Viral otitis in children

Otitis - medium, acute, purulent, in children, symptoms and treatment

Otitis is an inflammation of the middle ear, which is the most common disease of ENT organs. At the heart of otitis is inflammatory processes in the mucosa that occur in the middle ear. In general, the outer ear consists of parts such as the auricle, external ear canal and tympanic membrane, which divides the outer ear with the middle ear. The middle ear is a tiny cavity where the bone mechanism is located, which transmits sound waves into the inner ear canal.

And the middle ear also transforms incoming sound waves into special nerve impulses that enter the brain. Otitis is external, that is, when there is inflammation of the auricle or inflammation of the ear canal. And also there is an average otitis, that is there is an inflammation of an average ear. Usually otitis media occurs after complications of infectious diseases such as influenza, tonsillitis and others.

Acute otitis media

Acute otitis is a common disease of the body, where the local manifestation are inflammatory-infectious processes, covering all three anatomical airborne components of the middle ear, this is the tympanum, auditory tube and mastoid process. According to the statistics, the average otitis occurs in 25-30% of people who have ear diseases and this indicates that acute otitis is a widespread disease. In the first place in terms of the frequency of acute otitis media are children under 5 years old, and elderly people are on the second place, and in the third place there are teenagers under 14 years old. Acute otitis does not have a specific pathogen, nor can it be caused by pathogenic microorganisms of different species, which include viruses, microbes and fungal flora or their associations.

The trigger mechanism for the development of acute otitis media is acute respiratory viral infections or influenza. In addition, the general assumptions and risk factors that favor the emergence and further development of acute otitis play a great role in the development of the disease.

Symptoms of otitis

It is worth noting that the easiest form of otitis is external otitis, but apart from it there is internal otitis and an otitis media of the middle ear. Concerning the symptoms of otitis, it is usually aching pain with a periodic

character, as well as possible swelling of the auricle and the temperature of the human body rises. The causes of external otitis may be mechanical damage to the tissue of the outer ear, that is, microtraumas with improper cleaning or trauma to the auricle. And the inflammation of the mucosa in the middle ear is called the otitis media of the middle ear. The danger of this type of otitis is that it leads to very serious consequences. For example, full or partial hearing loss may occur, and inflammation may spread further, even on the brain envelope.

In addition, otitis media of the middle ear is usually accompanied by severe pain in the ear, a decrease in hearing, a sense of ear congestion and the noise of the transfusions, and in severe forms, otitis is accompanied by secretions from the ear canal and an increase in body temperature that can be more than 38 degrees. And if there is no wrong and untimely treatment of otitis media of the middle ear, then in the future it can lead to the development of internal otitis media.

Symptoms of internal otitis are very similar to those of otitis media of the middle ear, but in this case there is a high risk complications, therefore hospitalization is necessary and even operative treatment of an otitis in a hospital can be required. In addition, otitis, like many other diseases, can occur in chronic and acute forms.

If it is an acute form of otitis, then very quickly there is a strong pain, which with every hour or even minutes even more increases. If it is a chronic form of otitis, it proceeds more slowly, and its symptoms are less pronounced, like other forms, but this does not eliminate the danger after the onset of this disease.

Acute otitis media

As for acute otitis, it proceeds in stages. For example, first there is inflammation of the mucosa of the middle ear, then there is a suppuration and perforation of the tympanic membrane occurs. In general, acute otitis can take place quite easily, if there is no noticeable general reaction of the body. In some cases this form of otitis can take a severe course, which has sharp reactive phenomena on the part of the body. The causes of acute otitis media are penetrated into the tympanic cavity of infection. This can happen due to a sharp weakening or hypothermia of the body.

Even acute otitis media can occur again, and become a consequence of complications of infections and as a result of upper respiratory tract infection or after a transferred flu. In childhood, the disease can occur after suffering from scarlet fever, diphtheria, measles and other childhood infectious diseases. Another acute inflammation of the middle ear can occur after chronic or acute inflammation of the nose and pharynx. Depending on the severity of the course of the disease, there are general and local symptoms of otitis media of the middle ear. For example, with the usual course of acute otitis, recovery and complete restoration of auditory functions quite often occur. If there are unfavorable conditions of treatment, the course of the disease may acquire a prolonged languid character or it will pass into a chronic form.

With a typical course of acute purulent otitis, three periods of development are distinguished. For example, in the first period occurs the emergence and development of inflammatory processes in the middle ear. In this case, the pain in the ear is very strong and gradually increasing, and in more severe cases it becomes simply intolerable and painful, which can take away peace. Most often, the pain is felt in the depth of the ear, and by its nature it can be pulsating, vomiting, aching or shooting. Quite often, with acute otitis media, pain can be given to the teeth, the back of the head, the temple, or spread all over the head, and is amplified by blowing, sneezing, swallowing, with coughing, since in this case the pressure in the tympanic cavity is greatly increased.

