What to do with otitis?

When answering the question what to do with otitis, it should be recalled that the inflammation of the ear caused by the infection can affect both its outer part (auditory canal) and the inner ear, but most often the inflammatory process occurs in the middle ear, that is, in the tympanum and auditory tube .

Otitis media is one of the most common (especially in children) ear diseases. It is accompanied by severe pain and is fraught with very dangerous complications, so you should know what to do with otitis.

What should I do if my ear hurts? Recommendations of otolaryngologists

ENT-doctors divide otitis into acute and chronic, that is, short-term or long-term, as well as catarrhal and purulent - depending on whether there are secretions from the sore ear and which ones. It should be borne in mind that in any case, the main cause of inflammation of the middle ear is a bacterial infection (in the form of Staphylococcus aureus, pneumococcus, hemophilic rod, etc.), as well as rhinoviruses that affect the nasopharynx, and then enter the ear cavity. The main way of penetration of these infections into the ear is through the auditory (Eustachian) tube, which connects the inflamed nasopharynx with the ear cavity.

What should I do if my child has otitis media? When a child has an earache, one must go to an otolaryngologist, and if the doctor reveals an inflammation of the middle ear, the recommendations will be as follows. It is necessary to inject a turunda (twisted from a sterile bandage or cotton wicks), moistened with boric alcohol (3% alcohol solution of boric acid) into the ear canal, and change it every three hours. Also, 0.1% furacilin solution in alcohol or a mixture of 70% alcohol with glycerin (1: 1) can be used to wet the turunda.

The warming up of the ear with a blue lamp, as well as warming compresses in the ear help: help with vodka or half-diluted medical alcohol. In this case, the auricle should not be covered with a moistened napkin: a compress is applied around it and behind the ear, from above is put a compress paper or any thin film, and everything is "warmed up" with a bandage or a cap. The time of action of such a compress is at least two hours.

In the presence of a cold - and it happens in almost 95% of cases of otitis in children, so that the child can breathe through the nose, it should be dripped 1-2 drops in each nasal passage such drops as Sanorin, Naphtizin, Nazivin, etc. - at least three times in a day. Children up to a year do not use such drops!

Be sure to bury in the ear special drops (which before use should be warmed to body temperature). Drops of Otypax and Anauran, in addition to the removal of inflammation, quickly relieve pain (due to the pain medication in the preparation). Otypax can be used in infants, the standard dosage is 4 drops 2-3 times a day. Anauran is used only after the child has completed one year. It is recommended to instill 2-3 drops 3-4 times a day for 3-7 days.

Drops for the ears Otisol (contain benzocaine and phenylephrine) reduce the swelling of the ear tissues and anesthetize (the drug contains benzocaine and phenylephrine). The solution is administered with a pipette, the dosage is as follows: children 6-12 months - one drop three times a day, 1-6 years - 2 drops, 6-12 years - 3 drops three times a day. Adults and children over 12 years should drip three times a day for 4 drops. Otisol is not prescribed for the perforation of the tympanic membrane, and children up to 6 months. Doctors recommend after instillation for some time to cover the ear canal with a cotton swab.

What else should I do if my ear hurts? The aforementioned ear drops contribute to the relief of pain, in addition, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used, for example, Ibufen junior or Ibufen D. These are suspension preparations for use in pediatric practice. For example, the standard dose of Ibufen D is for children under 1-3 years - 100 mg (3 times a day), 4-6 years - 150 mg, 7-9 years - 200 mg, 10-12 years - 300 mg three times a day. Preparations of the NSAID group are not recommended for more than five consecutive days.

And what if the ear hurts when you have otitis in adults? Yes, the same thing, only drops of Otypax or Anuaran need to drip 4 drops to four times during the day. During pregnancy, these drugs should be prescribed by a doctor and only in those cases when the benefit to the mother far exceeds the possible threats to the fetus.

Also adults, as soon as the ear begins to ache, you can apply drops of Cholics (Kholina salicylate, Otinum, Brotinum) - 3-4 drops three times a day. These drops stop pain and relieve inflammation. But with purulent otitis with damage to the tympanic membrane, it is counter-indicative (why - read below).

Among the analgesics taken internally with otitis media, the most commonly used NSAIDs are Ibuprofen, Ibuprom, Nurofen, and others.

What to do with purulent otitis?

Almost a third of cases of otitis media have a purulent character, when purulent exudate is formed in the middle ear cavity, which begins to ooze out of the ear. What to do with purulent otitis?

It is necessary to treat the auditory passage with a cotton swab moistened with a solution of hydrogen peroxide (3%), furacilin or rivanol; to place in the auditory passage of turunda with a solution of dioxidine (0.5%), 2% solution of silver nitrate, hydrocortisone.

