- Otitis media symptoms
- Treatment for otitis media
- Otitis in baby
- Types of otitis media
- Home treatment options
Otitis media is inflammation of the ear, which can happen due to the presence of viruses or bacteria, although there are other less common causes such as fungal infections, trauma or allergies.
Otitis is more common in children, however it can occur at any age, and causes symptoms such as earache, yellow or whitish discharge, hearing loss, fever and irritability.
Its treatment is usually done with drugs to relieve symptoms, such as Dipyrone or Ibuprofen, and if there are signs of bacterial infection, usually with pus, the doctor may recommend the use of antibiotics.
Otitis media symptoms
Otitis media, or internal, is an inflammation that usually arises after a cold or sinus attack. This inflammation is very common in babies and children, but can occur at any age, and is detected by medical examination through an otoscope, which shows the presence of fluid accumulation and other changes in the ear. The symptoms are:
- presence of secretion or accumulation of fluid, decreased hearing, fever, irritability, redness and even perforation of the eardrum;
The main cause of otitis is the presence of viruses, such as Influenza, respiratory syncytial virus or rhinovirus, or bacteria, such as S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae or M. catarrhalis. Other rarer causes include allergies, reflux, or anatomical changes.
Treatment for otitis media
Treatment is usually done according to the cause, indicated by the doctor, and involves the use of analgesics and anti-inflammatories, in addition to decongestants and antihistamines to try to reduce congestion. The use of antibiotics, for 5 to 10 days, such as Amoxicillin, for example, may be indicated if there are:
- Persistence of symptoms after 2 to 3 days of treatment of symptoms; Symptoms in the 2 ears or perforation of the eardrum; Presence of intense symptoms, such as vomiting, fever above 39ºC, severe ear pain Impaired immunity; Infection in babies under 6 months, or between 6 months to 2 years, if there is secretion or signs of inflammation on otoscopy.
Depending on the type and severity of otitis, the treatment may also require surgery to drain the fluid from the ear, or tympanoplasty, in case of perforation of the eardrum.
Otitis in baby
Otitis in babies can be more difficult to identify, as they are unable to express symptoms well. The signs and symptoms that may indicate otitis in the baby are difficulty in breastfeeding, drowsiness, irritability, fever or touching the ear frequently, especially if there has been a previous cold.
In the presence of these signs, it is important to seek assistance from the pediatrician for evaluation, especially if there are signs of a bad smell in the ear or the presence of pus, as they may indicate severity. Find out more information, with the pediatrician, about the main causes and how to identify the ear pain in the baby.
The treatment will be indicated by the doctor, according to the cause of the otitis, and the antibiotic, such as Amoxicillin, can be indicated in the presence of signs that indicate infection by bacteria, such as yellowish secretion and redness, or whenever there are signs of infection of heard in the baby under 6 months.
Types of otitis media
Otitis media can also be divided into different types, which vary according to signs and symptoms, duration of duration and number of episodes of inflammation. The main ones include:
- Acute otitis media: it is the most common form, with the rapid onset of signs and symptoms, such as ear pain and fever, caused by acute infection of the middle ear; Recurrent acute otitis media: it is acute otitis media that repeats for more than 3 episodes in 6 months or 4 episodes in 12 months, usually due to the same microorganism that proliferates again or due to new infections; Serous otitis media: also called otitis media with effusion, is the presence of fluid in the middle ear, which can remain for several weeks to months, without causing signs or symptoms of infection; Suppurative chronic otitis media: it is characterized by the presence of persistent or recurrent purulent secretion, together with perforation of the tympanic membrane.
To differentiate between these types of otitis, the doctor usually makes a clinical evaluation, with physical examination, observation of the ear with an otoscope, in addition to evaluation of the signs and symptoms.
Home treatment options
During the treatment indicated by the doctor, and never replacing this, some measures can be taken at home to accelerate the improvement of otitis, such as:
- Drink plenty of fluids, staying hydrated throughout the day; Prefer to stay at rest, avoiding exercises or exhausting activities; Eat healthy and balanced, with a diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains and seeds, as they are rich in omega-3 and other nutrients that help for a better recovery from inflammation; Making a warm compress on the outside of the ear can help relieve pain.
In addition, you should never drip any product in the ear, except those indicated by the doctor, as this can worsen inflammation and impair recovery.
