Is otitis media with bone damage dangerous?

This is an automatically translated article.

The article was consulted with Master, Doctor Nguyen Nam Phong - Pediatrician - Department of Pediatrics - Neonatology - Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital.
Otitis media causes mucosal damage and inflammation to appear in the middle ear, which is a group of diseases inside the ear caused by bacteria that multiply and grow from outside the environment or inside the ear. If the disease is left untreated for a long time, it can lead to chronic otitis media, bone damage, brain sequelae and possibly death.

1. Inflammation of the middle ear

Otitis media causes mucosal damage and inflammation appearing in the middle ear, is a group of diseases in the middle ear caused by bacteria that multiply and grow from outside the environment into or inside the ear. . Otitis media has two types:
Acute otitis media : Sudden onset and accompanied by symptoms of ear pain. Acute otitis media causes fluid retention in the ear, bulging of the eardrum with pain, or perforation of the eardrum. Otitis media with discharge: A middle ear condition with discharge and no typical symptoms, usually lasting more than two weeks, occurring in many episodes and with purulent discharge from the ear canal. The structure of the middle ear consists of the eardrum and the ear cavity with the bones that connect together such as the hammer, incus, and stirrup. The bony tympanic membrane system is due to the composition of the tympanic membrane and the system of bones, which diffuse and conduct the impulses of sound waves from the outside environment to the inner ear. Therefore, if left untreated, otitis media can lead to bone damage.

2. Otitis media with bone damage

Otitis media with bone lesions, also known as inflammatory otitis media, is the result of recurrent acute otitis media. Patients often present with ear pain, increased headache, rotten pus discharge, and high fever. Otitis media with bone damage can lead to dangerous complications such as:
Mastoiditis : occurs after an untreated acute otitis media. The patient presented with pain behind the ear, x-ray showed fusion of mastoid cells due to destruction and bony septum. Osteochondritis: The site of infection may be in the middle of the scapula between the inner ear and the slope, when the drainage of the air cells begins to become obstructed. Symptoms include purulent discharge, pain behind the ear and behind the eye socket, and paralysis of the sixth nerve. Osteomyelitis caused by osteomyelitis from the ear: Middle ear infections can lead to osteomyelitis of the skull base. The cause is usually blue pus bacilli. Chronic otitis media is very easy to cause necrosis of parts in the middle ear, the patient may be completely irreversible deafness, VII nerve paralysis. It can even cause encephalitis, meningitis leaving neurological sequelae such as paralysis, mental retardation, thrombophlebitis, sepsis and high probability of death.
In conclusion, otitis media with bone damage not only affects the quality of life, but also causes life-threatening complications. However, otitis media can be completely cured and leave no sequelae if treated promptly. Therefore, when seeing unusual signs or symptoms of otitis media, it is necessary to immediately go to a medical facility for timely examination and treatment.
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