflammation of the ear, nose, or pharynx;
- weakened immunity;
- bad environmental factors;
- acute bacterial or viral infection developing in the nasopharynx;
- allergic reactions.
The risk of developing otitis media increases the pressure drop during take-off and landing of the aircraft or when submerged under water.
Features of the disease
Secretory otitis media in children is a disease that children do not complain about. For this reason, parents go to the doctor when they detect hearing impairment. If otitis media develops on the one hand, then hearing loss is almost imperceptible. Criteria that you should pay attention not to miss secretory otitis media:
- the child does not speak at the age of three;
- there are many wrong words in speech;
- often asks again;
- Does not respond to quiet speech;
- asks to increase the volume;
- does not respond from another room;
- inattentive in the classroom.
All symptoms of otitis media are nonspecific, but parents should pay attention to them if they were not there before. Consultation with a specialist will help to find out the reason.
Otitis media in adults
Secretory otitis media in adults is quite rare. This insidious disease is dangerous because people lose their vigilance and are not checked by the otolaryngologist even if they have symptoms. Tinnitus is attributed to pressure, discharge from the ears is ignored.
Pain, fever, and discomfort are also absent. The main reason for the appearance of the disease in an adult is considered to be a decrease in the body's defenses. Therefore, elderly people are more susceptible to it than everyone else.
With the progression of the disease, hearing is reduced, which is attributed to age-related changes. With advanced cases or bilateral otitis media, a person hears almost nothing. To prevent illness in adults, regular medical check-ups are recommended. If there are sounds that previously were not, you should consult a doctor.
Diagnostics
An otolaryngologist can identify secretory otitis media in a child. First, the patient or his parents are interviewed in order to identify complaints and the duration of the disease. At this stage, the doctor can already suggest the development of otitis media. To make the diagnosis, the following manipulations are performed:
- examination of the ears to determine the condition of the eardrum, the amount of fluid and the condition of the middle ear;
- examination of the nasopharynx;
- determination of the level of hearing;
- impedanometry;
- otoacoustic emission.
There is a tendency to increase the incidence of bilateral secretory otitis media in children. This is due to imperfection of the immune system and the uncontrolled use of antibiotics.
Drug treatment
The method of treatment for secretory otitis media is selected based on the stage of the disease, the severity of symptoms, causes and the general condition of the patient. Modern medicine welcomes conservative or surgical intervention.
Therapy for otitis media is to restore the patient’s hearing. With constant relapses of secretory otitis media, surgical treatment is possible to artificially remove the accumulated secret.
The use of medications is the main treatment. If otitis is provoked by a bacterial infection, then antibiotic therapy is indicated. The main form of medicine is drops in the ears. Additionally, the doctor prescribes drugs to speed recovery:
- antihistamines that relieve swelling;
- preparations for restoring the secretory capacity of the ear;
- with nasal congestion - vasoconstrictor drops to normalize the pressure of the nose and ears;
- with a persistent decrease in immunity in adults, it is possible to take immunostimulants.
If necessary, purge the auditory tube. With pronounced edema, the following procedures are used to restore hearing and prevent additional infection:
- physiotherapy with calcium gluconate;
- ultrasound procedures;
- infrared treatment;
- laser exposure.
Surgical treatment of otitis media
If conservative methods do not bring results, then resort to surgical intervention. As a rule, difficulties in the treatment of otitis media occur in the presence of adenoids, polyps or curvature of the septum. In other cases, drug treatment produces a positive effect.
Operations are performed in a hospital under anesthesia. During the operation, thick content is removed and the secretory function is restored.
The main methods of surgical treatment:
- Tympanotomy is used to open the eardrum. Combined with middle ear shunting. The method is used with a large accumulation of discharge and the inability to remove in another way. Allows you to clean the middle ear and reduce the likelihood of relapse.
- A myringotomy is required to restore pressure in the eardrum. The method removes fluid from the middle ear. In the treatment of secretory otitis media in a child, it is used only in case of severe edema or complications. Thanks to this procedure, rupture of the eardrum can be avoided.
- Tympanopuncture - a puncture of the tympanic membrane for the diagnosis of the pathogen or for therapeutic purposes. This method does not cause disturbances on the part of the middle ear. With secretory otitis media, it is rarely used and for diagnostic purposes.
Folk remedies
In the fight against secretory otitis media, folk remedies can be used that provide the best effect in conjunction with medications. In this case, the patient should not be allergic to the drug. It is forbidden to warm a sick ear so as not to provoke the active development of bacteria. Before using folk remedies, you should consult a doctor.
The best result in the treatment of otitis media is brought by the following recipes:
- Squeeze aloe juice from the chilled leaf and make lotions daily.
- Grind a leaf of Kalanchoe, wrap in gauze and hold in the auricle for 30 minutes.
- Mix two parts of water and one part of honey. To bury in a sick auricle once a day.
- Moisten a propolis tincture with a cotton swab and put in a sore ear. It should be on the healthy side. Hold the swab for at least five minutes.
- Shredded fresh mint leaves are poured with half a glass of vodka and insisted for a week. After straining, it can be used for compresses on the affected ear.
- Instill the beet juice in the ear two drops three times a day.
- Ground St. John's wort leaves are poured with 100 ml of water. A compress is made daily. Not recommended for children.
- A piece of garlic embedded in the ear helps with a large accumulation of separable.
- Celandine broth has antimicrobial properties and is used for all types of otitis media.
- Calendula tincture is used for compresses twice a day.
Complications
The insidiousness of this disease lies in the fact that it is difficult to determine at the initial stage. Treatment of bilateral secretory otitis media in a child begins at the moment when the baby is already hard of hearing, that is, there is a mucous or fibrous stage of otitis media. The accumulated liquid becomes thick and the outflow completely stops. In this case, tinnitus may be reduced.
Complications from otitis media are manifested in hearing loss. The smaller the baby, the more difficult it is to diagnose the disease and the higher the risk of developing hearing loss. With advanced otitis media and the absence of treatment, irreversible processes begin, and hearing is lost forever.
Prevention
For the prevention of secretory otitis media, the following rules should be observed:
- regularly undergo medical examinations in kindergartens and schools, adults also undergo professional examinations and medical examinations;
- lead an active lifestyle, play sports;
- eat right, take vitamin complexes if necessary;
- in the presence of violations of the Eustachian tube, avoid pressure drops;
- do not supercool;
- wear a hat, protect your throat;
- during an epidemic, avoid crowded places;
- when bathing in ponds, use ear protection;
- sanitize the nasal and oral cavity;
- timely treat rhinitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis and other infectious diseases;
- after bathing in open water, instill an antiseptic in your ears;
- do not use cotton buds or sharp objects to clean your ears.
Prevention of otitis media does not guarantee that a person will not get sick, but reduces the risk of developing an ailment.