Ear pain - causes, symptoms, treatment, folk remedies. Systemic drugs. What to do if I have otitis media

When a child has an earache, highly likely he has otitis. Doctors make this diagnosis in more than 90% of young patients with acute ear pain. The insidiousness of this disease lies in the fact that often the ears of children get sick at night, as well as in situations where it is difficult to get to the hospital (in the country, on vacation, after swimming in the river).

Pain during otitis media is intense, the child cannot endure. Is it possible to help him with folk remedies? We will consider this question in more detail.

Symptoms and signs

Otitis media is an inflammatory process in one of the parts of the ear. It can be external, middle and internal. Easiest and least painful otitis externa. With it, the auricle directly inflames. Internal - the most severe of all otitis media, it affects the labyrinth, auditory ramifications in the temporal region. However, labyrinthitis usually does not come on its own, but is a complication of otitis media. This disease is leading among children.

Otitis media is easy to recognize.

Its symptoms are quite vivid and characteristic:

Sharp sudden pain in the ear.

Noise and extraneous sounds (tinnitus).

Temperature rise is possible.

Fluid or purulent discharge from the ear is possible.

general malaise and headache.

Otitis can be acute and chronic.

Chronic the course of the disease usually occurs when ordinary otitis media was treated in the wrong way, in the wrong way and at the wrong time.
If available purulent discharge, we are talking about purulent otitis.
If there is no discharge, or they are clean and thin, without blood and clots, otitis will be catarrhal.
If the symptoms are almost not expressed, and on average pus is already accumulating, then such otitis media will be called exudative. It occurs due to the penetration of infection into the cavity from the nasopharynx. Such otitis is quite dangerous, and if left untreated, it can lead to hearing loss.

With inflammation of the ear, children behave differently. Babies begin to worry, cry without apparent reason, refuse to breast. Crying at the same time is not monotonous, it alternates with a piercing cry. If the baby is placed on breastfeeding sore ear he will start to calm down.

Older children can tell parents about ear pain if they already know how to express their feelings in words. If they still don’t know how, what mom and dad can guess about the problem by the changed behavior of the child: anxiety, detachment, loud crying, the child will rub his ear with his hand.

If adults lightly press on the tragus (a small protrusion in front of the auricle), then the pain in the ear will increase many times over, which the child will not be slow to report with a loud cry. If after pressing the behavior has not changed, the cause of the ear pain lies not in otitis media.

What is the danger?

Otitis media is quite dangerous disease, as it is not only painful, but also fraught with complications. Untreated otitis media threatens to turn into a labyrinthitis, affecting the inner ear. The most "harmless" consequence that can occur if otitis media is treated incorrectly is a critical hearing loss. Other complications are more dangerous - complete deafness and purulent meningitis, which can lead to lethal outcome or make out healthy child severely disabled.

Ear pain should never be ignored. The child can be given first aid, but the inflammation of the hearing organs in all situations, without exception, should be treated by a specialist doctor.

When folk methods are not enough?

Folk remedies for the treatment of otitis media cannot be dispensed with. Whatever the ailment, external or internal, the remedies alternative medicine can only temporarily remove unpleasant symptoms, reduce pain, but they are unable to cure the ear.

About applying recipes traditional medicine should be forgotten in cases where the ear hurts baby, there is purulent discharge or a liquid with blood impurities is released from the auricle, intense pain has been replaced by silence - the child has ceased to perceive sounds with a sore ear. All of these conditions require urgent medical care and not compresses with onion juice.

Folk remedies

However, if you need to give the child first aid, then folk remedies for this may well be suitable. If there is a great desire to treat the child in this way, then this must be reported to the doctor at the reception. With mild inflammation, the doctor may allow the use of folk recipes.

The difficulty is that a number of the most effective home remedies need to be prepared in advance and stored for a rainy day.

Sagebrush

To prepare the product, you will need wormwood flowers (1 teaspoon). Vegetable raw materials must be insisted on vodka or medical alcohol (50 ml) for a week. The resulting infusion does not need to be instilled into the ears, cotton turundas are moistened in it and injected into the ears of children for several hours. This helps to reduce pain and partially help relieve inflammation.

Walnut

You will need not fruits, but leaves. They need to be cut into small pieces, put in a jar and pour vegetable oil. Under the lid in a dark and cool place, the jar needs to be kept for about three months. In acute ear pain with the resulting remedy, cotton swabs are made in the ears at least three times a day. leaf juice walnut has an antimicrobial effect and reduces swelling.

Onion

This vegetable will help relieve acute pain in otitis media and help in the healing process. To prepare the drops, you need to rub the onion on a grater, squeeze the juice with gauze, dilute it with water or saline in a ratio of 1: 3. You can drip into the ear only if the eardrum is intact. Onions will help restore deteriorating hearing after suffering otitis media and in the chronic form of the disease. To do this, a large onion is baked in the oven, the juice is squeezed out of it and instilled into the ear up to three times a day.

Lavrushka

This popular spice can alleviate the condition of a child with purulent otitis media. Laurel leaves need to be crushed, pour boiling water and leave under the lid for an hour. Then strain and make cotton balls with the decoction in the ears 3-4 times a day.

Aloe juice

From the fleshy leaf of the plant you need to squeeze the juice. You can bury it in your ears three times a day. If the child is still small, then plant juice should be diluted boiled water or saline in half. Aloe perfectly heals, relieves swelling and inflammation, and has an antimicrobial effect. In order not to harm the baby, such procedures should be carried out only if the eardrum is not damaged.

Inflammation any part of the ear (external, middle, internal) is called otitis media. The inflammatory process is caused by bacterial or viral infection and acute pain in the ears affects both adults and children. The peak of this disease occurs in mid-autumn and can continue until winter. With otitis media, the mucous membranes of the middle ear become inflamed, and with otitis externa, the auricle and outer tissues are damaged. ear canal. From this material you will learn how to treat otitis media at home if your ear hurts a lot. We want to note right away that any folk remedies can only reduce unpleasant pain and relieve symptoms, but only a doctor prescribes the main course of treatment! Therefore, try to make an appointment with a specialist as soon as possible, as soon as you find the first signs of the disease.

The main symptoms of ear inflammation are:

fever,
swollen skin around the ear
when pressing on the tragus of the auricle and pulling on the auricle, it is felt strong pain,
noise appeared, shoots in the ear,
blocked ear, hearing loss,
in some cases, ear pain may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

If the ear shoots or hurts for a long time, it most likely develops acute inflammation middle ear. pyogenic microbes, coli, pneumococcus provoke acute inflammation of the middle ear. These foreign microorganisms enter the tympanic cavity through the auditory tube. Because of this, the sinuses, nasopharynx can become inflamed, which can cause diseases such as measles, influenza, scarlet fever.

If you start the disease even a little, then you can remain deaf forever. But before you go to the doctor and start treating otitis, first you need to anesthetize the inflamed ear. If the ear hurts unbearably, you will need painkillers. Drop nose drops such as naphthyzinum or galazolin (on the side where the ear is stuffed up), which will expand the mouth auditory tube, due to which the aeration of the middle ear, the outflow of secretions will improve, and swelling will decrease. After that, you need to lie down for five minutes on a sore ear.

