What is the treatment for otitis media? Basic principles of therapy

Inflammatory diseases of the ear can hardly be considered a rarity. Especially children are inclined to them. Therefore, many are interested in the question of how they 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 is a disease accompanied by inflammation of the external part of the ear canal. The inflammatory process can be focal (in such cases, there is an appearance and growth of the boil) or cover all tissues of the auditory canal. The disease is accompanied by pain, itching, and sometimes 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 also possible. There is also an allergic form of the disease. So what is the treatment for otitis?

Therapy depends primarily on the cause of the inflammatory process. At a bacterial infection antibiotics can be used. In addition, the outer part of the ear canal is treated with antibacterial or antifungal ointments, for example, "Triderm", "Celestoderm" or "Flucinar". Some patients are prescribed pain medications that help to relieve discomfort. In the presence of a boil, the doctor must open it and clean the tissues from purulent masses.

Than to treat an otitis of an average ear?

Otitis media is most often diagnosed in children, which is associated with some anatomical, age-specific features of the auditory analyzer. The cause here is also an infection that can get both directly from the external environment, and from other sources of inflammation (otitis media can occur against the background of angina or sinusitis). Symptoms include sharp, shooting pain in the ear and fever. So what is the treatment for otitis media of the middle ear?

Any medicine may be prescribed only by an otolaryngologist after a thorough examination. Since the cause of inflammation is most often a bacterial infection, it is necessary to take antibiotics. In addition, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are used, in particular those containing ibuprofen and paracetamol. To eliminate edema, patients are sometimes prescribed antihistamines. If otitis is associated with a common cold, then the therapy includes vasodilating drops for the nose. Special ear drops ("Otypaks") help to relieve pain. With a strong suppuration of the tympanic cavity, which threatens perforation of the tympanic membrane, it is necessary to alleviate the outflow of purulent masses.

If the patient has not been provided with the necessary assistance, the disease can go into a chronic form. How to treat chronic otitis media? Therapy in this case includes the intake of the same drugs - painkillers and anti-inflammatories, as well as antibiotics. In addition, patients undergo regular washing of the drum cavity with alcohol solution or boric acid. In the most severe cases, cuneiform trephination is necessary. It is worth noting that chronic otitis is dangerous and can lead to serious complications, including hearing loss.

Labyrinthitis - inflammation of the inner ear

Labyrinthine can be considered one of the most dangerous forms of the disease, because it is accompanied by a lesion of the vestibular apparatus. In most cases, inflammation of the internal ear structures is a complication of chronic otitis media. So what is the treatment for otitis?

As a rule, conservative therapy is very effective, which includes taking antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and analgesics. If there is a risk of spreading inflammation to the auditory nerve and the occurrence of intracranial complications, trepanation of the inner ear cavity is performed, during which it is cleared of pus, treated with antibiotics and antiseptic agents.