Inflammatory ear diseases can hardly be considered a rarity. Children are especially prone to them. Therefore, many are interested in the question of how to treat otitis media. In fact, therapy depends on many factors, in particular, on the severity of the disease and the location of the inflammatory process.
Symptoms and treatment of otitis externa
External otitis media is a disease accompanied by inflammation of the external part of the ear canal. The inflammatory process can be focal (in such cases, the appearance and growth of a boil is observed) or cover all tissues of the ear canal. The disease is accompanied by pain, itching, and sometimes the release of pus. The main cause of inflammation is infection - in most cases, the disease develops against the background of the activity of bacterial microorganisms, but infection with fungi is not excluded. There is an allergic form of the disease. So how is otitis treated?
Therapy depends primarily on the cause of the inflammatory process. For bacterial infections, antibiotics can be used. In addition, the external part of the ear canal is treated with antibacterial or antifungal ointments, for example, Triderm, Celestoderm, or Flucinar. Some patients are prescribed pain medications to help relieve discomfort. If there is a boil, the doctor must open it and clean the tissue from purulent masses.
How to treat otitis media?
Otitis media is most often diagnosed in children, which is associated with some anatomical, age-related features of the auditory analyzer. The reason here is also an infection, which can enter directly from the external environment, as well as from other foci of inflammation (otitis media may occur against a sore throat or sinusitis). Symptoms of the disease include sharp, shooting pain in the ear and fever. So how is otitis media treated?
Any drugs can be prescribed only by an otolaryngologist after a thorough examination. Since the cause of inflammation is most often a bacterial infection, antibiotics are necessary. Along with this, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used, in particular those that contain ibuprofen and paracetamol. To eliminate edema, the patient is sometimes prescribed antihistamines. If otitis media is associated with a runny nose, then therapy includes vasodilator drops for the nose. Special ear drops (Otipax) help relieve pain. With severe suppuration of the tympanic cavity, which threatens with perforation of the tympanic membrane, it is necessary to facilitate the outflow of purulent masses.
If the patient was not provided with the necessary assistance, the disease can become chronic. How to treat chronic otitis media? Therapy in this case includes taking the same drugs - these are painkillers and anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as antibiotics. In addition, patients undergo regular washing of the tympanic cavity with an alcohol solution or boric acid. In the most severe cases, general cavity trepanation is necessary. It is worth noting that chronic otitis media is dangerous and can lead to serious complications, including hearing loss.
Labyrinthitis - inflammation of the inner ear
Labyrinthitis can be considered one of the most dangerous forms of this disease, because it is accompanied by damage to the vestibular apparatus. In most cases, inflammation of the structures of the inner ear is a complication of chronic otitis media. So how is otitis treated?
As a rule, conservative therapy is very effective, which includes taking antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and painkillers. If there is a risk of inflammation spreading to the auditory nerve and the occurrence of intracranial complications, trepanation of the cavity of the inner ear is performed, during which it is cleaned of pus, treated with antibiotics and antiseptic agents.