At the next stage of development of otitis, the perforation of the tympanic membrane occurs and the result of inflammation is a purulence. Then, after suppuration, the temperature usually decreases, but this painful process can last 4-7 days. With inflammation, suppuration is first observed abundantly, and then significantly reduced and pus gets a thick consistency. If there is an average acute otitis in the ear, then pus in this case has no smell. If there is no external otitis in this case.

As for the third period of acute otitis media, a gradual cessation of inflammatory processes is observed, then the suppuration disappears, the work of the middle ear normalizes and the perforation of the tympanic membrane recovers. And the duration of each of these periods can range from a few days to two weeks.

Acute catarrhal otitis

This form of otitis is accompanied by inflammation of the middle ear cavities, which cause streptococci, staphylococci and other pathogens. To provoke acute catarrhal otitis can lowered the body's resistance, diabetes, hypothermia, beriberi, kidney disease, rickets, various infectious diseases and so on. Most often, bacteria penetrate into the middle ear from the nasal cavity, through the auditory tube and this arises when exacerbated inflammation of the mucous membrane during acute rhinitis, acute respiratory infections, influenza, or acute otitis media.

Factors that accelerate the spread of infection are coughing, adenoid growths, sneezing or improper blowing, because it is necessary to clean each nostril in turn. Symptoms of ductal otitis media include ear noise, pain, a feeling of congestion, and hearing loss. And usually the pain in this case is growing, it can also give in the teeth, felt deep in the ear or give to the parietal-temporal or occipital area. In addition, they can observe unpleasant sensations when coughing, sneezing and swallowing, which very often deprives the patient of appetite and sleep. And when the disease occurs against the background of a common infectious disease, the temperature can rise sharply.

When the patient is examined, the doctor discovers the redness of the tympanic membrane, and touching it is very painful. Regarding treatment, then with catarrhal otitis, bed rest is necessary, and in case of complications, hospitalization is required. To eliminate pain, you need to instill carbolic glycerin and alcohol into the hearing aid by 70% for 5-6 drops in each ear. Next enter into each ear a cotton wick at night. In addition, physiotherapy, warmers and vodka compresses are used. And in the nose instilled vasoconstrictive and bactericidal drops. If the temperature is high, the doctor prescribes antipyretic drugs.

Acute exudative otitis media

This form of otitis is an inflammation of the middle ear with the formation of transudate and its long-term retention in the tympanic cavity. In its prevalence, acute exudative otitis in children is more common than in adults. A diagnosis of acute exudative otitis in 60% of children aged 3-7 years and 10% of children aged 12-15 years. The causes of exudative acute otitis are quite diverse and can be divided into local and general. For example, common causes include allergies, a decrease in overall immune reactivity, environmental factors, specific diseases that reduce immunity, as well as frequent infectious diseases.

If these are local causes of exudative otitis media, then this may be a violation of the ventilation function of the auditory tube, as a result hypertrophy of the pharyngeal tonsil, and also a slow inflammatory-allergic process in the pharyngeal tonsil. In children, the clinical symptoms of this disease are not very pronounced. Quite often the main symptom in the disease is a decrease in hearing or a strong noise in the ear. But since children aged 2-5 years do not usually complain about hearing loss, exudative otitis media is more common and complicates in this case. And if a child with this form of otitis is not treated, then after 3-4 years he may develop persistent and irreversible hearing loss, which is due to cicatricial adhesive process in the middle ear, formation in the tympanic membrane of the pockets, atrophy of the tympanic membrane or perforation. In addition, the sound-receiving apparatus may suffer in part.

Acute purulent otitis media

This form of otitis is a purulent acute inflammation of the mucous membrane on the tympanic membrane. With this form of the disease, all parts of the middle ear are also involved in the catalytic inflammation. Acute purulent otitis is a widespread disease of the middle ear, which often occurs in a mild form, and then can develop violently and cause a severe inflammatory reaction of the body. But in both cases quite often the acute purulent otitis leaves in the future an adhesive process, which is accompanied by a hard-to-treat deafness, and can also go into a chronic and often progressive form, which leads to hearing loss and other serious complications.

The most common acute purulent otitis occurs in children under 3 years old. And its distinctive feature is an acute onset and a rather lingering course, but in childhood increases the tendency to recurrence of the disease. The main factors that provoke this disease are a combination of a decrease in total and local resistance, as well as getting into the tympanic cavity of the infection. Quite often, through the auditory tube, a microflora directly enters the tympanic cavity, which saprophytes in the pharynx. But this can not cause inflammation if the general and local reactivity is normal. And if the supply of microflora was massive or the microflora was highly virulent, then in this case acute otitis media appears.

The main pathogens of acute otitis in children and adults are the main infections or associations of microorganisms. Most often, viral otitis is observed in epidemics of viral diseases.

The most frequent way to penetrate the infection is through the auditory tube. And since there is no flora with microbes in the middle ear cavity, the barrier function of the mucous membrane in the auditory tube comes into play. As a result, mucus is produced here, which has an antimicrobial effect. Inflammatory epithelium of the auditory tube moves the mucous secret to the nasopharynx. Therefore, with different common infectious diseases, with local acute exacerbations, as well as with inflammatory, chronic diseases of the upper respiratory tract defense function of the epithelium in the auditory tube is disrupted. As a result, the microflora immediately penetrates into the tympanum.

