Otitis media
From Freepedia
Otitis media (also known as glue ear) is an inflammation of the middle ear, usually associated with a buildup of fluid and frequently causes an earache. The fluid may or may not be infected.
There are several kinds of otitis media:
- Acute otitis media is an infection that produces pus, fluid, and inflammation within the middle ear. It is frequently associated with signs of upper respiratory infection, such as a runny or stuffy nose.
- Otitis media with effusion is the presence of middle ear fluid for six weeks or more from the initial acute otitis media.
- Chronic otitis media may develop when the infection persists for more than two weeks.
The typical progress of Otitis Media is: the tissues surrounding the Eustachian tube swell due to an infection and/or severe congestion. The Eustachian tube remains blocked most of the time. The air present in the middle ear is slowly absorbed into the surrounding tissues. A strong negative pressure creates a vacuum in the middle ear. The vacuum reaches a point where fluid from the surrounding tissues accumulates in the middle ear. This is seen as a progression from a Type A tympanogram, to a Type C, to a Type B tympanogram. The fluid may become infected. It has been found that dormant bacteria behind the Tympanum (eardrum) multiply when the conditions are ideal infecting the middle ear fluid.
Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae are the most common bacterial causes of otitis media. Still, antibiotics are rarely effective in shortening disease duration. Tubal dysfunction leads to the ineffective clearing of bacteria from the middle ear.
Children below the age of seven years are much more prone to Otitis Media since the Eustachian tube is shorter and at a different angle to that of the adult ear. They also have not developed the same resistance to viruses and bacteria as adults.
Surgery is sometimes performed to insert a grommet (called a "tympanostomy tube") into the eardrum to allow air to pass through into the middle ear, and thus release any pressure buildup and help clear excess fluid within.
