Purulent otitis media: causes, signs, symptoms and treatment

Purulent otitis media – it is a disease that is characterized by inflammation of the ear and can be both chronic and acute. Its pathological process depends entirely upon the virulence of the microorganisms and affects the human immune system. Also, according to statistics, 30 % of it is acute form of otitis media. Most often it affects children under 5 years and elderly, less often teenagers.

To Cause suppurative otitis media (ICD - Н66) and impress the organ of hearing can:

• Streptococci;
• Staphylococcus;
• Pneumococci;
• Haemophilus influenzae and different microorganisms.

Any inflammation of the ear is very dangerous, so you must consult the doctor immediately after the detected first symptoms of the disease are described below.

Symptoms of this disease

At the first stage of acute purulent otitis media revealed similar symptoms:

• Pain in the ear, which, growing, may give to the crown, the head and the dentition;
• Loss of hearing
• The emergence of various noise and congestion in the ear;
• Hyperthermia;
• Flushing;
• Intoxication syndrome.

Lasts this initial stage of suppurative otitis media in adults and children, usually up to three days. And then, there is a transition to another stage, and the patient has the following symptoms:

• Breakthrough of the membrane. In this moment there is pus. This process can last up to 7 days.
• Ear Pain gradually subsides.
• Stabiliziruemost the General condition of the patient.
• Body Temperature close to normal performance.

Signs of purulent otitis media it is difficult to confuse.

If not timely treatment, there will be unpleasant complications:

• Rupture of eardrum;
• Cholesteatoma;
• Loss of hearing
• Hearing;
• Intracranial pathology;
• Brain abscess.

At the first symptoms it is important to immediately consult a doctor for further diagnosis and therapy. Purulent otitis media equally affects both children and adults. And no restrictions about sex.

How it penetrates the infection?

The Main reasons for the development of the disease are infection in the inner and middle ear and decrease the General reactivity of the organism.

This can occur several ways:

• Through the Eustachian tube;
• The infection penetrates into the ear after injuries to the eardrum;
• Is passed from the cavity of the skull;
• The infection enters the bloodstream (this is mainly observed in diseases of influenza, scarlet fever, tuberculosis and typhoid).

The Main cause of this pathology development is incomplete or incorrect treatment of acute inflammation of the ear.

Otitis media is acute and a chronic form.

The Chronic form

Chronic suppurative otitis media is defined by the inflammation of the middle ear departments. Its main characteristic – for the purulent exudate from the cavity of the ear. Other signs include hearing loss and perforation of the tympanic membrane. This disease, it should be noted, can manifest as chronic rhinitis and sinusitis.

Usually chronic otitis media may occur already in childhood. It can provoke staphylococci, pneumococci and Pseudomonas. This form of otitis media can also take the form of attic disease. In addition to the mucous membrane, in the pathological process involved the bone structure of the mastoid process. Its location in the upper part of the ear. This form is dangerous because it progressed to dangerous complications such as meningitis, sepsis, osteitis, and abscess of the brain.

Purulent otitis in a child usually occurs in the acute form.

Acute

Acute otitis media begins after penetration of pathogenic organisms in the ear. Stage of development:

1. Catarrhal. The progression of the inflammatory process. At this early stage in the ear exudate accumulates. There is pain in the ear, sudden hearing loss. It is important to immediately consult a doctor. Treat this disease is usually with antibiotics or physiotherapy.
2. Purulent form. If at the initial stage has not been made the appropriate treatment, the result is formed from purulent exudate, which begins to run from the cavity.
3. The Inflammation subsides. The pus stops and begins to dominate a symptom of the decline of auditory function.

What are the causes of purulent otitis media in a child?

Causes of otitis media

Almost any ENT disease accompanied by mucus production. Once mucus begins to increase, the latter penetrates into the Eustachian tube, thereby violates ventilation of the tympanic cavity. Also exacerbate this process, contributing pathogens.

The Main causes of otitis media:

• Invasion of concomitant infections of ENT-organs;
• Diseases of the nose, nasopharynx and sinuses;
• Trauma to the Pinna;
• Weakened immune system.

Consequences

What are the consequences of purulent otitis media?

Although it affects mostly the ears, but with sufficient complication, the infection can affect other organs. If treatment was incomplete, it can lead to very terrible consequences. When suppuration will go on the lower jaw and touches the salivary gland, this will lead to disability.

But no less dangerous, is that the disease is not so easy to identify. There are times when the disease may not be accompanied by pain in the ears. There are cases when otitis disrupted the gastrointestinal tract. All this is because our ears and the abdomen are connected by the same nerve. So often during the otitis, especially in children, may appear vomiting, constipation, flatulence. In this case you suspect appendicitis and sent to the surgeon. But inflammatory diseases in children the best way to diagnose, attracting to the procedure and recovery.

If the child's mother will think he just has an upset stomach, and turn for help to the appropriate specialist, the result will not be correctly diagnosed, and otitis media, meanwhile, will grow into a more serious disease.

Chronic otitis is very difficult treated, with greatly reduced quality of life – the hearing is broken, and in my ears there's inflammation occurs and pus. Often the conventional treatments it is necessary to resort to surgical methods.

Diagnosis of otitis media

An Experienced and competent doctor detects a left or a right suppurative otitis media without special tools. Simple inspection of the ear with the help of the headlamp reflector is sufficient.

Diagnosis of external otitis

In this type of otitis media, the doctor pays attention to the skin surface of the ear and draws attention to the auditory dimensions of the lumen. If he greatly narrowed or almost not visible eardrums, and visible liquid discharge, the doctor makes a diagnosis “otitis externa".

Diagnostics otitis media

Otitis media doctor is also constrained by visual examination. Hallmarks of this disease are redness of the eardrum and its immobility.

These symptoms is easy to check. The patient needs to lighten up, not opening his mouth. This maneuver is often used by divers and divers to equalize the pressure in the ear. In contact with air, the ear drum is curved, and when the cavity is filled with liquid, a characteristic bending will not.

For otitis media perforation of the tympanic membrane is visible immediately after the overflow pus ear cavity and runs out with his breakthrough.

Diagnosis of internal otitis media

In this case investigated hearing on special equipment, called an audiometer. If hearing acuity markedly decreases dramatically when the disease otitis media, and there are bouts of dizziness, there is a suspicion of inflammation of the ear labyrinth or internal ear. Here apply audiometry and neurological examination is resorted to.

The Use of computed tomography and x-ray

In acute otitis media uses x-rays to confirm his condition. All this may reveal a serious intracranial infection. Although the cases are quite rare, but if there are such suspicions, then the patient must undergo a CT scan of the brain.

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