In some rare cases, the infection can enter the middle ear through a damaged eardrum during a trauma or through the wound of the mastoid process. In this case, there is a traumatic otitis media. The most rare way of penetrating infections in the middle ear is the hematogenous way. And it is possible if there are such infectious diseases as measles, influenza, scarlet fever, tuberculosis and others in the body. In extremely rare cases, acute purulent otitis can develop as a result of retrograde spread of infection directly from the cranial cavity or from the labyrinth.

Acute Otitis in Children

Usually acute otitis in children begins with sharp pain in the ear and high fever. And most often it starts after a flu or cold. The most important thing that needs to be done in this situation is to put behind the auricle a warming vodka compress and it is best to do it with camphor alcohol, which must be diluted halfway with water. Most often, the compress reduces pain and the child calms down, but you do not need to stop. Since the child immediately needs to be shown immediately to the doctor. It is worth noting that otitis is terrible with its complications, which can occur if the child is not treated in time. In addition, otitis can pass into a chronic form or can lead to a partial hearing loss.

To the occurrence of complications, otitis predisposes the structure of the organ of hearing. After all, children have a more sinuous hearing aid than adults, and at the end of the passage there is a tympanic membrane, which is a barrier covering the middle ear. And behind this very thin film there is a tympanic cavity, which has a sound instrument - these are auditory ossicles, nerves, muscles and vessels. The drum cavity consists of an auditory tube, which connects it with the nasopharynx, which you should pay attention to. After all, with various respiratory or other infections that are most common in children, the inflammatory process begins, which most often affects the nasopharynx. Therefore, through the auditory tube, which in children is shorter and wider than in adults, the microbes immediately enter the tympanum.

Acute otitis media of the middle ear

This disease is a manifestation of inflammation in the tissues of the tympanic cavity, mastoid process and auditory tube. Most often, acute otitis media of the middle ear occurs in childhood, but people of any age can be ill. Inflammatory process in the middle ear can be caused by different microorganisms, these are streptococci, staphylococci, fungi and viruses. Most often microorganisms enter the middle ear directly through the auditory tube and this is usually promoted this process in the nose, nasopharynx, in the paranasal sinuses or in the presence of adenoids in children. A more rare way of penetrating infections in the middle ear is to hit it through the external auditory wire during a tympanic injury. Another occurrence of acute otitis can occur with infectious diseases such as scarlet fever, influenza or measles, and there is another way of penetrating the infection-it's through the blood.

In addition, a decrease in the body's resistance to various infectious diseases, kidney diseases, diabetes mellitus and hypothermia can contribute to the development of inflammatory processes in the middle ear. In the course of the disease, acute otitis media of the middle ear is purulent and catarrhal. And during the acute otitis media, three stages are distinguished. The first stage is acute catarrhal otitis, that is, the onset and development of inflammatory processes occur on average ear and further increase in the symptoms of the disease, which are associated with the accumulation of exudate - this fluid in the middle ear.

The second stage is purulent otitis, that is, the formation and accumulation of pus in the middle ear cavity, which leads to rupture of the tympanic membrane and to suppuration. The third stage of development of acute otitis media of the middle ear is the fading of the inflammatory process, which is substantially Reduces and gradually stops suppuration, and then there is a fusion of the edges of the tympanic membrane.

Acute otitis externa

This form of otitis is an inflammation of the skin of the cartilaginous part of the auditory external passageway. Symptoms of acute external otitis are ear pain, chewing pain, when pressing on a tragus, pain while sipping the auricle. Naturally, with this disease there may be swelling near the auricle on either side or with one of them. Another possible pain when pressing the mastoid process, and the pain itself is amplified towards the ear folds. Still observed with acute external otitis narrowing of the external auditory canal with varying degrees of severity. In addition, lymphadenitis of the pre-limb lymph nodes is possible.

When the eardrum is not inflamed, the hearing may not be affected. And in differential diagnosis, skin cholesteatoma can be detached from the back of the external auditory canal. For the treatment of acute external otitis in the external auditory canal is introduced turundas with Burov's fluid or with boric alcohol, and also prescribed for the treatment of UHF therapy in the ear area. And with severe pain and high body temperature, antibiotics are prescribed - oletetrin, doxycycline, vibramycin or erythromycin for 6-7 days. Such treatment is also carried out with purulent discharge.

If the disease is prolonged. The doctor prescribes intramuscular injections of antibiotics, prescribes autohemotherapy and locally prescribes staphylococcal anatoxin. If a recurrent furunculosis develops, then autohemotherapy is required, a blood test for sugar is performed to exclude diabetes, and vitamin therapy is necessary.