At the stage of acute otitis media, any medicinal drops very poorly pass through the inflamed eardrum. Therefore, the effectiveness of the use of any drops is unlikely. A compress according to the Tsitovich method will help in such a situation. Make a tourniquet of cotton, soak it in a solution of glycerin and a 3% solution boric acid(1:1), the resulting tourniquet is inserted into the external auditory canal and closed with cotton wool, which will be smeared with vaseline, sunflower oil or baby cream. Such a compress should remain in the ear for about 3 hours, during which time the ear cavity is warmed up. Compresses do 2 times a day. With the help of this treatment, the inflammation of the eardrum is removed, and glycerin helps to relieve swelling from the mucous membrane of the tympanic cavity.

If the ear hurts, an unpleasant noise appeared, then folk methods can help relieve uncomfortable symptoms. But folk remedies are only additional procedures to the main treatment prescribed by an otolaryngologist! In case of otitis media, the doctor prescribes such physiotherapeutic procedures as UHF, irradiation of the shell and ear canal with quartz. It helps blowing out the ear and intra-ear laser therapy. Together with the treatment, the patient will be prescribed bed rest and light fortified food.

How to treat otitis media at home if your ear hurts a lot:

- click on the photo and expand the list of effective folk methods

♦ VIDEO MATERIALS

Earache- a common symptom that can bother both children and adults. It can be caused by the following reasons:

inflammatory diseases of the ears (otitis) and neighboring organs;
defeat nervous system and auditory nerve;
pathologies of neighboring organs (neck, ENT organs, blood vessels, brain, etc.);
tumor processes.

At various pathologies ear pain has a different character: it can be stabbing, shooting, pressing, throbbing. Often accompanied by others symptoms. The patient must tell about all this at the doctor's appointment in order to establish correct diagnosis and appointed effective treatment.

Possible Causes of Ear Pain in Healthy People

Ear pain is not always a symptom of the disease. Sometimes it can occur in a healthy person as a result of the following reasons:
1. Many people are often worried ear pain after walking in windy weather. If the auricle is affected by strong gusts of wind, then a so-called painful bruise is formed: the skin of the ear in the affected area acquires a bluish tint and becomes painful. This condition resolves on its own without treatment after a while.
2. A common cause of ear pain is the so-called swimmer's ear. If water constantly gets into the external auditory canal, then it contributes to softening of the skin and the formation of edema. If this condition occurs for a long time, then it can lead to the development of otitis externa.
3. Sometimes pain, stuffiness and tinnitus can be manifestations of excess production. earwax. Accumulating in large quantities, it clogs the ear canal and leads to discomfort.
4. Pain and dryness in the ears, on the contrary, indicate a lack of sulfur.

Ear pain in inflammatory diseases

Otitis externa

Otitis externa is an inflammatory disease that affects the auricle and external auditory canal. With this pathology, ear pain is the leading symptom. Otitis externa is characterized by the following clinical picture:

Pain can be expressed in varying degrees: sometimes they are insignificant, and sometimes there is a very severe pain in the ear, which interferes with sleep, work and other activities.
Usually the pain syndrome lasts for several days, and then begins to subside on its own.
The pain is accompanied by temporary hearing loss.
Others arise discomfort in the ears: fullness, noise, itching, ringing.
Because otitis externa is inflammatory disease, with it, pain in the ear is often combined with an increase in body temperature.
Redness of the skin in the region of the auricle.
The pain is aggravated by lightly pulling the patient's ear, or pressing certain parts of the ear.

The diagnosis of otitis externa is established after examining the patient by an ENT doctor. Treatment is prescribed in the form of ear drops, antibiotics, painkillers.

Acute pain in the ear with inflammatory lesions of the skin of the auricle, and in the area of the external auditory opening
These conditions can be attributed to varieties of otitis externa:
1. Perichondritis- inflammation of the skin that covers the cartilage of the auricle. In this case, pain, itching and other unpleasant sensations, redness of the skin are noted.
2. Furuncle of the ear is a purulent-inflammatory formation, which is commonly known as a boil. A cone-shaped elevation appears on the skin of the ear, very painful to the touch, and in its center there is a purulent-necrotic "head". Around it there is swelling and redness of the skin. The furuncle is accompanied by acute pain in the ear and a feeling of discomfort, but in no case is it recommended to squeeze it out on your own, as this can lead to the spread of infection into the cranial cavity.

Otitis media

Otitis media is an inflammatory disease of the middle ear, which is separated from the external tympanic membrane. Consequently, this pathology is more serious than otitis externa, although it is not always possible to distinguish them from each other.

The main causes of the development of otitis media:
1. Penetration into the tympanic cavity of the infection.
2. Injuries.

Otitis media is almost always accompanied by severe pain in the ear. It increases significantly during chewing and swallowing, as a result of which the patient may refuse to eat. Also a significant increase pain syndrome noted when pressing on the auricle and sipping on the ear. To reduce pain, the patient lies on the side corresponding to the diseased ear. In children, this symptom is even more pronounced.

In addition, with otitis media, the following symptoms are present:

Temporary hearing loss, and if the eardrum is destroyed infectious process may develop complete deafness in one ear.
Increase in body temperature general malaise.
Unpleasant sensations in the ear, as in otitis externa: ringing, noise, congestion.
Severe pain in the ear with otitis media can last quite a long time, and in the absence of adequate treatment, the disease can become chronic and lead to serious complications.

The diagnosis of otitis media is made by an otolaryngologist. If you experience severe pain in the ear and other symptoms, you should immediately visit a doctor. Treatment includes the use of ear drops and antibiotics.

otitis media

Inflammatory lesion inner ear- perhaps the most serious form of otitis media, which can lead to complete hearing loss and other severe violations. ENT doctors often call this disease labyrinthitis, since the bone labyrinth is affected - the cochlea and semicircular canals. Here are the hearing receptors, as well as the organ of balance - the vestibular apparatus.

The leading symptoms of internal otitis are pain and tinnitus, hearing loss, dizziness. They usually occur 1-2 weeks after the patient has had bacterial infection. This time is enough for pathogens to enter the inner ear with the blood stream and cause an inflammatory process in it.

In addition to pain and tinnitus, otitis media is accompanied by the following symptoms:

severe bouts of dizziness, accompanied by nausea and vomiting - the picture strongly resembles seasickness;
imbalance, unsteady gait;
twitching of the eyeballs - nystagmus;
fever is a symptom characteristic of any inflammatory process;
if the disease turns into a purulent form, then it leads to a complete loss of hearing in the affected ear, and persistent disturbances on the part of the organ of balance.

To identify the causes of pain and tinnitus during otitis media the patient is examined by an ENT doctor. Apply such additional methods diagnostics like computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. Antibiotics and other drugs are prescribed for treatment. Sometimes, in severe cases necessitates hospitalization of the patient.

Help with ear pain due to otitis media

If you experience ear pain and other symptoms of otitis, it is better to immediately contact an otolaryngologist. Before visiting a doctor, help for ear pain may include the following activities:

drip into the nose drops that make breathing easier;
drip three drops of 1% dioxidine solution into the affected ear;
take a single antipyretic.

