Inflammation of the middle ear tone of the most common infections in children up to the age of six. Symptoms are initially difficult to recognize because they are not very characteristic. It may be a lack of appetite, fever, etc. Although the diagnosis may focus on such symptoms as: constantly holding on to the ear, rubbing it against the pillow; and when the child can speak - the statement that something "hurts" in the ear, hurts or "bothers".
What kind of illness is that?
Inflammation of the middle ear is an ear infectious disease manifested by ear pain, a feeling of blockage and hearing impairment. The usual accompanying symptom is leakage of serous, mucous or purulent secretions from the ear.
Middle ear infection.
Bacteria that multiply in the middle ear (brown color), usually reside in small quantities in the throat, where they are harmless. After weakening of local immunity, these bacteria are able to infect the middle ear, in which they find favorable conditions for development.
Bacteria cause swelling of the eardrum (2) and severe pain. 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, conductive 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.
So why do we hear?
The ear piece directs sounds to the auditory canal (1), where it is strengthened. The sound waves go further to the eardrum (2) which strengthens them vibrating under their influence, like a drum membrane. The vibrations of the eardrum are transmitted to the middle ear (brown color), in which the smallest bones in the human body are found: hammer (3), anvil (4) and stapes (5). The role of the ossicles is to strengthen the sound wave and transfer vibrations through the oval window (6) to the fluid (green color) filling the third part of the ear - the inner ear. Fluid in the inner ear plays a role not only in the hearing process but also in maintaining the balance of our body. An important role is also played by the cord, which begins in the middle ear, in the bottom of the tympanic cavity, called the Eustachian tube (7) and ends in the nasal part of the throat. Its role is to maintain adequate air pressure in the tympanic cavity. Next, the sound reaches the "snail" - a snail-shaped channel system. The snail is filled with liquid that moves under the influence of vibrations and puts in motion around 25,000 delicate auditory cells that convert mechanical energy into electrical impulses transmitted to specialized centers in the cerebral cortex. That's how we hear.
A typical complication of influenza, colds and other childhood infections
The particular risk of developing acute otitis media is caused by influenza and cold infections. No less dangerous are other viral infectious diseases: measles, chickenpox, viral angina (as well as bacterial), etc.
Viral infections initiate 9 out of 10 cases
However, no less are the health-threatening bacteria multiplying in the middle ear, which with every weakness of local immunity are able to infect the middle ear, in which they find favorable conditions for development
CAUSES AND THE PROCESS OF DISEASE
Otitis media in children
This disease most often affects infants and young children, rarely older children. In adults, the disease occurs sporadically. Many children under the age of 2 undergo an ear infection at least once in their lifetime. After 7 years of age, children are less likely to get sick.
In general, the inflammation of the middle ear is acute and chronic
1. We talk about acute inflammation when the duration of the disease is limited to 3 weeks.
2. We talk about chronic inflammation when the duration of the disease exceeds 3 months.
2a The cause of chronic otitis media is an acute non-healed inflammation followed by a hole (perforation) in the tympanic membrane.
3. There is also a "subacute" form whose intermediate period is intermediate.
Due to the prevailing symptoms of otitis media, we divide into:
The risk of developing acute otitis media is caused by autumn and winter influenza and cold infections. No less dangerous are other viral infectious diseases: measles, chickenpox, viral angina (as well as bacterial), etc. Viral infections initiate 9 out of 10 cases of the disease. As a rule, influenza viruses, parainfluenza, rhinovirus and adenovirus are detected in the affected ear. It has also been documented that the use of influenza vaccines significantly reduces the incidence of otitis.
Viruses attack the ear!
Viruses multiply in the litter of the middle ear like in the epithelium of the nasal mucosa and throat. The effect is similar - they cause gradual epithelial necrosis and inflammatory reaction in the stroma. After some time, it causes swelling and secretion of exudate fluids. After this, the inflammation goes into the "thickening" of the exudate. Then comes bacterial superinfection, which causes the buildup of ailments and the development of the disease.
The main cause of the disease is bacteria
Bacteria that multiply in the middle ear usually reside in small quantities in the throat. After weakening the local throat and ear immunity by viruses and other destructive factors (diseases, physiological defects, etc.) - these bacteria develop intensively causing severe symptoms and complications of acute inflammation. The perpetrators of the disease are primarily Streptococcus pneumoniae (30-40%), Haemophilus influenzae (20-30%), MoraXella catarrhalis (10%).
CAUSES OF DEVELOPMENT
The effects of the passage of ear viral infection in a bacterial infection
The "thickening" phase of the serous exudate provides the bacteria with "nutrients" for development. The development of bacterial infection increases the secretion of exudative fluids - enhancing the pathology caused by viruses.
Bacteria cause swelling of the eardrum - the main part of the middle ear
The liquid that gathers there protects the eardrum separating the middle ear from the external ear. As the exudate increases, its chronicity and other complications, conductive hearing disorder appears.
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, conductive 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.
Spontaneous formation of the hole in the tympanic membrane
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. Perforation is not irreversible - after some time the tympanic membrane usually regenerates (grows back). In addition, perforation of the eardrum does not always occur.
Diseases favoring otitis media
They promote the inflammation of the middle ear: sinusitis, trauma or hematoma of the tympanic cavity, excision of the palatine tonsils, allergy and asthma, immunological diseases and immunosuppressive treatment (oncological treatment, immunopressure treatment that prevents rejection of the transplant, etc.).
Physiological predispositions conducive to the disease, especially in young children
- short breastfeeding period
- immature immune system in infants and young children (maturity reaches about 12 years of age)
- auditory trumpet - wide, short, and "yawning" in babies
- hypertrophy of the lymphatic tissue (throat and ear)
- similarity of the mucous membrane of the ear and respiratory tract
Note, in young children, passive tobacco smoking is conducive to passive smoking by parents and environmental pollution outside the window (car exhaust, smog, etc.).