In this way, the ear should be instilled with a 2% solution of carbolic alcohol mixed with glycerin (2-3 drops three times a day), as well as antibacterial ear drops Tsipromed, Otofa and Normaks that do not have an ototoxic effect. Zipromed (0.3% ear drops containing ciprofloxacin) can be used only after 15 years - five drops three times a day; Pregnant and lactating women, the drug is contraindicated.

Otof drops contain antibiotic rifamycin; adults are recommended to dig in 5 drops in the ear (3 times a day), children - 3 drops twice a day. In the composition of Normax drops there is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic norfloxacin; the drug is prescribed 2-3 drops in the ear 4-6 times a day, in severe cases, bury the inflamed ear every three hours until the intensity of pus excretion decreases. These drops can not be used in the treatment of purulent otitis in children under 12 years and women during pregnancy.

A few words about what is the ototoxic effect, and why it is contraindicated to use such drops for the ears with purulent otitis with perforation of the tympanic membrane, like Otinum, Otisol, Garazon, Sofradex, Polidex. Among the side effects of these drugs is their ability to affect the hair cells of the cochlea of the ear, ampullar and otolith receptors, as well as the fibers of the auditory nerve, resulting in the development of sensorineural hearing loss until irreversible hearing loss. Such actions are exerted by the active substances of these drugs - bactericidal antibiotics of the aminoglycoside group (Streptomycin, Neomycin, Gramycidin, Gentamicin, Amikacin), as well as salicylic acid and its salts. The latter include drops of Otinum, Otisol; aminoglycosites contain drops Garazon (gentamicin), Sofraks (gramicidin), Polidexa (neomycin).

What to do with purulent otitis for systemic infection control? In clinical otolaryngology, a mandatory appointment of 6-7 days to take antibacterial drugs in the treatment of acute inflammation of the middle ear in children of the first two years of life, as well as in adults with reduced immunity. Children after two years and adults are prescribed antibiotics only with a significant increase in temperature (+ 38 ° C and above), headaches and other signs of infectious intoxication - two days after the onset of typical symptoms of acute otitis media.

In acute purulent otitis, the most effective antibiotics, according to most doctors of this specialization, are Amoxicillin and Clarithromycin. Amoxicillin (Amine, Amoxylat, Ospamox, Flemoxin solutab, etc.) for children 2-5 years give 0.125 g three times a day, children 5-10 years - 0.25 g three times a day, (after eating). Dosage for adults - 0.5 g three times a day. The recommended dosage of Clarithromycin for adults and children over 12 years is 0.25 g twice a day, and the duration of administration is 5 days.

What should I do if my ears are stuffed with otitis?

Inflammatory process with otitis middle ear extends to the tympanic cavity and tympanic membrane. The mucous membrane of the cavity thickens, the resulting serous exudate accumulates in the auditory tube, covering the tympanic membrane. Because of this, the intake of air into the cavity of the middle ear decreases or stops completely, the pressure in the cavity falls, and the eardrum retracts. This is expressed in a symptom such as ear budding.

What should I do if my ears are stuffed with otitis? Treat otitis media. If the otitis catarrhal and the integrity of the membrane is not violated, then the treatment (described above) leads to the elimination of inflammation, the restoration of air passage through the auditory tube and the return of the tympanic membrane to the normal state. The ears "postpone", and the person can hear everything again.

When the otitis is purulent, the pus accumulates in the tympanic cavity and blocks the flow of air, which leads to the laying of the ear. The volume of purulent discharge increases, their outflow is complicated, and as a result, the pressure on the inflamed eardrum increases. As a result, this leads to its perforation.

Adequate therapy destroys the infection, relieves the symptoms of otitis, and the tympanic membrane overgrows. But, as ENT doctors mark, the sick ear can still remain for some time (up to a half-moon). There are no additional measures in this case, since in most cases hearing is normal.

If the ear is laid too long, then the doctor to whom you refer with this problem will perform an otoscopy and find out the cause. Most likely, this is due to too large scars on the tympanic membrane, and these scars prevent it from moving, and, therefore, transmit sound vibrations. To solve this problem, physiotherapy procedures such as UHF, electrophoresis and tube quartz of the ear cavity are prescribed.

What can not be done with otitis?

Pay attention to what can not be done with otitis:

• to small children (up to two years old) not to bury boric alcohol in the ear;
• Do not flaunt simultaneously through both nostrils: only alternately, while closing one nostril;
• With purulent secretions from the ear, no way can the warm ear be heated;
• In the case of perforation of the tympanic membrane with purulent otitis, you should not use such drops in the ear as Otinum, Otisol, Garazon, Sofrax, Polydex (for reasons - see What to do with purulent otitis?).

Given that the inflammation of the middle ear can be complicated by otitis media of the inner ear (labyrinthitis), inflammation of the tissues of the mastoid process (mastoiditis), meningitis and brain abscess, treatment of this disease should be done only under the supervision of the doctor, but know what to do with otitis and what drugs should be used is certainly useful.