Acute ear pain due to injury

Pain is the leading symptom of ear injuries. The most common traumatic injuries are:
1. Bruises of the auricle and skin around the ear from blows and falls. A bruise often forms at the site of the injury. If there is severe pain in the ear, and the discharge of blood or clear liquid from it, a skull base fracture is suspected. The victim must be taken to the hospital immediately.
2. barotrauma – sharp rise pressure inside the tympanic cavity. For example, this may be the case with loud harsh sounds(shot from a gun), pressure drops in the plane. There is pain and congestion, tinnitus. These symptoms usually go away on their own. Sometimes the patient is concerned only with congestion in the ear, without pain. If there is severe pain and prolonged hearing loss, you should come to an appointment with an ENT doctor.
3. Foreign body in the ear. Often found in children. Getting into the ear canal, small foreign bodies lead to swelling of the skin - as a result, they are fixed inside, like an anchor, and it becomes very difficult to remove them. Pain and itching in the ear, hearing loss (due to blocking the passage) are noted. You should not try to get a foreign body out of the ear on your own, as careless actions can damage the eardrum. You should contact an ENT doctor.
4. Burns and frostbite of the auricle, skin in the ear area. Manifested in the form of acute pain in the ear of varying severity, hearing loss. The affected skin has a characteristic appearance.
5. Tympanic membrane ruptures most often occur as a result of foreign bodies getting into the ears, and cleaning the ears with sharp objects that are not intended for this. At the time of injury, there is a strong sharp pain in ear, sensation of noise. Sometimes the victim loses consciousness. Hearing loss sets in. If the damage was small, and subsequently the infection did not join, then self-healing occurs - hearing is restored. In other cases, surgery may be required.

How to relieve pain after an injury?

If the pain in the ear is caused by a bruise, then on the first day after the injury, cold can be applied locally. Later, on day 3, thermal procedures are used: a warming compress, iodine nets etc. If the injury was strong enough, then you should immediately contact the emergency room.

With an ear burn, first aid depends on the degree of damage:

For a first-degree burn (if there is only redness), you need to lubricate the skin in the affected area with an alcohol solution; as a rule, ear pain and other symptoms pass quickly enough.
If there is a second degree burn (bubbles on the skin), then you need to wash the affected area cold water apply a clean bandage and immediately go to the emergency room.
If there are more severe burn, then you need to go to the emergency room as soon as possible.
If you suspect a ruptured eardrum, cover your ear cotton swab and go to the hospital immediately.

With frostbite, first aid is standard: the victim is brought into the room, the skin is rubbed with alcohol. If blisters appear on the skin, areas of blackening, severe prolonged pain in the ears is noted, you should immediately seek medical help.

A foreign body in the ear should never be removed on its own. This can only be done by an ENT doctor.

Noise and ringing in the ear without pain: Meniere's disease

Sometimes unpleasant sensations in the ear, such as noise and ringing, occur in isolation, and are not accompanied by pain.

Often, noise and ringing in both ears without pain are symptoms of increased arterial and intracranial pressure, disorders cerebral circulation, hypotension.

What if this symptomatology stubbornly occurs in one ear, the presence of Meniere's disease is possible - a pathology that occurs as a result of a violation of blood flow in small arteries that carry blood to the inner ear, and an increase in fluid pressure in the cochlea and the bony labyrinth. These disorders usually develop between the ages of 25 and 40.

Most often, noise and congestion in the ear with Meniere's disease are combined with the following symptoms:

defeat captures only the right or left ear; the bilateral nature of the disease is extremely rare;
dizziness, balance disorder;
nausea and vomiting;
an attack can last from several hours to a day;
usually after an attack there is a decrease in hearing, which progresses with each new time.

In the absence of appropriate treatment, over time, Meniere's disease can lead to the development of complete deafness. A person who has found himself ringing and tinnitus without pain, and other symptoms, should contact an ENT doctor. Prescribe medications, physiotherapy.

Eustachitis

The Eustachian tube is a thin canal that connects the pharynx and the tympanic cavity (middle ear). In acute respiratory diseases, an infection can get into it, leading to the development of eustachitis. With this pathology, ear pain can have different intensity. Sometimes it is very strong, and in some cases it is absent altogether. With eustachitis, the following symptoms occur:

stuffiness in the ears;
the patient hears crackling, noise;
one's own voice is heard very loudly, while in general hearing is impaired, the speech of others is perceived poorly;
as if liquid is overflowing in the ear: if you get water in your ears while swimming, then you know this unpleasant sensation.

If left untreated, eustachitis often becomes chronic, and further causes frequent purulent otitis media, again and again leading to the appearance of sharp severe pain in the ear. Diagnosis and treatment of pathology are carried out by an ENT doctor. Provided drug therapy with the use of antibacterial drugs.

Pain in the ear with pathologies of neighboring organs and formations

Arthrosis of the temporomandibular joint

If the patient is bothered by shooting pains in the ear on the right or left (sometimes on both sides) in the morning - most likely, there is arthrosis of the temporomandibular joint - a degenerative disease that affects the articular cartilage.

Unlike acute otitis media, in which ear pain lasts for a short time and then disappears, arthrosis of the temporomandibular joint usually has a long, persistent course.

In addition to shooting pains in the ears in the morning, during awakening, this disease has the following symptoms:

pain in the ears and in the joint itself can disturb constantly during the day, while it has a more aching character, is moderate;
movements of the lower jaw become difficult;
during opening and closing of the mouth, a crunch is felt in the temporal region;
with a long course of arthrosis, the normal closing of the jaws is disturbed, the patient's bite is disturbed, which sometimes, in especially severe cases, can lead to chewing and articulation disorders.

Osteoarthritis of the temporomandibular joint is not an infectious or inflammatory disease, so there are no signs of an inflammatory process. Patients suffering from this pathology never have a high body temperature.

Often, patients themselves associate shooting pains in the ear caused by arthrosis of the temporomandibular joint with manifestations of otitis media. Accurate Diagnosis can only be established after an examination by an ENT doctor, and an x-ray. Treatment of the disease is usually long-term, involves the use medications and physiotherapy.

Arthritis of the temporomandibular joint

Arthritis of the temporomandibular joint is a disease that most often has an inflammatory nature and symptoms resembling arthrosis or acute otitis media. Arthritis of the temporomandibular joint is characterized by the following manifestations:

pain in the ear on the side of the lesion can have varying degrees of severity: from mild discomfort to very strong, painful;
hearing loss is often noted, sometimes up to its complete loss;
very characteristic stiffness in the lower jaw in the morning: the patient can hardly open his mouth at all;
during movements in the lower jaw, the patient feels a noise of a different nature: clicking, crunching, rustling.

If purulent arthritis develops, it may be accompanied by intense ear pain, hearing loss, and a feeling of fullness in the ears. In the area of the temporomandibular joint, there is reddening of the skin, swelling. The body temperature rises.

The cause of pain in the ear with arthritis of the temporomandibular joint is diagnosed at an appointment with an ENT doctor. As treatment measures, a special bandage, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory drugs can be used. With a pronounced purulent process, surgical intervention may be required.

mastoiditis

Behind the auricle on the skull is a bony protrusion called the mastoid process. At different people it can either be filled with bone substance or contain within a cavity. If pathogenic microorganisms get into them with blood flow, or an injury occurs, then an inflammatory process in the mastoid process may develop - mastoiditis.

Main symptom mastoiditis is a throbbing pain in the ear and behind the auricle. In addition, other symptoms are often present:

swelling behind the auricle, redness of the skin may occur;
thick discharge from the ears;
weakness, fever, fever;
hearing loss, up to its complete loss.

