Otitis is a disease associated with inflammation of the ear. It can affect one of three departments: external, internal or middle. The first is usually understood as the auricle, eardrum and ear canal. Middle ear
includes a tympanic cavity and an Eustachian tube, it performs the function of sound conduction.
The inner ear is called a bone formation in the
temporal bone, which is hollow from the inside and is divided into channels with the receptor apparatus of the vestibular and auditory analyzers. How can each of these departments suffer from inflammation?
Otitis externa
This form of the disease is manifested by exposure to the auditory canal and the auricle. The first symptom of otitis media in this situation is itching. When pressing on the inflamed ear, discomfort can occur. Under the influence of a bacterial infection or fungus, the skin can become inflamed both on the auricle and inside the ear canal. This reaction can be caused by improper hygiene of the ears, for example, using sharp or contaminated objects, as well as damaged by insect bites skin, burns or frostbite. Among all others, this form of the disease is considered
relatively mild and least painful.
Otitis media
This form of the disease is most common. The symptom of otitis media in this case is manifested by filling the tympanic cavity of the ear with an infected fluid. Such a process can be caused by a recently transmitted infectious disease, tonsillitis, measles or flu, as well as the ingress of dirty water inside the Eustachian tube. Symptoms of otitis media in adults are slightly less pronounced than in children. The thing is that in a healthy condition, fluids from the middle ear are removed through the Eustachian tube, which connects the nasopharynx and the tympanic cavity. In inflammatory processes, the lumen of this tube narrows, blocking the outflow of fluid. In children, it is initially smaller and shorter, and therefore the disease is more acute. If acute otitis media occurs , symptoms may include discharge from the auditory canal of pus, a sac, or mucus. If the treatment is carried out correctly and on time, the damaged membrane is completely restored, without causing any further hearing impairment. In the case when otitis media was left to chance, pus may not find a way out and go to the cranial cavity, which will cause a brain abscess, meningitis or mastoiditis. Pay attention even to a common cold if it is accompanied by discomfort in the ears, so that
prevent exacerbation of the disease.
Otitis media
This form of the disease is quite rare, but is the most dangerous. In some cases, it causes a complication of otitis media, and sometimes the cause becomes a general infectious lesion. The disease manifests itself through tinnitus, dizziness, and hearing loss. A frequent symptom of otitis media is nausea up to vomiting. Some patients have nystagmus - involuntary twitching of the eyeball. It becomes difficult for a person with such a disease to maintain balance not only in movement, but also in a state of rest. A symptom of otitis media in a purulent form is fever. Without proper treatment, the disease can lead to hearing loss, and complications can cause cerebellar abscess or meningitis.