I. Description
Otitis media is an infection in the middle-ear behind the ear
drum. It is not contagious but the preceding respiratory infection causing
it may be infectious. Involved is the middle-ear space where nerves and
small bones connect to the ear drum on one side and the eustachian tube
on the other side. Otitis media is very common in infants and children age
3 months to 3 years.
II. Symptoms
and Identification
Symptoms of otitis media may include ear pain, fever, aural fullness,
hearing loss, drainage from the external ear canal, irritability, pulling
at the ear and sometimes diarrhea and vomiting.
III. Causes
Viral or bacterial infection spreads to the middle-ear by way
of the eustachian tube. These are usually upper respiratory virus infections
in the nose and throat. Nasal allergies or enlarged adenoids can also block
the sinus and eustachian tube openings which increase the chance for infection.
A ruptured or perforated ear drum can allow viral or bacterial infection
to spread to the middle-ear space as well.
Diagnosis of otitis media is usually made by examination of the
external ear and tympanic membrane (ear drum). Drainage from the external
auditory canal may also be cultured to determine possible signs of infection.
Audiological testing, including pure tone air bone conduction threshold
testing, acoustic immittance (tympanometry) testing and speech audiometry,
provides the most diagnostically significant identification procedure.
IV. Treatment
Options
Treatment usually involves medication and supportive care to relieve
the pain of the infection and swelling of the middle-ear. Otitis media is
most commonly treated with antibiotics, decongestants and, in chronic cases,
pressure equalization tubes providing ventilation and drainage to the middle-ear
space. Swimming should be avoided until the infection clears. Application
of heating pads and warm moist heat sometimes helps to ease the pain of
the infection. As indicated previously, in chronic cases of otitis media,
pressure equalization tubes may be surgically implanted in the tympanic
membranes by an otolaryngologist (ear surgeon) to aid in drainage of the
middle-ear space.
Audiologists are trained to identify and document otitis media
and the concurring conductive hearing loss. It is important to monitor your
child's situation and have the child seen by your pediatrician family physician
if you notice any of the following symptoms such as fever, severe headache,
earache that persists longer than two days despite treatment, swelling around
the ear, convulsions, twitching of the face muscle and or dizziness problems.
Furthermore, if this condition persists, be aware of possible language/learning
and central auditory processing delays which can and do result from chronic
otitis media.