In order for mastoiditis, a symptom of which is this case is a throbbing pain behind the ear, did not give complications and did not turn into a chronic form, an appointment is required proper treatment. If the symptoms described above appear, you should immediately contact an otolaryngologist.

Parotitis (inflammation of the salivary gland)

The salivary gland is located under the skin in front of the auricle. Purulent parotitis is caused by staphylococci or streptococci, and enters the gland in one of three ways:

with blood flow;
with lymph flow;
from a diseased tooth.

The disease is characterized by acute pain in the ear. It is accompanied by other symptoms such as:

fever, fever, general weakness and malaise;
pain in the ear may be preceded by a headache, a feeling of weakness;
pain may occur or intensify during swallowing or chewing;
anterior to the auricle under the skin is a painful swelling, the palpation of which leads to an even greater increase in pain;
if you examine the oral cavity, then in the place of the opening of the duct salivary gland you can see redness and the release of droplets of pus.

If the described symptoms appear, as well as acute pain anterior to the right or left ear, you need to contact your dentist or surgeon. Depending on the stage of parotitis, antibiotic therapy or surgical treatment may be used.

Inflammation of a lymph node (lymphadenitis)

In the region of the auricle, under the skin, there are parotid lymph nodes. With their inflammation, the patient may be disturbed by pain in the ear. More often, lymphadenitis develops as a result of infection entering the lymph node from a diseased tooth, or from other foci of infection in the body, with blood or lymph flow.
In addition to ear pain, other symptoms of lymphadenitis are characteristic of an inflammatory disease:

in the area of the affected lymph node under the skin there is a painful swelling, redness;
the patient's body temperature rises, fever may develop;
general weakness, malaise, weakness, as in respiratory infection;
sometimes, as a result of swelling and pain, chewing is difficult, congestion, tinnitus, and hearing loss occur.

Diagnosis and treatment of pain in the ears with lymphadenitis is carried out by an ENT doctor and surgeon. Appointed antibiotic therapy. If a purulent process is detected, surgical treatment is carried out.

Ear pain when swallowing

Most often, pain when swallowing in the ear is a symptom of acute otitis media. If we talk about diseases of neighboring organs, then this symptom is characteristic of the following pathologies:
1. Malignant tumors of the larynx and oral cavity. At the same time, pain in the ear when swallowing can have different intensity, it worries the patient for a long time. At the same time, there may be pain in the throat, general fatigue and lethargy, weight loss, an increase lymph nodes on the neck.

It is also necessary to contact the ENT if the throbbing pain in the ear and behind the ear is due to mastoiditis, that is, it is constantly present, combined with swelling and redness behind the auricle, thick secretions from the ears, weakness, elevated temperature body, hearing loss.

If otitis media is provoked by a boil in the auricle or perichondritis (inflammation of the skin covering the cartilage of the auricle), you can contact not only an otolaryngologist, but also surgeon (make an appointment).

When ear pain occurs due to barotrauma (for example, there was a stun by a sharp and loud sound, pressure drop in an airplane) and is combined with noise and stuffiness in the ears, it is necessary to contact an otolaryngologist.

When ear pain occurs as a result of a bruise, blow, foreign body getting and stuck in the ear, as well as due to rupture of the eardrum (for example, when cleaning the ear with a pin), it is advisable to contact an otolaryngologist (ENT), but you can also go and to see a surgeon.

In case of burns and frostbite of the auricle, it is necessary to contact first of all Combustiologist (specialist in burns and frostbite) (make an appointment) and be sure to consult with an otolaryngologist. If it is impossible to get to the combustiologist for any reason, then they turn to the surgeon and the otolaryngologist at the same time.

If the pain in the ear occurs in attacks that last several hours and disappear on their own, leaving hearing loss, while the pain during the attack is combined with ringing, tinnitus, dizziness, imbalance, nausea and vomiting, Meniere's disease can be suspected, and in this case, you should contact an otolaryngologist (ENT).

If the pain in the ear has a different intensity and character (shooting, pulling, etc.), combined with various sounds (crunching, noise, clicks, etc.) when moving the lower jaw (opening, closing the mouth, chewing, etc. ), and sometimes with fever, redness and swelling in the temporal region, then arthritis or arthrosis of the temporomandibular joint is suspected. In this case, you need to contact an otolaryngologist, orthopedic dentist (make an appointment) or traumatologist (make an appointment). In their absence, you can contact rheumatologist (make an appointment) or a surgeon.

If there is acute and severe pain in the ear area, which is aggravated by swallowing and chewing, combined with fever, weakness, malaise, headache, painful swelling in front of the auricle, then parotitis is suspected, in which case it is necessary to refer to infectious disease doctor (make an appointment), dentist or surgeon.

When ear pain develops in combination with congestion, tinnitus, hearing loss, painful red edematous swelling in the area of an enlarged lymph node, fever, general malaise, weakness, difficulty chewing - lymphadenitis is suspected, and in this case it is necessary to contact otolaryngologist or surgeon.

If the pain in the ear occurs when swallowing, it appeared against the background of the existing mumps, sinusitis (sinusitis, frontal sinusitis, ethmoiditis), pharyngitis (pain and sore throat), tonsillitis (tonsillitis), colds, that is, it is combined with pain and sore throat, runny nose , cough, fever and other symptoms respiratory diseases(ARVI), you should consult an otolaryngologist or therapist (sign up).

If the pain in the ear is combined with a painful, red, swollen bulging formation on the neck, high body temperature, then an abscess (abscess) of the neck is suspected, and in this case, a surgeon should be consulted.

If ear pain is combined with headache (especially severe in the temples and neck), noise and ringing in the ears, hearing loss, nausea and vomiting without relief, aggravated by loud sound and bright light, then an increase is suspected. intracranial pressure. In this case, you need to contact cardiologist (make an appointment) or neurologist (make an appointment), and in their absence, you can go to see a therapist.

When pain in the ear is combined with throbbing, aching or shooting pains in the tooth, which are either constantly present or provoked by cold and hot foods, very sweet, sour or salty foods, tight closure of the jaws, sometimes combined with fever and swelling in the area of the diseased tooth - caries or pulpitis is suspected. In this case, you should contact as soon as possible dentist (make an appointment).

If pain in the ear is felt when swallowing, and does not go away for a long time, it is combined with sore throat, apathy, increased fatigue, weight loss and an increase in the lymph nodes of the neck, then a malignant neoplasm of the larynx or oral cavity is suspected. In such a case, you should contact oncologist (make an appointment).

What tests can a doctor prescribe for ear pain?

Since ear pain is provoked by a wide range of different diseases, it is obvious that various examinations and analyzes are prescribed and used for their diagnosis. Moreover, in each case, all theoretically applied instrumental examinations and tests, and choose from this large list only those that allow you to confirm the suspected disease, painful in the ear. The choice of specific tests and examinations in each case is carried out depending on the accompanying symptoms, which allow you to put a preliminary clinical diagnosis and then confirm it with research.