Acute bilateral otitis media

Acute bilateral otitis is an inflammation in the tissues of the tympanic membrane or auditory tube. In addition, the inflammatory process can affect the surrounding tissues. Most often acute otitis does not lead to hearing loss, but there are exceptions, if it is a purulent otitis, in which the destruction of the tissues of the middle ear. Acute bilateral otitis develops from five stages. The very first stage is characterized by stuffy ears, noise in the ears, and fever may be absent. In the second stage, there may be acute catarrhal inflammation in the middle ear, which is characterized by the symptoms of the first stage. There may be shooting pain in the ear, rise in temperature and inflammation of the mucous membranes. The next stage of the disease is the preperforative stage, which is characterized by intolerable pain passing into the neck, eyes, teeth and into the pharynx. Body temperature at this stage can rise to a risky figure.

At the next postperforative stage of acute bilateral otitis media, the pain weakens, but suppuration begins from the ears. The last stage is the reparative stage, that is, the arrest of inflammation and the beginning of recovery. The most important danger during suppuration is the threat that pus will enter the cranial cavity and cause a brain abscess or meningitis. In addition, you need to remember about the obligatory visit to the doctor at the very first manifestations of pain in the ears or if the ears pawned. And if these symptoms do not pass for two or three weeks, then there is a danger of the disease.

If treatment is performed only by unconventional means, then this can cause complications, since similar methods are used only under the supervision of a doctor. And the therapy must necessarily be carried out, taking into account all aspects of the disease, for example, to take into account the extent of the inflammatory reaction, to take into account all complications and other concomitant diseases. In addition, it is very important to take into account the general condition of the patient, as well as his individual characteristics. And depending on the nature and form of the defeat of the middle ear, choose a method of treatment that can be operational or conservative. According to statistics, acute bilateral otitis media can manifest in 80% of children under 3 years old. Quite often, otitis develops after hypothermia or after a cold. And in order to prevent it, it is necessary to treat the mucous membrane of the throat and nose in a timely manner.

Treatment of otitis media

Concerning the treatment of otitis, it is worth noting that this is a very serious disease that must be treated. Therefore, the first symptoms should immediately contact the otolaryngologist. After all only the doctor can correctly establish the form of an otitis and on the basis of it or this to appoint or nominate correct treatment. And even if a person is an adherent of treatment with folk methods, then without treatment otitis treatment is impossible. Otitis is usually treated for about 10 days, but in more severe forms, treatment can be delayed. In any case, you need a timely call to the doctor.

It is worth noting that the treatment of otitis is complex and for the patient to start it is necessary to ensure complete rest, so as not to provoke the occurrence of complications. Then it is necessary to appoint specialized antibiotics to carry out an operational fight with the causative agent of otitis media. Antibiotics can be in tablets, it's Solutab, Flemoclav, Cyphran or antibiotics in droplets, it's Otypax and Sofrax, but they must be at room temperature before burying. However, only a doctor should prescribe antibiotics.

Sometimes it happens that otitis takes a person by surprise, for example, on a day off. And in this case it is necessary not to start the situation. That is why, when there is pain in the ear, with lumbago or with twitchings, it is necessary to buy drops of Sophadex for adults, and for children Otipaks drops will help. In this case, it is necessary to observe the dosage, which is indicated in the instructions, and then bury in each ear. If very severe pain has occurred, then in this case, you can take an analgesic. However, if the ear has already ceased to hurt, it is still necessary to consult a doctor. Because there is a high probability of complications.

With external otitis treatment should consist of heating, from washing the ear canal and using warming compresses. If an abscess has already formed, then there is a need for its dissection. With otitis media, antibiotics and antipyretics are prescribed. When the suppuration has already come, the doctor in the hospital makes an incision of the tympanic membrane to drain the pus from the ear, as quickly as possible. Still need to mix in equal parts 70% alcohol and glycerin and in this solution you should wet the turunda from the cotton wool, and then insert it into the ear. Then you need to put a cotton ball moistened with an ordinary baby cream, and after 2 hours to remove it. After several procedures, the swelling will disappear.

To eliminate ear pain, it is necessary to take painkillers. For example, adults are prescribed Coldrex, and children are prescribed Nurofen, as a result, relief will come just at once. But it is very important to know that any warming compresses can not be used at high temperature. And also take otitis treatment very seriously.

Prevention of otitis

To prevent any inflammation, you need those tools that help strengthen the body, for example, correct mode of work, nutrition and rest, systematic exercise and physical training and tempering. In addition, those people who suffer from chronic otitis should be well treated and observe all necessary precautions. For example, during bathing or washing your head, you need to protect your ears from dirty water, usually using ear plugs or cotton swabs, which should be moistened with vegetable oil. When pus comes out of the ear, then on the instructions of the doctor you need to clear the ears from the accumulation of pus, and also to apply the procedures and medicines prescribed by the doctor.

Those people who are predisposed to diseases of the throat or nose, must necessarily consult a doctor about their treatment and prevention of the disease. In addition, you need to treat the tonsils systematically, and in advanced cases, they need to be removed. In addition, it is necessary to treat a runny nose and especially if it is a chronic form. In addition, each person should carefully blow his nose, as with enhanced blowing through Eustachian a tube of slime with germs can get into the tympanum, which will cause inflammation in it, that is, otitis.

