Having felt severe pain in the ear, it is necessary to appear to the otolaryngologist. In most cases, discomfort occurs due to the onset of inflammation. After the examination, the doctor will be able to pinpoint the cause of the problems and tell whether it is possible to warm the ear with otitis media. Assign yourself thermal procedures yourself is not worth it.
Types of disease
Specialists distinguish three types of otitis media. Inflammation can begin in the outer, middle and
inner ear. This problem is often found in young children. You can not leave it unattended, because chronic neglected inflammation can cause complete or partial hearing loss.
Before figuring out whether it is possible to warm the ear with otitis media, it is necessary to understand the type of disease.
- External inflammation most often occurs after swimming in open ponds or pools. But injuries can also lead to its appearance. It is not difficult to diagnose external otitis media - the skin of the auricle and the visible part of the ear canal becomes inflamed. Eczema and boils become visible.
- The cause of pain in most cases is otitis media. It occurs after a viral illness, sore throat. Pain with him is pronounced, they can concentrate both in the ear itself and in the area of โโthe teeth and neck. Otitis media can be catarrhal or purulent. Before assigning procedures, you must accurately determine its type.
- The most dangerous is internal otitis media. It can be a complication of middle ear inflammation. With its development, there is a risk that the infection can penetrate the blood and brain membranes.
Features of the disease
Even if you know all the signs of inflammation and methods of therapy, you should not decide on your own how to treat otitis media. Is it possible to warm the ear with a blue lamp, it is better to find out from the otolaryngologist.
If the doctor confirms that you have catarrhal inflammation, then you can use warming procedures. But with purulent otitis, it is dangerous to do this. After all, heat will stimulate the reproduction of pathogenic microorganisms. In addition, it will improve blood circulation in heated areas. As a result, this will allow bacteria to enter the connective tissue.
If inflammation of the inner ear begins, then there is a risk of infection of the membranes of the brain. Knowing this, you can determine for yourself whether it is possible to warm the ear with acute otitis without a preliminary visit to the doctor.
The initial stages of the disease
Many people say that you can do thermal procedures immediately, as soon as you feel discomfort. But the opinion of doctors in this regard is not so clear.
Of course, if catarrhal inflammation has begun, then heat will help reduce pain, relieve spasms and improve blood circulation in the affected areas. This will quickly restore them. But to determine the type of disease alone is impossible.
In the initial stages, notice purulent discharge does not work. With the progression of the disease, they begin to flow from the external auditory canal. In this case, of course, everyone can understand that he has started purulent inflammation.
Parents of young children should be especially careful. You should not listen to grandmothers if they do not have a medical education. Not all people know whether it is possible to warm the ear with purulent otitis media.
Possible consequences
If you decide to self-medicate and have yourself prescribed thermal procedures, then be prepared for the deterioration. If you have purulent otitis media, then warming up will only increase the manifestations of the disease. The pain will become even stronger.
In addition, bacteria will multiply more intensively. With such otitis media, the eardrum may be damaged . If pus or blood begins to stand out from the ear, then a doctor can not do. In such situations, you should not even find out whether it is possible to warm the ear with otitis media. Not only thermal procedures, but also various drops fall under the ban. After all, you cannot verify the integrity of the eardrum yourself.
Children's problems
According to statistics, almost 80% of children know how ears hurt with otitis media. The main cause of the disease in them is inflammatory processes in the nose and throat, which lead to impaired patency of the
Eustachian tube. Also, enlarged adenoids can crush it.
If a child wakes up at night from pain and you do not have the opportunity to see a doctor, do not ring friends who are asking whether it is possible to warm your ear with otitis media. It is necessary to instill vasoconstrictor drops in the childโs nose, for example, the usual children's โFarmazolinโ. In addition, it is necessary to alleviate the condition of the baby. Any drug made on the basis of ibuprofen will help relieve pain. You can give syrup "Nurofen", "Bofen" or other similar. Paracetamol has a less pronounced analgesic effect, but if you have nothing else, you can give an age-related dose of Efferalgan, Paracetamol syrup.
Action tactics
If you feel pain in the ear, it is better to immediately go to the otolaryngologist. He can immediately examine the patient and establish a diagnosis. Note that in most hospitals, patients with acute pain are served without an appointment and out of turn. The sooner adequate treatment is started, the greater the chance of getting rid of problems in a few days. But an untimely call to the doctor threatens that otitis media can go into a chronic form.
If the doctor confirms that your eardrum is intact and there is no purulent discharge, you can ask how to properly warm the ear with a blue lamp for otitis media. Also, the doctor can advise other ways of warming up. In addition, he is likely to prescribe ear drops with analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects: Otipaks, Otizol, or other analogues.
Warming Methods
Doctors often prescribe physiotherapy to inpatients and outpatients of ENT departments with catarrhal otitis media. UHF therapy is popular. Under the influence of a high-frequency electromagnetic field, the permeability of the walls of the capillaries increases. This contributes to a more intensive penetration of protective cells into the focus of inflammation.
At home, when it has already been precisely established whether it is possible to warm the ear with otitis media in your case, other methods are used. If you have a blue lamp, then you can carry out all thermal procedures with it. You can also warm your ear with a regular salt water heater. You can buy it at any pharmacy or make it yourself.
If the doctor has allowed you thermal procedures, then there is no point in additionally figuring out whether it is possible to warm the ear with otitis with salt. You can use any dry heating. The procedures are carried out for 10-15 minutes, they can be repeated several times a day.
Under the influence of heat, the outflow of fluid in the inflamed middle ear begins. Blood circulation improves there, and this contributes to faster tissue repair. After each warming up, it is advisable to close the ear canal with a cotton swab.
Rules for using the blue lamp
To find out if you can conduct thermal procedures, you need only a doctor. One of the most effective methods of home heating is the use of a blue lamp. Before its operation, it is necessary to check whether it is working. If the lamp lights up, does not blink, during its operation there are no extraneous odors and noise, then the device is working.
You need to warm your ear with a blue lamp at least 3-4 times a day. Usually a 3-5-day course of treatment is enough to get rid of otitis media. The main thing is to follow the established rules.
- The included lamp must be kept near the ear for 10 minutes.
- The distance is determined independently by experience. If the ear gets too hot, you need to move the lamp a little further. If the heat is practically not felt, then it is better to move it closer.
- The optimal distance is 15-20 cm.
- Please note that the heat from the lamp should be noticeable, but it should not cause discomfort.
- During heating, it is advisable to hold the lamp not strictly perpendicular to the surface of the ear, but at a slight angle.
- It must be understood that treatment is achieved by radiant heat, which is enhanced by reflex reflection from the mirror surface.
The color of the light bulb is not so important.