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Bilateral otitis media is called inflammation of the middle ear of an infectious nature. The disease is quite serious and is dangerous for young children, they are the most frequent patients with a similar problem. In 80% of babies under the age of three years, an episode of the disease was observed at least once. Bilateral otitis is diagnosed in the vast majority of cases, unilateral inflammation is found in only 10% of patients.
The disease often proceeds with various complications, the development of which can be prevented at the acute stage of the inflammatory process with timely treatment and the right tactics of therapy.
Symptoms of bilateral otitis media
In adults and children, the symptoms of bilateral otitis media are the same:
Ear pain radiating to the temples, neck or jaw;
Increased body temperature;
Feeling of stuffy ears, hearing loss;
Noise in ears;
General weakness and irritability.
In some cases, there may be nausea and vomiting, as well as soreness and swollen lymph nodes. In severe cases of otitis media, purulent discharge from the ear is possible.
The acute form of bilateral otitis is characterized by a rapid increase in pain, it intensifies with every hour or minute. In addition, nasal congestion, mucous discharge from it and a sore throat are possible. Symptoms of chronic otitis media are less pronounced, with such a course of the disease, its development occurs slowly.
Causes of bilateral otitis media
There are many factors that can provoke the appearance of bilateral otitis media. In young children, the tendency to inflammatory processes in the middle ear is explained by the peculiarities of the anatomical structure of the hearing aid. The Eustachian tube, which connects the nasopharynx with the cavity of the inner ear, is short, wide and horizontal. These factors contribute to the rapid penetration of infection into the middle ear and its inflammation.
A negative role in the development of pathology can be played by the peculiarity of the structure of the mucous surface of the inner ear. If in an adult it is smooth, then in a child it is loose and soft with a small number of blood vessels, which makes it vulnerable to pathogenic microorganisms. Also, the disease can develop against the background of a decrease in immunity or as a complication after viral catarrhal infections. Otitis media often accompanies diseases such as scarlet fever, diphtheria, and measles.
In an infant, inflammation in the ear can occur after the mother’s milk has entered the Eustachian tube. Therefore, you should feed the baby, holding him at an angle, and after feeding, vilify him in a column, and not lay him horizontally in the crib.
In adults, despite prejudice, acute otitis media is not directly related to hypothermia, exposure to drafts, walking bareheaded in cold weather, and water in the ear. Pathogenic bacteria and viruses penetrate into the auditory tube and then into the middle ear cavity with improper blowing of the nose with two nostrils simultaneously with the mouth closed.
Various chronic pathological conditions can contribute to the disease: the presence of adenoids and the curvature of the nasal septum. In addition, with the blood flow, the causative agent of the flu or other infectious disease can enter the cavity of the inner ear. Also, the inflammatory process can begin as a result of damage to the eardrum and the penetration of the pathogen from the external environment.
Types of bilateral otitis media
There are two forms of bilateral otitis media:
Acute;
Chronic.
Depending on the degree of spread of the disease is:
Limited (in the form of local inflammation);
Diffuse (applies to the entire ear canal).
It is possible to conditionally divide otitis media into two forms:
Exudative – characterized by acute inflammation in the passage of the Eustachian tube and on the eardrum with the formation of serous, hemorrhagic or purulent exudate.
congestive – the same inflammatory process, but without the release of exudate.
Diagnosis of bilateral otitis media
Complaints from the ear often occur against the background of acute respiratory viral infections, influenza, diseases of the nose, sinuses, and pathological enlargement of the tonsils. For an experienced otolaryngologist, it is not difficult to establish an accurate diagnosis based on an examination of the patient and his questioning. In the case of bilateral otitis in a small child, pressure on the protruding cartilage in front of the ear causes him sharp pain and crying, this sign indicates inflammation in the auditory canal.
Upon careful examination, the doctor detects a protrusion and redness of the eardrum, its ruptures and purulent discharge in the ear canal can also be observed. Difficult nasal breathing is the reason for endoscopic examination of the nasopharynx and the mouth of the auditory tube. Tests with tuning forks are indicated for hearing loss, and tympanometry makes it possible to assess the mobility of the tympanic membrane and the pressure in the cavity behind it. For an accurate study of hearing, audiometry is prescribed.
Treatment of bilateral otitis media
Before starting the treatment of otitis media, the cause of its occurrence is established. If bilateral otitis media was the result of any disease, then all efforts are directed to the treatment of the underlying ailment. In the event that inflammation arose initially in the area of the Eustachian tube, local treatment is prescribed with ear drops and vasoconstrictor drugs for the nose. At the initial stage, in the absence of a purulent process, physiotherapeutic measures and warming compresses on the parotid zone can be recommended.
In the absence of damage to the eardrum, anesthetic drops are prescribed, and if it is perforated, local antibiotics are prescribed. Self-medication in such a situation can be extremely dangerous and lead to hearing loss.
Systemic antibiotics are immediately prescribed to children under two years of age, with severe development of otitis media, and people with severe immunodeficiency. In other cases, these drugs may be used, depending on the patient’s condition, 2-3 days after the onset of the disease.
The accumulation of pus in the tympanic cavity of the ear causes tension of the membrane, fever and severe pain. To relieve symptoms, a puncture of the eardrum under local anesthesia (paracentesis) may be recommended. When the acute period of the disease has passed, physiotherapy procedures, blowing out the ears and a number of special exercises for the auditory tube are prescribed.
[Video] Dr. Berg – Best NATURAL Otitis Remedy: