Otitis media of the outer ear is an inflammatory process that can have serious consequences. The cause is infection. Most often, ear disease is accompanied by temporary hearing loss, fever, and severe ear pain.
Causes of otitis media
A disease such as otitis media can occur as a result of various problems:
- diseases of the nasopharynx, paranasal sinuses, nose, which can lead to inflammation of the ear mucosa, its swelling;
- measles, flu, infectious diseases that lower the immune system;
- In this case, the causes of ear pain are cold water that has entered the outer ear, as well as exposure to cool air. Therefore, you need to be careful while swimming in the bath or pool;
- Usually, the injury is accompanied by an infection in the ear. This is especially important for the case when the tympanic membrane is damaged.
After the doctor has determined the cause, he prescribes treatment for otitis media. If the disease was provoked by viruses, then antibiotics are not prescribed.
When should I go to the doctor
Otitis media is difficult to determine independently, because there are no particularly pronounced symptoms. Usually there is pain in the ear, which shoots, and also the temperature rises. However, such symptoms can be confused with other diseases. Before treating otitis media in adults, it is important to make a diagnosis, and this is only possible for a specialist.
Be sure to consult a doctor if:
- my ear hurts a lot and my temperature rises in parallel. This indicates that the inflammatory process has begun to develop;
- there were additional symptoms (muscle weakness, swelling and pain near the ear, headache, dizziness);
- severe pain in the ear abruptly subsided. This may be the result of a ruptured eardrum;
- the patient’s condition does not improve for two days.
Symptoms and treatment of otitis depend on the degree of neglect of the disease, which is why self-treatment is not recommended, it can only aggravate the situation.
Read also this article If you have a pain inside ear.
Treatment of otitis media
Usually, the treatment of ear otitis consists of the following steps:
- a course of antibiotics. With its help, you can defeat a bacterial infection. The course should not be interrupted, otherwise the infection may return;
- the doctor prescribes drops in the ears for pain. Such medications will help to relieve swelling of the nasopharynx. In addition, the fluid that has accumulated in the ear will be able to get out. Do not take drops before visiting a specialist. Let’s say you have a ruptured eardrum, which is why you have pain. If you start using ear drops for ear pain, they can affect the auditory nerve;
- wash your ears. With the help of an antiseptic solution, you can stop the inflammatory process and remove pus. However, such a procedure should be performed by ENT;
- if your ear hurts, you can make a warm compress. The hot water bottle can be wrapped in a thin towel. Such a compress will reduce discomfort. But this also needs to be discussed with your doctor;
- gargle with salted water. Thus, the irritated throat will calm down and the swelling of the Eustachian tube will be removed;
- the doctor prescribes painkillers to remove ear pain in an adult;
- if necessary, drainage is installed. Do a similar operation under anesthesia in the event that the ear hurts and a lot of pus has accumulated in it.
Breathe fresh air. Do not irritate the nasopharynx, eustachian tube. Do not smoke, stay in a room where the smell of paint or other chemicals is noted. And it is very important to pay attention to the humidity in the treatment of otitis media. Its indicator should be in the range of 40-60%.
Home Treatment
Many people have faced such a disease in their lives, as otitis media of the middle ear. And everyone knows how much it hurts. However, not everyone can get immediately to the hospital to see a specialist. Treatment of otitis media at home involves the use of folk remedies. There are several options.
You can make nut butter and use it to rub your ear. This procedure is performed several times a day until the symptoms of ear otitis disappear. To do this, you need to pick the leaves of the nut, cut them finely, put them in a glass jar, pour all the sunflower oil, close the lid and put them in a cold dark place for 90 days. You can store such a remedy for the treatment of external otitis for 4 years.
No less relevant is hare fat. This folk method has been known for a long time, with its help you can cure the disease in just a few days. This even applies to purulent otitis media. The most important thing is to get hare fat. Before going to bed, you should warm up your ear using salt. After that, a few drops of fat are buried inside, which was previously necessary to melt. To get an effect in the treatment of otitis media in adults, two drops will be enough.
You can put onion juice in your ear. You need to take an onion, make a recess in it, throw the cumin fruit inside and close the onion cube. Then put the onion in the oven and wait for 25 minutes. The juice is pressed and used to treat otitis media, but you need to apply warm juice.
You can also use basil leaves, flower juice. Throughout the day, drip 8 drops.