Catarrhal otitis media is an inflammation of the middle ear. Very often children are susceptible to it, since they have a short and wide auditory tube - bacteria enter it more easily and infections develop faster. Basically, catarrhal otitis media develops against the background of colds or viral diseases, accompanied by inflammation of the mucous membranes, the presence of nasal discharge, an increase in the tonsils and adenoids.
The child has a sore ear
Symptoms of catarrhal (middle) otitis media can be easily recognized - the child can be capricious, he has a fever, he begins to fiddle with a sore ear or put his hand on it, when he presses on the ear canal, he experiences pain and begins to cry.
If you understand that the child has an ear hurting, then go to the doctor as soon as possible, since otitis media should be treated only under the supervision of an ENT. With proper treatment, there are no complications, the inflammation disappears, and the eardrum quickly recovers. Incorrect treatment can lead to the development of purulent otitis media, hearing loss, and the transition of the disease into a chronic form.
Otitis media very often occurs in young children as a complication after a cold.
Treatment of catarrhal otitis media
In the treatment of catarrhal otitis media, doctors prescribe drops in the ear and nose, warming compresses, antipyretic (if the child has a fever) and, in some cases, physiotherapy (warming up and a blue lamp). Catarrhal otitis media can be cured without an antibiotic, it is prescribed mainly for purulent otitis media - when pus and fluid flows out of the ear, as well as for children under two years of age.
Do not self-medicate as improper treatment can lead to serious hearing problems.
The main thing in the treatment of otitis media is the parallel treatment of the common cold, since it is he who most often causes pain in the ears. Therefore, before instilling drops in the ears, it is necessary to clear the nose of secretions by rinsing it with sea water, then drip vasoconstrictor drops into both nostrils to relieve swelling from the mucous membranes. After that, you can drip the drops into your ears. Children with catarrhal otitis media are mainly prescribed Otipax drops - they relieve pain and inflammation. You need to drip them three times a day.
In order to properly drip the drops into the ears, it is necessary to put the child on the bed in a position on its side. Having instilled one ear, you need to plug the ear canal with a cotton tourniquet, wait 3 minutes for the drops to penetrate deeper. Then you should instill the second ear (if it also hurts) and also wait 3 minutes. After that, the child can get out of bed. The cotton wool from the ears should be removed after 15-20 minutes. Do not keep the cotton wool in your ear for a long time - it should dry out.
If the pain in the ear is severe and the child is crying, you can give him the antipyretic drug "Nurofen", which has an analgesic effect. This will ease the suffering of the child.
During the treatment of otitis media, you should not bathe the child, and in the first weeks after recovery, it is recommended to plug the sore ear with a cotton swab dipped in vegetable oil while taking water procedures to protect it from water ingress.
