In the autumn-winter period, the number of people who go to the doctor with an acute respiratory infection increases significantly, and otitis media, which occurs as a complication of infections, can cause prolonged or recurring complaints for those affected. However, depending on the type of disease, both the symptoms and the required treatment may differ, he pointed out dr. Holpert Valeriaotolaryngologist and phoniatrician at the Ear, Nose and Throat Center.
Otitis media from a cold
If we caught one of the respiratory viruses of the past few weeks, which resulted in otitis media as a complication, we can expect two types of course. We can get over acute otitis media relatively quickly, while in certain forms of the disease it is a long-lasting process that is difficult to heal and may also tend to recur. Even within the individual types, however, we must distinguish between the catarrhal and purulent forms of the disease, which are not necessarily separate from each other, since they often appear as symptoms that transform into each other.
Types of otitis media
Serous otitis media is a disease caused by a dysfunction of the cochlea that connects the middle ear to the nasal cavity. During the autumn-winter period rich in viral infections, the process is usually initiated by a cold or a banal upper respiratory tract infection. In such cases Swelling of the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx or the tonsils can obstruct the supply of air to the middle ear.and can lead to insufficient ventilation of the ear horn, as well as disturbance of pressure equalization in the drum.
In this case, we are talking about tinnitus, which is accompanied by ear popping, ear congestion and some hearing loss. In this phase, it is usually sufficient to use mucus-reducing preparations and to blow the nose frequently with the correct nasal blowing technique (in the case of children, the use of a nasal aspirator). However, if the functional insufficiency of the cochlea persists for a long time, a vacuum is created in the middle ear, the eardrum retracts, the serous (yellowish) fluid coming out of the vessels of the middle ear builds up in the cavity, and acute, serous otitis media develops. At this point, the patient’s hearing is greatly impaired, but he does not yet feel ear pain. If the above is accompanied by earache, temperature rise, and fever, we are talking about acute otitis media, so it is recommended to use an anti-inflammatory-pain-relieving product in addition to decongestants for the nasal mucosa as a symptomatic treatment.
In this case, antibiotic treatment has no right to exist, and the use of various vegetable oils and ear candles is also not recommended. As soon as Dr. Valéria Holpert points out that pathogens may enter the ear weakened by the virus and multiply in the middle ear, causing purulent otitis media. The symptoms and initial course of the disease are similar, as in the case of acute non-purulent otitis media, but the fever and pain can also be more pronounced and prolonged. causes to the patient, which only eases when the pus makes its way to the ear canal.
After that, the ear discharge stops within a few days, at most a week, and the patient’s condition settles down. In the case of an infectious, bacterial origin, in addition to intensive pain relief – to avoid life-threatening complications – an antibiotic selected by the doctor and applied over a sufficient period of time may be necessary. In prolonged cases, the tympanic membrane may be punctured in order to speed up healing and improvement of hearing by releasing the inflammatory secretions.
The control of otitis media is therefore definitely important, especially if the patient has developed purulent otitis media. Fortunately, in the vast majority of cases, otitis media heals spontaneously and without complications. However, if if our complaints persist for a long time or recur, we should not be satisfied with symptomatic therapy, in this case, too, we should contact an ear-nose-throat specialist, who will suggest the appropriate therapy by revealing the root cause. Unhealed, recurring, untreated otitis media can even cause permanent changes in the sound-conducting system, the eventual restoration of which is possible only through surgery.
Source: Ear, Nose and Throat Center
Source: www.patikamagazin.hu
