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Acute otitis media is an infection of the middle ear that is caused by bacteria or viruses. Acute otitis media can occur at any age, but children are often the most susceptible to otitis media. If acute otitis media is not treated promptly and properly, it will become severe otitis media and cause many dangerous complications for children.1. What is acute otitis media?
Acute otitis media is an infection of the middle ear caused by bacteria or a virus, often accompanied by an upper respiratory tract infection. Local symptoms include: ear pain, ear discharge and systemic symptoms such as fever, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia.
So which age group is susceptible to acute otitis media? Acute otitis media can occur at any age, but children are often the most susceptible to otitis media, the age at which children are most susceptible to otitis media is from 3 months to 3 years old. Because at this age, the Eustachian tube is structurally and functionally immature.
Acute otitis media occurring for less than three weeks.
2. What is an inner ear infection?
There are 3 types of ear infections that are:
Otitis externa Otitis media Inner ear Inflammation of the inner ear is a rare medical condition. Patients with otitis media can have impaired balance and hearing. Inflammation of the inner ear is divided into two types according to the cause of the disease:
Viral otitis
Most cases of otitis media are caused by viral infections, such as colds or flu. otitis media spreading to the inner ear. Symptoms of viral otitis include: sudden dizziness, nausea, vomiting, possible hearing loss
Bacterial otitis
Bacterial inner ear infections are usually the result of chronic otitis media, caused by bacteria in the middle ear entering the inner ear. In patients with chronic otitis media, the fluid that accumulates here will progress to the inner ear and lead to otitis media. Symptoms of otitis media include:
Transient mild dizziness Nausea, vomiting When otitis media has pus, the symptoms of the disease will progress to more severe including the following: Dizziness is worse, severe More severe Nausea, vomiting, nystagmus, nystagmus, tinnitus, hearing loss, or hearing loss
3. Causes and risk factors of acute otitis media
There are 2 causes of acute otitis media that are:Acute otitis media caused by viruses: respiratory syncytial virus, influenza virus,... Acute otitis media caused by bacteria: Streptococcus pneumoniae, anaerobic bacteria Air, Haemophilus influenzae, caused by respiratory infections such as measles, influenza,... The specific risk factors for acute otitis media are as follows:
Family history of smokers. family with otitis media Breastfed babies are less likely to develop otitis media than bottle-fed babies
4. Symptoms of acute otitis media
Systemic symptoms:The child is fussy, irritable, refuses to breastfeed, anorexia, vomiting, digestive disorders, the child passes raw stools, loose stools, many times. Fever, children usually have a high fever of 39-40 degrees Celsius. Local symptoms: Older children will complain of ear pain, but younger children will often tug at their ears, uncomfortable, irritable, cry more than usual, when touched. in the ear will make the baby cry. Ear discharge. Hearing loss. Through endoscopic examination, the tympanic membrane was red, bulging, not clearly structurally normal, the light triangle was lost, and there was pus in the ear canal.
5. Is acute otitis media dangerous?
Acute otitis media, if not treated promptly and properly, will become severe otitis media and cause many dangerous complications for children, the complications of acute otitis media are as follows:Reduce or disappear hearing, osteomyelitis, acute mastoiditis, labyrinthitis, inflammation of the inner ear, facial paralysis due to paralysis of the VII nerve. Meningitis Atrial fibrosis, perforated tympanic membrane Brain abscess, epidural abscess, bilateral venous sinus thrombosis. Chronic otitis media
6. Treatment of acute otitis media
Medical treatment of patients with acute otitis media h:Pain relievers, antipyretics when needed such as: acetaminophen, ibuprofen dosage based on dose used for each age. Daily nasal irrigation for children with physiological saline 0.9% NaCl. Antihistamines help reduce nasal secretions. Use antihistamines with caution in young children. Antibiotics should only be used when prescribed by a doctor, antibiotics should be used based on the age of the patient, the severity of the otitis media in the patient and must be monitored. The course of treatment for acute otitis media is about 10 days. Patients need to strictly follow the treatment regimen prescribed by the doctor. Surgical treatment:
Extraction of the eardrum, taking samples for bacterial culture. Spontaneous perforation of the eardrum should be avoided. During treatment, it is necessary to closely monitor the patient's clinical symptoms, hearing, and tympanic membrane image until it is normal.
7. How to take care of children with acute otitis media?
Ear hygiene for children: When the child's ear is bleeding, use a cotton swab to gently wipe the child's ear, do not put deep to hurt the child's ear. Absolutely do not instill any solution into the child's ear unless directed by the doctor. Use physiological saline 0.9% NaCl to wash the child's nose, instruct older children to blow their nose. Clean tongue and mouth daily for children. For children to gargle with physiological saline 0.9% NaCl Children with otitis media often have anorexia, poor feeding, digestive disorders, so children should eat nutritious, soft, liquid, easily digested, divided foods. many small meals a day, let children drink a lot of water, eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Besides, to prevent acute otitis media, parents should:Fully immunize children. Clean nose and throat, prevent upper respiratory infections. Complete treatment of upper respiratory tract inflammation, flu, measles ... Improve resistance by: supplementing with adequate nutrition, exercising and sports. Keep the living environment clean, avoid dust. Pediatrics Department at Vinmec International General Hospital is the address for receiving and examining diseases that infants and young children are susceptible to: viral fever, bacterial fever, otitis media, pneumonia in children ,....With modern equipment, sterile space, minimizing the impact as well as the risk of disease spread. Along with that is the dedication from the doctors with professional experience with pediatric patients, making the examination no longer a concern of the parents.
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