When the symptoms of otitis media persist beyond 3 months - we have chronic otitis media. The basis of this form of the disease is more than 3-month persistence of loss of the eardrum (openings in the membrane), which is manifested by exudations and leaks from the middle ear; and later, progressive hearing loss. The symptom of hearing loss is the feeling of blocking the ear, noise in the ear, etc. In a child after a long course of exudative ear infection, one can notice, for example, the lack of response to the call with normal voice strength.
Causes of chronic ear infections
1. Untreated, acute inflammation followed by a hole in the eardrum tends to go into a chronic condition.
2. Hyperplasia of the pharyngeal tonsil, sometimes called the third almond.
3. Inflammation occurring in childhood, especially before the age of 2 with a tendency to relapse, perforation of the eardrum and a tendency to change into a chronic form.
4. Allergic rhinitis.
The hole in the eardrum
The loss of the eardrum enables settling in the middle ear of pathogenic bacteria. Prevailing conditions inside the ear allow intensive development of microbes and intensify local inflammation of the ear wall. This can lead to the destruction of the delicate structures of the tympanic cavity.
Bacteria first cause swelling of the eardrum (2) and acute pain - to cause a hole in the ear after a few months, through which the discharge of the discharge from the ear is chronic The microbes cause swelling of the eardrum (2) and severe pain.
Collecting in the middle ear (brown color), the serous and purulent fluid emphasizes the eardrum separating the middle ear from the external ear. As the exudation increases, its chronicity and other complications, the hearing disorder appears. An increasing amount of exudative fluid that exudates the eardrum may eventually cause its disruption and formation of the opening - the so-called perforations. A secretion starts to drain from the ear, but painful pain disappears.
Otitis media in children - causes and diagnosis
The most common forms of chronic otitis media
1. Chronic chronic inflammation
2. Chronic granulomatous inflammation
3. Chronic chronic cholangitis
Chronic chronic inflammation
Chronic simple inflammation is the mildest of middle ear inflammations. In addition to the loss (perforation) of the eardrum - characteristic is mucous or odorless - mucopurulent leakage from the ear and hearing impairment. The therapy comes down to local treatment, which eliminates the leakage of the ear and to remove the source of infections in the nose and throat. Treatment includes suction (drainage), cleansing and the use of topical agents on the side of the auditory canal (as in otitis media - see above). Surgical treatment is used in some.
Chronic granulomatous inflammation
This type of chronic ear infection is characterized by a loss (perforation) of the tympanic membrane initiating bacterial infection and a fairly abundant mucocutaneous leakage from the ear. In addition, also hearing impairment. Characteristic are granule lesions of the middle ear lining and ear polyps as well as bone damage in the internal structure of the ear - visible on X-ray pictures. In this form of the disease, it is not possible to "dry" the ear with local treatment. The reason is the abundant growth of the "clogging" granulation tissue of the ear and preventing the outflow of infected secretions.Treatment of this form of ear infection is surgical and technically difficult, due to the risk of damage to the structures of the middle ear, among others facial nerve.
"Pearl" in the ear
A different form of chronic otitis media is the so-called cholecystitis. From the exfoliated epithelium of the ear, cholesterol masses, dried secretion and bacteria, the so-called perlak, slightly reminiscent of a pearl. However, this is not a real pearl, but a dangerous complication that grows destroying the surrounding tissues - auditory ossicles, nerves, etc. The proper procedure is then surgery.
Complications of ear infections
The longer the inflammation of the middle ear lasts, the greater the risk of complications. Complications of ear infections can be many diseases not always directly related to this organ:
- inflammation of the so-called mastoid process
- meningitis
- abscesses (brain abscess, epidural, subdural)
- labyrinthitis
- thrombotic inflammation of the sigmoid sinus
- facial nerve palsy.
Mastitis inflammation
This complication occurs most often. The patient feels a throbbing pain behind the ear and purulent secretions leak from the ear. The laryngological examination shows swelling and painfulness of the area behind the ear and perforation of the eardrum. Such diagnosis is an indication for immediate placement of the patient in the hospital. He will have an operation to open or cut out the mastoid process. It is necessary to use antibiotics.
ed. RED
1. The inflammation of the middle ear in children by prof. dr hab. n. med. Grażyna Niedzielska from the Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology, Phoniatrics and Audiology, Medical University in Lublin; Medycyna Rodzinna - 9 (1/2000)
2. Advances in the therapy of ACUTE CENTRAL ELASTANCE (AU) 2005 MP ONLINE
3. Medical encyclopedias, Internet.