When pain in the ear is caused by otitis or eustachitis, that is, it is felt constantly, aggravated by pressing or pulling on the ear, sometimes when swallowing or chewing, combined with high body temperature, a feeling of congestion, and sometimes deafness in the ear, noise, ringing, itching in the ears, sometimes with a feeling of excessive volume of one's own voice, dizziness, nausea and vomiting, the doctor prescribes the following tests and examinations:

General blood analysis ;
Bacteriological culture of discharge from the ear to identify the pathogenic causative agent of the inflammatory process;
Audiometry (sign up);
Otoscopy (make an appointment);
Determination of the patency of the Eustachian tube;
Acoustic impedancemetry;
Ear manometry;
X-ray (sign up) temporal bone;
Computer or magnetic resonance imaging (make an appointment);
Electronystagmography.

With external otitis, the doctor prescribes only otoscopy and general analysis blood, as other studies are not needed to make a diagnosis. If otitis media is suspected, a complete blood count is always prescribed and bacteriological culture discharge from the ear (if any), and an otoscopy (examination of the ear by a doctor) is also performed. In the case of severe or prolonged chronic course of otitis media, an x-ray of the temporal bone is prescribed to determine the condition and degree of bone damage. And if otitis media of the inner ear (labyrinthitis) is suspected, the doctor prescribes a general blood test, an x-ray of the temporal region, audiometry (determination of hearing) and electronystagmography. If there is a suspicion of the presence of brain tumors or stroke, then an additional tomography is prescribed. If eustachitis is suspected, a general blood test, otoscopy (or microotoscopy), audiometry, a hearing test with a tuning fork, determination of tube patency, manometry and acoustic impedancemetry are prescribed.

When there is constantly throbbing pain in the ear and behind the ear, combined with the presence of a red swelling behind the ear, thick discharge from the ear canal, general weakness, high fever and a clear deterioration in hearing, mastoiditis is suspected, and the doctor prescribes the following tests and examinations:

Audiometry;
Bacteriological culture of discharge from the ear;
CT scan;
X-ray examination of the temporal bone.

Otoscopy, bacteriological culture of the separated ear and x-ray of the temporal bone are mandatory, since these studies are usually sufficient to make a diagnosis in the vast majority of cases. Computed tomography can be prescribed instead of an X-ray if there are technical possibilities, or supplement an X-ray if there are difficulties in diagnosis. Audiometry is usually done to assess how much the patient's hearing has been reduced. If the hearing is slightly reduced, then audiometry may not be prescribed.

When otitis media is provoked by a boil or perichondritis, the doctor may only prescribe a general blood and urine test to evaluate general condition organism. Any specialized instrumental research it is not necessary to make a diagnosis - after all, all the characteristic signs are visible to the eye.

If the ear pain is caused by barotrauma (pressure drop in an airplane, a sharp and loud sound), the doctor prescribes only an otoscopy (examination of the ear special device). And if pus or other signs of infection of the ear structures are detected during otoscopy, the doctor additionally takes a smear and prescribes a bacteriological culture of the discharge in order to determine the microbe that has become the causative agent of the infectious and inflammatory process.

If the pain in the ear is caused by a bruise, a blow, a foreign body getting in and stuck, as well as a rupture of the eardrum (for example, when accidentally poking a pen in the ear, etc.), the doctor prescribes the following examinations:

Otoscopy (or microotoscopy);
Examination with a bellied probe to determine the degree of damage to the bone and cartilage walls of the ear canal;
X-ray of the skull (make an appointment);
Computed or magnetic resonance imaging;
Audiometry;
Measurement of hearing with a tuning fork;
Acoustic impedancemetry;
Electronystagmography;
Vestibulometry;
Stabilography.

When ear pain is associated with a stuck foreign body, the doctor prescribes only an otoscopy. In all other cases, if an injury to the outer ear is suspected, the doctor prescribes otoscopy and examination of the integrity of the bone and cartilage walls of the ear canal with a probe. However, the study with a bellied probe can be replaced by an X-ray of the skull. If a middle ear injury is suspected, then otoscopy, x-ray of the skull, audiometry, hearing measurement with a tuning fork and acoustic impedancemetry (detect damage to the auditory ossicles) are prescribed. If an injury to the inner ear is suspected, an X-ray of the skull is mandatory (if technically possible, it is replaced by computed tomography), otoscopy, magnetic resonance imaging of the brain (enroll). If the patient's condition is satisfactory, then electronystagmography, audiometry, vestibulometry, stabilography are additionally prescribed to assess work disorders. vestibular apparatus and degree of hearing loss.

If the pain in the ear is caused by a burn or frostbite, the doctor prescribes only various blood tests (general, biochemical) and urine (general, Nechiporenko test (sign up), Zimnitsky (sign up) etc.) during the period of therapy, which are necessary to control the general condition of the body. No special studies are carried out to confirm the diagnosis, since it is obvious.

When ear pain appears in the form of periodic attacks that last for several hours and pass on their own, combined with dizziness, loss of balance, nausea, vomiting, ringing and noise in the ears, Meniere's disease is suspected, and the following tests and examinations are prescribed by the doctor:

Audiometry;
Study with a tuning fork;
Acoustic impedancemetry;
Electrocochleography;
Otoacoustic emission;
Promontory test;
Otoscopy;
Magnetic resonance imaging of the brain;
Vestibulometry;
Indirect otolithometry;
Stabilography;
Electronystagmography.

The diagnosis is usually made on the basis of characteristic clinical symptoms, but otoscopy is mandatory to exclude inflammatory and other changes in the structures of the ear, as well as magnetic resonance imaging of the brain to exclude a tumor of the auditory nerve. After that, to determine the degree of hearing loss, audiometry, a study using a tuning fork, acoustic impedancemetry, electrocochleography, otoacoustic emission, and a promontory test are performed. To assess the degree of vestibular disorders, vestibulometry, indirect otolithometry, stabilography and electronystagmography are prescribed and performed.

When the pain in the ear is of a different nature and is necessarily combined with various sounds (crunching, noise, clicks, etc.) when moving the lower jaw (opening, closing the mouth, chewing, etc.), and sometimes with temperature, redness and swelling in temporal region, the doctor suspects arthritis or arthrosis of the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and prescribes the following examinations and tests:

General blood analysis;
Blood test for rheumatic factor and C-reactive protein;
X-ray of the joint (make an appointment) or, better, a magnifying x-ray;
Computed tomography of the joint;
arthrography;
Ultrasound of the joint (make an appointment);
Joint puncture with fence synovial fluid and with its subsequent cytological and microbiological analysis;
Scintigraphy of the joint and surrounding tissues;
Orthopantogram of the jaw;
Electromyography;
Rheography;
Arthrophonography;
Axiography;
Gnatography.

First of all, an x-ray or a magnifying x-ray of the joint is prescribed. If there are signs of arthritis on the x-ray, then tomography, arthrography, ultrasound and joint scintigraphy, as well as cytological and microbiological analysis synovial fluid. Ultrasound is usually performed when a joint effusion is suspected, and scintigraphy is needed to assess the response of the bones to inflammation. Arthrography and tomography are usually prescribed only when the diagnosis of arthritis is doubtful solely on x-ray data.

If there are no signs of arthrosis on the x-ray, a tomography is mandatory. If there are signs of arthrosis on the x-ray, then tomography is not prescribed. Next, to assess the condition of the joint and the severity pathological changes arthrography and orthopantogram are prescribed in it. To study the activity of the masticatory and temporal muscles, electromyography is prescribed. And to assess the functions of the joint, rheography, arthrophonography, gnatography and axiography are prescribed and performed.