It should be noted that with exacerbations of otitis, it is undesirable to carry out any hard physical work, and you can not leave the house with wind and strong cold, and it is advisable to avoid talking. Even with exacerbations, the ear is covered with a warm bandage. If the patient has severe pain in the ear, then you can use painkillers, which are prescribed only by the doctor. In general, in most cases, preventive measures do not allow inflammation in the ear to those people who fall into the risk zone.

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Causes, symptoms and treatment of otitis in a child

Pediatric otitis is very common, especially in children attending kindergarten. Otitis in a child whose symptoms are easily identified with proper study, a dangerous disease. After examining the causes, symptoms and classification of otitis media, we will be able to detect the disease at an early stage and consult a doctor.

Causes of otitis in children

Of course, before considering the symptoms of otitis, it is useful to study the causes of its appearance and classification. This is necessary to protect their children from illness before it occurs.

The most common is otitis media of the middle ear. According to statistics, a third of all ENT diseases (otolaryngological) is an inflammation of the middle ear in an acute form (acute otitis media of the middle ear). Of course, sometimes there is otitis of the inner or outer ear. The ailment is so common among toddlers that, according to the Ministry of Health, every three children out of four under the age of 3 are borne it, that is usually those children who go to the nursery.

Otitis is called inflammation of the ear cavities. This inflammation can occur against the background of ARVI, passing from the nose in the rhinitis to the middle ear through the auditory tube. In children this tube is very short and wide, which gives infections almost direct access from the nasal cavity to the middle ear cavity. The ailment can also occur against the background of hypothermia, which causes a decrease in immunity and, accordingly, the ability to resist bacteria and viruses.

The main cause of the disease is the penetration of bacteria and viruses into the body. Inflammation of the ear caused by this cause, usually accompanied by pain, fever, lethargy, often a runny nose. This otitis is called acute.

Acute otitis, if it is not treated on time, can easily go into a purulent form. In this case, the tympanic membrane is damaged and deformed. Purulent otitis media is a risk for the onset of a chronic illness.

Chronic otitis, in its essence, this is an enduring phenomenon. His symptoms can periodically subside - the infection "falls asleep." It manifests itself under the influence of the slightest provoking factors.

These factors may be hypothermia, contact with other children, runny nose, SARS, general weakness of the body, decreased immunity.

There is also a so-called traumatic otitis, which is caused by ear traumas. Usually it is minor injuries. As a result, the injured ear opens up access to microbes, which provokes inflammation.

In addition, the disease can have a fungal origin. In this case, the causative agent of inflammation are fungi. This otitis specialists are often called otomycosis.

Classification of otitis

The general classification of otitis media is as follows. We need to know this in order not to get confused in the symptoms of otitis and timely to lead the baby to the doctor.

Basic forms of otitis media:

1. External otitis media. It is easy to treat and is rare in children. It is characterized by inflammation of the ear shell and external auditory canal. Often accompanied by abscesses in the auditory canal. The formation of ulcers causes inflammation of the roots of the hair, sebaceous glands or skin of the external auditory canal.
2. Otitis media in children. The most common form of inflammation of areas such as the tympanum and auditory tube. Inflammation of the mucosa can be catarrhal, serous (thus accumulate secretory secretions in the region of the tympanic membrane) and neglected, that is purulent (inflammation is accompanied by accumulation of pus).
3. Internal otitis media. It is characterized by inflammation in the labyrinth of the inner ear. This is the area of ​​the ear that is responsible for the perception of sound, the auditory receptors are located in the labyrinth. This form is very rare and difficult to treat.

According to the nature of the course of the otitis can be acute (the duration of such otitis does not exceed one month), chronic (recognized as such for more than 3 months). Often chronic otitis is accompanied by purulent discharge.

There are so-called subacute otitis media. In duration, it occupies an intermediate position between acute and chronic otitis and, as a rule, is not characterized by the release of pus.

Because of the appearance of otitis is divided into viral (caused, for example, by the influenza virus), bacterial (inflammation occurs due to the fall in the ear of bacteria, for example, all known bacteria of staphylococcus or streptococcus) and fungal (the ear becomes inflamed when it enters the fungus). Fungal otitis in medicine is called otomycosis.

So, we examined the causes of otitis in children, its classification. This will help to better understand the symptoms of this phenomenon. Let us turn to a detailed description of the symptoms of childhood otitis.

Symptoms of otitis media

Otitis in children can begin with any infection, for example, acute respiratory viral infection - ARVI. The incubation period of otitis formation is from 1 to 5 days. That is, the first signs of an ailment in children may already appear on the second day after ARVI. The first and the main sign for acute otitis - pain in the ears or in one ear. The companions of the disease are fever, weakness, lethargy, runny nose, lack of appetite, and even refusal to eat.

If you do not pay attention to these signs of otitis in children and do not start treating the disease, then it easily passes into a purulent disease. In this case, the tympanic membrane is often damaged. At the same time, it is close to a chronic illness. Its signs are the deformation (perforation) of the tympanic membrane and, as a consequence, the hearing loss. A characteristic feature of chronic otitis is purulent discharge from the ears.

