Acute and chronic inflammation of the middle ear

In medicine, the inflammation of the ear is called otitis. The anatomical ear has several divisions: external, middle and inner. This article will consider the most common form - inflammation of the middle ear. The inflammatory reaction can be acute or chronic.

Causes of the disease

Acute inflammation in the middle ear is mainly developed as a result of the penetration of bacterial infection through the auditory tube. Also, the infection can spread with exacerbation of chronic nasopharyngeal diseases, as a result of acute rhinitis (especially in young children). Inflammation of the middle ear can be catarrhal and purulent. There is a pronounced edema of the mucous membrane, as a result of which the permeability of the auditory tube is violated and accumulation of effusion (transudate) takes place. As a separate form of the disease, otitis is isolated in infants: in newborns, it can arise as a result of contact with infected amniotic fluid during passage through the birth canal. In addition, in young children due to anatomical features of the structure of the auditory tube (it is much shorter than in adults), the infection spreads quite quickly.

The average otitis has the following stages of the course: the first is characterized by the development of inflammation and the formation of effusion, the second occurs with the perforation of the tympanic membrane and the exit of pus and the third stage of the disease begins when the inflammation and fusion of the membrane cease.

How does the inflammation of the middle ear manifest? Symptoms and Diagnostic Measures

In the initial stage of otitis, there are complaints of severe pain in the ear, which can spread to the head, jaw from the affected side. There is an increase in temperature, hearing impairment. If you do not start treatment in time, a tympanic rupture occurs and a suppuration begins. With this, the pain subsides significantly, the patient's condition improves, the temperature returns to normal. In the final stage, the main complaint is hearing loss. The disease usually lasts a few days, but sometimes it can take weeks.

Inflammation of the middle ear in children has more vivid clinical manifestations. At the very beginning of the illness, the child is restless, can not sleep, refuses to eat, as when sucking, pain increases. Body temperature is very high, meningeal symptoms can be noted.

In the chronic course of the disease, a persistent hearing loss is noted, and because of the presence of a hole in the membrane and constant inflammation, the purulent discharge remains for a long time. Exacerbations occur with the slightest cold or decreased immunity. Also, the presence of foci of inflammation in the nasal and oral cavity (diseased teeth) contributes to the maintenance of the inflammatory process. Chronic inflammation of the middle ear can spread to the bone, causing its destruction.

The diagnosis is assisted by otoscopy. At the initial stage, you can see reddening and swelling of the ear canal, characterized by complaints of severe soreness when examining the auricle. In the second stage, the perforation of the membrane is visible. In blood tests signs of inflammation are noted: an increase in the number of leukocytes and an increase in ESR.

Medical measures for otitis

If suspected of inflammation of the middle ear, treatment should not be delayed. The patient is recommended bed rest, antibiotic therapy with a broad spectrum of action is necessarily performed. At a temperature above 38 °, antipyretic agents are prescribed. If there is no detachable, it is advisable to instill ear drops with antibacterial drugs, warming compresses. When perforating the membrane, the use of drops on an alcoholic basis is contraindicated. If severe pain and tension of the tympanic membrane are noted, paracentesis (piercing) is performed in order to provide an outflow of pus. Good physiotherapy, purging.