A complete blood count is prescribed to assess the activity of the inflammatory process, and blood tests for rheumatic factor and C-reactive protein are always performed in order to understand whether joint disease is due to a systemic rheumatic process.

When there is acute pain in the ear area, aggravated by swallowing and chewing, combined with high fever, weakness, malaise, headache, swelling in front of the auricle, the doctor suspects parotitis and prescribes the following tests and examinations:

General blood analysis;
The activity of alpha-amylase in the blood;
The presence in the blood of antibodies to the mumps virus (IgG, IgM) by ELISA.

A general blood test is usually prescribed to assess the general condition of the body. And other of these tests are rarely prescribed in practice, since the diagnosis of mumps is based on the clinical picture, and instrumental and laboratory diagnostics are actually not needed.

If ear pain is combined with congestion, tinnitus, hearing impairment, painful red edematous swelling in the area of an enlarged lymph node, fever, general malaise, weakness, difficulty chewing - the doctor suspects lymphadenitis and prescribes the following tests and examinations to confirm it :

General blood analysis;
Ultrasound of the affected lymph nodes (make an appointment) and fabrics;
Computer or magnetic resonance imaging of the affected nodes;
Dopplerography (enroll) nearest lymphatic vessels;
X-ray contrast lymphography;
Biopsy (make an appointment) inflamed lymph node.

First of all, a general blood test and ultrasound of the lymph nodes are usually prescribed, since these examinations make it possible to understand whether the inflammation is caused by other, more serious diseases. If there are no such suspicions, no other examinations are carried out. But if the doctors suspect more serious illness, all other studies mentioned above are assigned.

When pain in the ear is felt when swallowing, appears against the background of existing mumps, sinusitis (sinusitis, frontal sinusitis, ethmoiditis), pharyngitis (pain and sore throat), tonsillitis (tonsillitis), colds, the doctor prescribes a general blood test, a general urinalysis and examination throat, sinuses and ear eye, as well as otoscopy. Other examinations and analyzes, as a rule, are not prescribed, since the diagnosis in this case is obvious, and otoscopy allows you to identify or exclude the inflammatory process in the ear itself.

When ear pain is combined with a painful, red, swollen bump on the neck, high fever, the doctor suspects an abscess. In this case, only a general blood test can be prescribed to assess the state of the body, and a coagulogram to assess the blood coagulation system before the operation to open the abscess.

When ear pain is combined with headache, noise and ringing in the ears, hearing loss, nausea and vomiting without relief, aggravated by bright lights and loud sounds, an increase in intracranial pressure is suspected and the following examinations and tests are prescribed:

General blood analysis;
Biochemical blood test (cholesterol, triglycerides, high and low density lipoproteins, creatinine);
Eye examination (make an appointment);
Electroencephalography (enroll);
Echoencephalography (sign up);
Rheoencephalography (sign up);
Tomography (computer or magnetic resonance).

First of all, for the diagnosis of increased intracranial pressure, an examination of the fundus is prescribed, since only this method allows you to accurately identify this pathological condition. All other methods mentioned above only reveal possible cause increased intracranial pressure. Therefore, if no signs of increased intracranial pressure are detected based on the results of an examination of the fundus, no other examinations are prescribed. If any are identified, then all these examinations are performed.

If pain in the ear is combined with pain in the tooth of a throbbing, aching or shooting nature, which, in turn, is either constantly present or provoked by cold, hot, sour, sweet or salty foods, as well as tight closure of the jaw, caries or pulpitis is suspected. In such a situation, an examination oral cavity a dentist who, on the basis of this, reveals caries. If the dentist suspects pulpitis, then he prescribes X-ray tooth (sign up). No other examinations are prescribed for this form of pain in the ear.

If ear pain is felt when swallowing, there is long span time, associated with sore throat, extreme fatigue, lethargy, weight loss and swollen lymph nodes in the neck, suspected malignant tumor larynx or oral cavity. In this case, the doctor prescribes wide range various surveys- tomography, x-ray, examination with instruments, biopsy of suspicious areas, etc. A specific list of examinations is determined by the doctor in each case individually.

Treatment

First aid for ear pain in various conditions, we have already discussed above. If a this symptom occurs for no apparent reason, you must perform the following steps:
1. Seek immediate medical attention or if the ear pain is severe and accompanied by general well-being- Call the ambulance.
2. Make by ear alcohol compress:

the first layer is gauze soaked in alcohol, with a cutout for the auricle;
the second layer is cellophane, also with a cutout;
the third layer - warming - tie with a warm scarf.

3. You can try treating ear pain by taking painkillers.
4. You can also use ear drops, such as Otipax.

It is worth remembering that only a professional ENT doctor can carry out the correct and effective treatment of the causes of ear pain. Therefore, after first aid has been provided, you should seek help from a medical facility as soon as possible.

Folk remedies for ear pain

With pain in the ears caused by otitis media and inflammatory pathologies of neighboring organs, some folk remedies can help:
1. Instillation into the ear, in which there is pain, 2 - 3 drops of warm walnut or almond oil.
2. Washing the ears with chamomile infusion (1 teaspoon of dry herbal raw materials per glass hot water- insist, let cool).
3. A compress of beets boiled in honey.
4. With otitis media that occurs as a complication of a respiratory infection, it is effective to put a swab with onion or garlic in the external auditory canal.
5. Instillation of lemon balm infusion (1 teaspoon per glass of boiling water, cool); also can be consumed as a tea.
6. Drops made from honey and alcohol tincture propolis in a ratio of 1:1. Bury in the affected ear 2-3 drops once a day, at night.

If folk remedies do not help with ear pain, then you should not wait for complications: it is better to immediately consult a doctor about prescribing treatment.

Otitis is an ENT disease, which is an inflammatory process in the ear. Manifested by pain in the ear (throbbing, shooting, aching), fever, hearing loss, tinnitus, mucopurulent discharge from the external auditory canal. The severity of the pathological process depends entirely on the virulence of microorganisms, and the condition also plays an important role. immune protection person.

What is it, what are the first signs and symptoms of otitis media, and how to treat in adults without consequences for the ear, we will consider later in the article.

What is otitis?

Otitis is an inflammatory lesion of the internal, middle or external section human ear occurring in a chronic or acute form. The disease is characterized by damage to the structures of the outer, middle or inner ear, while patients present specific complaints. Symptoms in adults depend on the area of inflammation, the addition of local or systemic complications.

Pathology can develop at any time of the year, but the peak of visits to the hospital occurs in autumn and winter, when people do not have time to change from warm to cold.

The reasons

The causes and symptoms of otitis media depend on the type of disease, the state of immunity and factors environment. The fundamental elements in the formation of the disease are the influence of air temperature, the purity of the water used for hygiene, the season.

The causes of otitis media are:

Penetration of infection from other ENT organs - as a complication of a concomitant infectious viral disease;
Various diseases of the nose, its sinuses and nasopharynx. This includes all types of rhinitis, deviated septum, (adenoid vegetations);
Injuries of the auricle;
Hypothermia and weakened immunity.

Conditions that significantly increase the risk of developing the disease include:

allergy;
inflammation of the ENT organs;
immunodeficiency states;
conducting surgical operations in the area of the nasopharynx or nasal cavity;
infancy, childhood.

Otitis in adults is a disease that must be taken seriously, to know its symptoms, consequences and treatment.

Types of otitis media

The structure of the human ear is divided into three interconnected parts, which bear the following names:

outer ear;
average;
inner ear.

Depending on in which specific part of the organ the inflammatory process occurs, in medicine it is customary to distinguish three types of otitis media:

Otitis externa

Otitis externa can be limited or diffuse, in some cases it extends to the eardrum, it is more common in elderly patients. Occurs as a result of mechanical or chemical trauma to the ear. A patient with otitis externa complains of throbbing pain in the ear, which radiates to the neck, teeth and eyes, and is aggravated by talking and chewing.

Development is facilitated by two factors:

Infection drift sharp object(hairpin, toothpick);
Ingress and accumulation of moisture in the external auditory canal.

It often occurs if the ear is constantly in contact with water, such as when swimming, which is why it is called "swimmer's ear".

Otitis media

With otitis media, the inflammatory process occurs in the tympanic cavity. There are many forms and variants of the course of this disease. It can be catarrhal and purulent, perforative and non-perforative, acute and chronic. Otitis media can develop complications.

otitis media

This type is also called labyrinthitis, its symptoms can vary in severity (from mild to pronounced).

The symptoms of otitis are similar in all forms of the disease, but their intensity and some features depend on the type.

According to the nature of the course of the disease, forms are distinguished:

Acute. Occurs suddenly, has severe symptoms.
Chronic. The inflammatory process continues long time, has periods of exacerbation.

According to the ways of manifestation of otitis media, the following forms are distinguished:

Purulent. There is an accumulation of pus behind the eardrum.
Catarrhal. There is swelling and redness of the tissues, there is no liquid or purulent discharge.
Exudative. In the middle ear, fluid (blood or lymph) accumulates, which is an excellent breeding ground for microorganisms.

The otolaryngologist determines how and how to treat otitis media by establishing the type and degree of the disease.

Symptoms of otitis media in adults

The clinical picture of otitis media directly depends on the location of the pathological process.

Symptoms:

earache . This symptom is constantly disturbing and is the main one that brings the greatest discomfort. Sometimes the pain shoots into the teeth, temple, lower jaw. The cause of the development of this condition with otitis media is considered to be increased pressure in the ear cavity;
redness of the ear canal, discoloration of the auricle;
gradual hearing loss, due to the opening of abscesses and the filling of the auditory canal with purulent masses;
temperature rise- most often there is an increase in body temperature, however, this is also an optional sign;
ear discharge with external otitis are almost always. After all, nothing prevents the inflammatory fluid from standing out.

Symptoms of otitis are often accompanied by a runny nose, which leads to swelling of the nasal mucosa and congestion of the auditory tube.

	Symptoms and first signs
Otitis externa	In the case of acute purulent local external otitis (furuncle in the ear canal), the patient complains of pain in the ear, which is aggravated by pressure or pulling on it. There is also pain when opening the mouth and pain when the ear funnel is inserted to examine the external auditory canal. Externally, the auricle is edematous and reddened. Acute infectious purulent diffuse otitis media develops as a result of inflammation of the middle ear and suppuration from it.
Otitis media	How does otitis media present? heat; ear pain (throbbing or aching); decrease in hearing function, which usually recovers a few days after the first manifestations of symptoms; nausea, general malaise, vomiting; purulent discharge from the ears.
Otitis media	The onset of the disease is most often accompanied by: tinnitus, dizziness nausea and vomiting, balance disorder,
acute form	The main symptom acute form is severe pain in the ear, which patients describe as twitching or shooting. The pain can be very intense, worse in the evening. One of the signs of otitis is the so-called autophony - the presence of constant noise in the ear, not associated with sounds from the outside, ear congestion appears. Acute otitis should always be treated to the end, as the pus will begin to spread inside the skull.
Chronic form	Periodic purulent discharge from the ear. Dizziness or tinnitus. Pain appears only during periods of exacerbation. Temperature rise is possible.

If you have symptoms of otitis, you need to urgently consult a doctor who will correctly diagnose and tell you how to treat inflammation.

Complications

Do not think that otitis media is harmless colds. In addition to the fact that it knocks a person out of the rut for a long time, reducing his ability to work for at least 10 days, it is possible to develop irreversible changes with persistent deterioration or total loss hearing.

When the disease is allowed to take its course, the following complications may occur:

rupture of the eardrum (as a rule, it takes 2 weeks for the hole to heal);
choleostomy (growth of tissue behind the eardrum, hearing loss);
destruction of the auditory ossicles of the middle ear (incus, malleus, stirrup);
mastoiditis (inflammatory lesion of the mastoid process of the temporal bone).

Diagnostics

A competent doctor diagnoses acute otitis without special devices and innovative technologies. A simple examination of the auricle and auditory canal with a head reflector (a mirror with a hole in the center) or an otoscope is enough to diagnose otitis media.

As methods confirming and clarifying the diagnosis, a general blood test can be prescribed, which reveals signs of inflammation ( increase in ESR, an increase in the number of leukocytes, etc.).

Of the instrumental methods, radiography is used, computed tomography temporal regions.

How to treat otitis media in adults?

Antibacterial drugs (antibiotics, sulfonamides, etc.) play a special role in the treatment of otitis media. Their use has a number of features - the medicine should not only act on the bacteria that caused otitis media, but also penetrate well into the tympanic cavity.

Treatment inflammatory changes auricle begins with compliance bed rest. Antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, antipyretic drugs are prescribed simultaneously. The combination of drugs allows you to effectively treat the pathology.

Comprehensive treatment of otitis media

Ear drops

It's no secret how acute otitis in adults is treated - drops in the ears. This is the most common remedy for otitis media. Depending on the type of disease used different drugs. Ear drops may only contain antibacterial drug or be combined - have an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory substance in the composition.

There are the following types of drops:

glucocorticosteroid (Garazon, Sofradex, Dexon, Anauran);
containing anti-inflammatory nonsteroidal drugs(Otinum, Otipaks);
antibacterial (Otofa, Tsipromed, Normax, Fugentin).

The course of treatment takes 5-7 days.

Additional funds:

In combination with ear drops with otitis media, otolaryngologists often prescribe vasoconstrictor drops in the nose (Naphthyzin, Nazol, Galazolin, Otrivin, etc.), thanks to which it is possible to remove the swelling of the mucous membrane of the Eustachian tube and thereby reduce the load on the eardrum.
In addition to drops in the complex, antihistamine (antiallergic) agents may also be prescribed, pursuing the same goal - removing mucosal edema. It can be Suprastin, Diazolin, etc.
To reduce temperature and reduce pain in the ear, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs based on paracetamol (panadol), ibuprofen (nurofen), nise are prescribed.
Antibiotics for otitis media in adults are added to the treatment of acute moderate form with development purulent inflammation. The use of Augmentin has proven itself well. Rulid, Amoxiclav, Cefazolin are also effective.

In addition to the above measures, physiotherapy procedures are used:

UHF for the nose area;
laser therapy for the mouth of the auditory tube;
pneumomassage focused on the eardrum area.

If all the above actions did not lead to a regression of the process, or treatment was started at the stage of perforation of the tympanic membrane, then first of all it is necessary to ensure a good outflow of pus from the middle ear cavity. To do this, carry out regular cleansing of the external auditory canal from secretions.

During manipulation, use local anesthesia. AT eardrum using a special needle, a puncture is made through which pus is removed. The incision heals on its own after the discharge of pus stops.

You can't assign yourself medicines, choose the dosage, stop taking the drugs when the symptoms of otitis media disappear.
Wrong actions performed at one's own discretion can cause harm to health.
Before going to the doctor, you can only take a paracetamol tablet to reduce pain. This drug is effective and has few contraindications. When used correctly, paracetamol rarely causes side effects.

Prevention

The main goal of preventing otitis media in adults is to Eustachian tube didn't get blocked thick mucus. This is not such an easy task. As a rule, acute rhinitis is accompanied by liquid secretions, but in the process of treatment, mucus often becomes much thicker, stagnation in the nasopharynx.

Foci chronic infection- increase the risk of otitis media.
After swimming, especially in open water, it is necessary to dry the ears thoroughly to prevent water from getting inside along with bacteria. Especially for people prone to otitis, antiseptic drops have been developed that are instilled into the ears after each bath.
Regularly clean your ears from dirt and sulfur, maintain hygiene. But it is better to leave a minimum of sulfur, since it protects the ear canal from pathogenic microbes.

In conclusion, it should be noted that otitis media is a very unpleasant disease. Do not think that all symptoms will go away on their own. Be sure to consult a doctor at the first signs. Often, people treat otitis media unreasonably lightly, not realizing that complications from this infection can lead to the most unfortunate consequences.

Otitis media is an inflammation of the hearing apparatus that is usually treated with antibiotics. There are three types of otitis externa, medial and internal, depending on where the inflammation is located.

Otitis and its types

The inflammatory process of the hearing aid has three types:

Spicy - this species the disease lasts up to 3 weeks, the treatment of this type is easier than subsequent ones.
Post-acute - the duration of this form is from 3 weeks to 3 months.
Chronic - from 3 months. Chronic otitis media transitions to this type more often from acute than from post-acute.

Otitis is also divided into catarrhal and purulent, if it is purulent, pus should be present in the auricle. There is also serous otitis media, in which a secret accumulates in the ear, creating a plug, which can lead to complications in the form of hearing loss. The exudative form of the disease can develop into a purulent form. The disease is divided into two more categories - one-sided, when one ear hurts and two-sided, when inflammation is on both ears.

Causes of otitis media

The causes of otitis media, as well as its consequences, can be completely different. The cause of the inflammatory process of the hearing aid may be bacterial infections:

golden staphylococcus aureus;
Pneumococcus;
hemophilic bacillus;
also rhinoviruses.

Children's ears should be cleaned once a day, teenagers and adults 1-2 times a week, depending on the type of human activity. Incorrect cleaning of the ears can form ear plug, which can lead to an inflammatory process, and then to serous otitis media.

The development of the inflammatory process in the ear is facilitated by such factors as: colds, hypothermia, deficiency of immunoglobulins, mechanical damage, common infections which lead to weakened immunity. It can also contribute to the development of inflammation chronic illness nasopharynx. Wrong care behind the auricle, too, can cause an inflammatory process.

Symptoms of otitis media

The first signs of otitis will be noticeable immediately, it is important not to delay or wait out the disease, but immediately consult a doctor. Both in children and in adults, the symptoms of the disease manifest themselves in the same way:

acute pain of the hearing aid;
elevated temperature;
headache;
hearing loss;
sensation of a foreign body in the auricle;
general weakness.

If otitis media has already begun to progress or develops rapidly, then symptoms may be discharge from ear canal, in the form of pus and exudate. If you seek help from specialists in time, then undesirable consequences can be avoided.

Purulent otitis media

In the presence of a severe form of the disease with the presence of pus in the auricle, the symptoms will intensify, and the color of the patient's skin will turn pale. purulent plug the patient will have about 3 days, while the sharp pain will increase, after the elapsed time the pus will come out of the ear and the pain will be less noticeable and less sharp.

This form of the disease should be treated only by a doctor, if carried out wrong methods treatment, the result may be partial or complete deafness. The doctor examines the patient painless method and will be able to prescribe treatment, otitis is treated with antibiotics.

Treatment of the disease

A doctor must treat the disease so as not to harm and complicate the patient's condition. But many people resort to traditional medicine methods, but you need to know if otitis has appeared, what to do ?! Before saying how to treat an ailment at home, it should be mentioned that it is not recommended to treat otitis media. Specialists modern medicine argue that the use of certain substances in the fight against otitis media can be extremely dangerous, namely:

camphor oil;
garlic;
decoction of bay leaf;
geranium leaf;
boric alcohol;
phytocandles.

The hearing aid is very important organ, for a person's life and with a small risk of injury, a person must protect himself from such methods of "help". The consequences of the use of traditional medicine can be from hearing loss to injury not only to the hearing aid, but also to the patient's brain. The use of certain drugs can lead to severe swelling and increased pus secretion.

Alcohol compress

At home, you can only use a compress of alcohol or ordinary vodka. In order to apply an alcohol compress, you need the following items:

bandage;
cotton wool;
scarf;
cellophane bag;
alcohol;
capacity.

Pour alcohol into the container, if 40% degree then in pure form, if 96%, then it is better to dilute 1 vodka with 2 water, so as not to damage the skin. Wrap cotton wool with a bandage to make a compress for the size of the ear, dip the compress into a container with alcohol and apply around the auricle. Close the compress with a plastic bag and wrap it with a warm scarf. You can lie on the sofa and watch short cartoon, because you need to stay with the compress for 15-20 minutes.

If for the treatment of the inflammatory process the patient chose not alcohol, but vodka, then you can put a couple of drops in the ear and close it with a cotton swab.

Treatment with modern medicine

Modern medicine makes it possible to carry out treatment at home if the form of otitis is not started and there are no complications. In the case of a serious condition of the patient or if the disease manifests itself in a child, the doctors insist on a hospital. The patient may refuse the hospital, but it would be better to treat the disease under the supervision of doctors and medical personnel. Otitis media is treated with antibiotics and heating, compresses and no risk of complications. The doctor will diagnose the disease, after which he will prescribe medications, these can be drops in the ear, injections, tablets, in difficult cases, all at once.

First aid for otitis media

First aid for otitis media is to prevent hypothermia and prevent inflammation from worsening the patient's condition. If the patient is tormented by fever, then you should give him antipyretic drug, only the one for which the patient does not have allergic reaction. If the child complains strongly that his ear hurts, then you can give him an anesthetic to relieve pain.

What to do if a child has otitis? First of all, call an ambulance, and during this time warm up the ear. If you decide to go to the hospital yourself, then you need to close your ear from all possible drafts and the slightest wind, for this you should use a hat, cotton wool in your ear and a scarf.

Preventive measures against the disease

In order not to know what a terrible condition happens with inflammation of the hearing aid, it is necessary to adhere to preventive measures. Prevention can include healthy lifestyle life, healthy eating, hardening of the body, sport. With a runny nose, treatment should be carried out in order to warn yourself against the development of an inflammatory process in hearing aid, do not get complications. In cold weather and wind, you should protect your ears and keep them warm. Ears should be cleaned properly, do not insert the ear stick deeply, this may create sulfur plug, which as a result will lead to a weak inflammatory process and the development of serous otitis media.