If the child is small (at the age of up to one year), then to check whether there is an ailment in the first stages is very difficult. At this age, the inflammation of the ears often occurs secretly, without external signs. A child can turn his head, do not eat, or even take his mother's breast.

Kids can not tell us what hurts them, and parents need to pay attention to the behavior of their children. For example, babies often rub and tease their ears. This can be a habit or evidence of pain in the child's ears. To check, press the ear protrusion in the sink. Most likely, the child will not react to this in the absence of pain.

In children, otitis can start suddenly. For example, the baby fell asleep healthy, and woke up crying for pain in the ears, maybe even in the middle of the night. If it is otitis, then the child's body temperature rises (even up to 40 ° C), the baby rubs his ear, trying soothe the pain, breathing can be difficult, a headache occurs, often diarrhea begins.

These are the causes and main symptoms of the disease. Children's otitis should not be started under any circumstances. The consequences of neglected diseases in children are that pus can spread further, causing an inflammation of the ear, but already internal. As a result, hearing loss and vestibular dysfunction may occur.

Symptoms of forms of otitis media

We examined the description of the general symptoms of otitis, and in order to have a complete picture of the symptoms of an illness with some form of perforation, it will be useful to describe the symptoms characteristic of these species. Symptoms of otitis in children:

1. External limited otitis media. Pain in the ear is often of a pulsating nature, increasing with pressure on the tragus (protrusion in the auricle), redness of the skin, the formation of festering acne-boils.
2. Spilled otitis externa. Also, there is pain, ear congestion, itching, temperature can be normal or strongly elevated, sometimes up to 39 ° C, skin with redness, there may be discharge from the ear.
3. Average catarrhal otitis. Pulsating and shooting pain, giving to the head, there is a slight increase in temperature, noticeable weakness and sluggishness of the child, poor sleep and lack of appetite.
4. Middle purulent otitis media. The first sign is a sharp increase in temperature (up to 40 ° C). The baby cries a lot, it is difficult to endure, the child does not sleep and refuses to eat, as the pain intensifies when sucking or chewing. Lays the ears, noise appears in them, serious deterioration of hearing is observed, in some days in the tympanic membrane produces a hole (perforation) for the exit of the pus, the pain calms down for a while.
5. Average serous otitis media. Intermediate form of otitis media between catarrhal and purulent. It is accompanied by a feeling of pressure and stuffiness in the ears, noise appears, some hearing loss is observed, while purulent discharge from the ears occurs during the perforation of the tympanic membrane.
6. Internal otitis is an inflammation of the so-called labyrinth. There is a strong noise in the ears, there is a partial or complete hearing loss, the child is dizzy, vomiting, loss of balance.

The symptoms examined can identify the disease at an early stage, provide first aid to your child and consult your doctor in a timely manner.

Parents can only suspect this or that form of the disease, and only an experienced specialist - a pediatrician - can determine the otitis and appoint appropriate treatment.

Treatment of ailment in children

To cure otitis in a child without referring to a doctor is certainly not the best solution. An incorrect diagnosis can be made, and the treatment itself can cause a rapid relapse. That this does not happen, at the first signs of otitis in children, you need to go to the doctor as soon as possible without losing time.

Therapy prescribed by a specialist usually includes both general therapy and the taking of drugs that fight with bacteria and inflammation. Sometimes it is prescribed to wash the nose, ear compresses at night and physiotherapy. It is often useful in combination with general therapy to prescribe homeopathic treatment. In special cases, even the removal of adenoids is necessary.

If the parents decide to provide first aid to their child before contacting a doctor, the following rules must be observed. At high temperature, you can not make warm compresses, inhalations for a couple, as these procedures will worsen the condition of the child. Care should be taken when using, for example, boric alcohol, as there is a risk of burns in the ear canal.

If the wrong or wrong treatment of the disease can occur complications: complete or partial hearing loss, the transition of otitis to the chronic stage, inflammation of the facial nerve. Running otitis can even affect the brain.

Therefore, if any of these signs are found, you should immediately contact your doctor. He will examine the ear canal, the tympanic membrane with the help of tools specially designed for this purpose. This examination will confirm or disprove the presence of otitis in the child.

In order to alleviate the condition of the baby in the first stages, you can give paracetamol to bring down the temperature and save the baby from constant pain.

You can make warm compresses on your ears, but only in the absence of high temperature. The doctor, as a rule, prescribes drops in the ears with an anesthetic effect.

The pain in most cases is on the fourth day. If this does not happen, then a second consultation with a doctor is needed to correct the treatment. You may have to take antibiotic drugs. If there are signs of accumulation of pus, you may need to remove it by applying paracentesis (almost painless surgery). But after that the child will quickly recover.

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Prevention of otitis: timely treatment of ENT diseases

If you pay attention to the statistics, it shows that 80% of children who are not yet and three years old have already had otitis. However, those parents who have not yet touched this problem, to prevent their crumbs from a dangerous disease will help prevent otitis.

