Otitis: Symptoms and Species

Inflammatory process of the ear is not such a rare disease. If a person develops otitis, symptoms can be detected immediately - first of all, it is soreness inside or outside the ear, congestion, purulent discharge, noise, headache, temperature. Otitis can develop against the background of untreated tonsillitis, laryngitis, pharyngitis, sinusitis, when entering the infection through non-sterile objects, which cleansed the ears. Also, inflammation of the ear can result in swimming (and especially diving) in dirty water bodies.

Types of otitis

External otitis occurs in people of different age categories. Inflammation begins in the external auditory canal and can be caused by minor injuries (for example, when cleaning the ears with a sharp object), fungal or bacterial infection, and a number of other causes. When the diagnosis of otitis externa, the symptoms are the following: severe pain, sometimes swelling, itching, the external passage of the ear begins to moisten, thus forming non-healing crusts.

The middle otitis media is an inflammatory process of the middle ear, accompanied by a marked pain syndrome. Unlike the external, the causes of otitis media can be completely different, up to the tumor-like formations of the internal organs. In such a situation, you need to undergo a thorough examination to identify the cause of the ailment.

This disease often affects children - they provoke an otitis media virus and bacterial infections. In some cases, nasopharyngeal diseases complicate the auditory tubes, they clog, there is edema, their primary function is equalizing the pressure inside the hearing aid, so the patient feels constant congestion and pain in the ear. The second way of transmission of infection is meningogenic and traumatic. The third rarest is infection through the blood.

In turn, the average otitis is divided into several types: acute and exudative. The first type is caused by various infections (both viral and bacterial), affecting the throat, nose and respiratory tract. When diagnosed with acute otitis symptoms are the following: pain, a feeling of stuffiness in the ear, discomfort. Treatment can be prescribed only by a doctor and only after examination, because This disease can be provoked by various pathogens.

Viral otitis is treated with antiviral, anti-inflammatory drugs, bacterial only with antibiotics, if not started treatment, pus can break through the membrane and provoke purulent mastoiditis or worse - otogenic meningitis (inflammation of the brain).

The second type is exudative (serous) otitis. Occurs as a result of occlusion of the auditory tube, thus the pressure in the eardrum decreases, the cause may be a viral or bacterial infection. When diagnosed exudative otitis symptoms at first can be absent, and only after a certain time (week, month) the fluid in the tympanic cavity is condensed - this leads to the development of hearing loss. In this case, the treatment is surgical.

Chronic purulent otitis is an infectious disease, there are two forms: complicated and uncomplicated. Purulent chronic otitis, symptoms: purulent discharge from the ear, hearing impairment, tinnitus, nausea, dizziness. Uncomplicated form passes paroxysmally, if the remission lasts more than six months, this patient is offered miringoplasty. To avoid the progression of the disease the patient must comply with hygiene rules:

• When bathing, cover the ears with cotton wool soaked in vegetable oil;
• Be careful of ARI, ARVI, use more vitamin C to strengthen immunity, especially during the colds.

With timely treatment, the prognosis is favorable. However, if pus accumulates inside the ear, it can cause hearing loss, as well as the possible development of other complications.

Treatment of chronic otitis media

With pronounced manifestations-pain, suppuration-antibiotics are used, antiseptic drugs are prescribed during the remission of the disease (remission). A good result is laser therapy, but it has contraindications: ear polyps, intracranial diseases.