Favorable factors for otitis media

Average otitis media

The inflammatory process, known in otolaryngology as otitis, can have three forms - external, middle and inner. With the development of external otitis occurs inflammation of the skin of the auditory shell, which leads into the auditory canal. The average type of disease causes damage to the middle ear cavity, and with internal otitis, the drum cavity is affected.In children, otitis media usually arise, in some cases it develops against the background of external inflammation, when it was not suspended at the initial stage.

As practice shows, the average otitis usually develops against the background of a protracted runny nose, when the infection from the nasal cavity falls into the ear, because the Eustachian tube in children is still poorly developed. In addition, the emergence of this pathology contributes also to the presence in the child's ear of the embryonic tissue, which is very easily inflamed. As the child grows up, it gradually disappears, and with it the frequent chance of developing the inflammation of the middle ear. Otolaryngologists call another fairly common cause of illness in children - a hereditary predisposition. If the father or mother in the adult age has otitis, it is not surprising that their child also suffers from this problem. In this case, even after growing up, a child can continue to periodically get otitis.

Elimination of the common cold

To protect children's ears from penetrating into them infection from the nasal cavity, it is important to detect snot immediately to treat a cold. Care should be taken to ensure that there is not a lot of mucus in the nasopharynx, for this purpose it is necessary to clean the nasal passages using an aspirator or a means based on sea water.If the nose is clean and breathing free, the risk of otitis in the child is significantly reduced.

Known is the statement that a runny nose within seven days will pass without his treatment. This is a big mistake, the child does not know how to remark well yet, and the mucus accumulates and can put pressure on the middle ear. The consequences of untreated rhinitis are very serious, this can lead to hearing impairment, partial loss or complete deafness. The swelling of the nose also creates favorable conditions for the development of otitis. If the nasal breathing of a child or an adult is difficult, while the nasal cavity is cleaned of mucus, vasoconstrictive drugs should be used.

ARVI treatment

Against the background of ARVI or ARI in most cases, and there is an inflammatory process in the middle ear. Prevention of otitis in children should include tempering the child from an early age. So your child will develop strong immunity, and when cold, signs of a cold will no longer appear. To do this, the baby needs to be diluted during the cold season to walk barefoot around the apartment, bathe it in cool water, take a walk outdoors longer. However, it is necessary to approach to hardening with knowledge of this matter, consult with an expert beforehand in order to carry out the procedure according to all the rules.

During the epidemic of respiratory viral infections, do not underestimate the effect of antiviral prophylaxis. It is better to give preference to homeopathic preparations, they act on the children's body gently and carefully, increasing its protective forces.

If you still do not dare protect your child from a viral illness, it is important to create favorable conditions for a quick recovery. If there is a runny nose, it is important not to give the mucus in the nose thicken. Here, saline solutions will also come to the rescue. Also for this purpose, you need to drink more liquid, maintain optimal humidity in the room - at least 50%, the air temperature should be 18-20 degrees. Experts argue that in such conditions the body successfully fights against a viral infection. If you need to release the nose from the mucus, do not forget to blow your nose properly, you need to do this alternately with each nostril. If, in case of self-treatment, you did not manage to eliminate the runny nose, after a week show the child to the doctor who will prescribe a more effective treatment.

Refuse to cleaning the ears

Care of the child from the first days of his life is in such activities:

• Cutting nails;
• bathing the baby;
• cleaning of the ears.

If the first two actions are necessary for the health of the child, cleaning the baby ears with cotton swabs can severely damage the crumbs. It is strictly forbidden to climb anything in the ears, not that of an infant, but even of an adult.This is dangerous for several reasons:

1. By inserting a cotton swab in the ear and rotating it in the auditory canal, you risk damaging the epidermis and putting an infection on the background of which soon the otitis will develop;
2. If during the procedure a small child pulls the head, you may injure the eardrum;
3. Earwax, which collects in the outer ear, is the result of an independent cleansing of the ear canal. It accumulates as it accumulates and leaves on its own, it only remains on the surface of the ear canal.

Thus, if parents do not climb deep into the child's ears, they increase his chances of avoiding dangerous otitis media.

Other methods of prevention

In infants, frequent regurgitation is a common cause of otitis media development in the middle ear. Food that is pushed out of the stomach can get into the ear and cause an inflammatory process. Danger can also occur when ingestion of breast milk into the ear, so the baby needs to be fed only in a vertical or semi-vertical position.

In the prevention of otitis in children, proper nasal breathing plays an important role. In children after three years it can be disturbed because of the proliferation of adenoid tissue in the nose. Adenoids can cover the opening of the auditory tube in the throat, disrupting the circulation in it. It is for this reason that otolaryngologists strongly recommend that parents remove adenoids in children prone to frequent otitis.

In adults, otitis prevention is carried out in exactly the same way as in children. Children and adults who at least once had had otitis, for the prevention should periodically visit the ENT room for examination of the ear canal.

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Serous otitis in children and its treatment

Acute serous otitis is an ENT disease characterized by the accumulation of serous fluid in the ear cavity. Part of the inflammatory process is accompanied by a decrease in the severity of hearing and a sense of ear congestion, especially during swallowing. In the treatment of serous otitis media and medicines are prescribed in children and adults, and in some cases, surgical intervention is indicated.

Symptoms of serous otitis media

This inflammatory process, like otitis media, can have several forms of flow and manifestation. In the case when a serous fluid accumulates in the ear cavity, but no signs of an acute inflammatory process appear, specialists diagnose serous otitis. In other words, serous otitis is a weakly pronounced course of the inflammatory process.

When serous otitis in the ear cavity accumulates exudate - a serous fluid, which has a non-purulent character. A pathogenic secret is accumulated in the tympanum.

Recognize the acute average serous otitis in children and adults can be on such grounds:

• a feeling of stuffiness in the ear;
• hearing loss;
• feeling of pressure.

Often there is a stuffy ear when swallowing, otalgia can develop.

However, these symptoms are often not enough for accurate diagnosis, because such manifestations usually indicate other types of otitis. To determine the correct diagnosis, the otolaryngologists perform an examination of the tympanic membrane. With the development of serous otitis, its color is yellowish or grayish. To confirm the development of the inflammatory process, tympanometry is often used.

Older children and adults complain of ear pain and hearing loss. At an early stage of the disease, the tympanic membrane swells and, due to this, partially loses its mobility. At a later stage of serous otitis, the membrane retracts, becomes thickened, loses its former coloration, often on it a specialist can notice white spots on examination. In addition, with tympanometry, the otolaryngologist behind the membrane can see the level of fluid and air bubbles, while observing that the light reflex is broken or completely absent.

Causes of serous otitis media

Among the reasons that cause the development of this pathology, experts call such factors:

• violation of the functionality of the Eustachian tube;
• penetration of viruses;
• exposure to bacteria;
• the action of viruses and bacteria simultaneously.

Even the shortest dysfunction of the Eustachian tube in most cases becomes the cause of the development of the initial stage of serous otitis in children. This connecting body performs such functions as ventilation, protective, drainage. That is why the development of otitis media depends to a large extent on the condition of the auditory tube. The small and short Eustachian tube, as well as its almost horizontal position, lead to frequent recurrences of otitis in children.

Children attending pre-school or school educational establishments are in contact with a large number of people, so they are prone to frequent respiratory viral infections. It is known that the cold provokes the development of serous otitis, especially with a protracted runny nose.

Another common factor affecting the condition of the hearing organ in a child is allergic diseases of the respiratory system. As medical practice shows, otitis is more common in children suffering from year-round or seasonal allergic rhinitis. Also, you should not exclude food allergy, in children up to two years, most often there is such a reaction to milk.

Acute form of serous otitis

Despite the fact that serous otitis is characterized by a mild course, an acute form of the disease can occur. In this case, when performing tympanometry in the tympanum, a liquid of amber-yellow color is visible. Usually, such otitis occurs asymptomatically or with few symptoms, so diagnosis is very difficult. Often a disease is found in the late stages of its development, which is very dangerous for a person. The main symptom of an acute form of serous otitis may be a decrease in hearing, but the patient gradually becomes accustomed to this and does not notice the changes occurring.

Treatment of serous otitis in children and adults

Early diagnosis and identification of the causes of the disease is the key to successful treatment of acute serous otitis in children and adults. With the timely detection of the pathological process in the ear cavity, the chances of eliminating unpleasant and dangerous otitis symptoms by the method of conservative treatment are increased.

Such therapeutic measures should consist of such actions:

1. Do not feed infants in the "lying" position;
2. In case of allergic origin of serous otitis, it is necessary to exclude the contact of the sick person with the allergen;
3. During bathing, put on the head a special cap;
4. Regularly moisten the air in the room where the patient is.

In the treatment of acute serous otitis caused by an allergic reaction of the body, in parallel with symptomatic therapy, the administration of H-1 blockers is prescribed internally. Also, you need to take vasoconstrictive drugs, they will help to remove puffiness in the ear cavity and nasopharynx.

To remove puffiness in allergic rhinitis, otolaryngologists appoint cromolyn and corticosteroids to their patients. After such treatment of serous otitis, the functionality of the auditory tube is often restored.

A short course can be prescribed corticosteroids and vasoconstrictive agents for topical application. Corticosteroids, as a rule, are not used for systemic use. If serous otitis was caused by a bacterial or viral infection, antiviral and antibacterial agents are indicated for use.

Children are prescribed antibiotics such as:

• amoxicillin;
• ampicillin;
• erythromycin;
• cefaclor.

If there is a frequent reoccurrence of serous otitis - three times in six months, it is recommended to drink a course of antibiotics for preventive purposes.

In some cases, surgical treatment of serous otitis media is indicated. The operation becomes necessary with enlarged adenoids, when the overgrown tissue covers the opening of the auditory tube. Then an adenotomy is performed - an operation to remove adenoids. When the serous fluid is not itself removed from the tympanum, surgical intervention will also be required.

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