What is otitis media?
What causes otitis media?
What are the common symptoms of otitis media?
What are the effects of otitis media?
Who gets otitis media and how common is it?
What are the risk factors for otitis media?
How is otitis media treated?
Surgery is sometimes needed to treat an otitis media. What does this involve?
Is otitis media preventable?
What is otitis media?
Otitis media is a build-up of fluid in the middle ear, which is the space between the eardrum and the inner ear. The middle ear is usually filled with air, but sometimes, for example during a cold it gets filled with fluid or mucus. If the mucus gets infected with bacteria it causes an ear infection.
What causes otitis media?
Otitis media is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection in the nose or throat, which spreads to the middle ear. The most common bacterial causes in the UK are Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilius infuenzae and Moraxella catarrhalis.
What are the common symptoms of otitis media?
Signs to look for in babies include irritability, difficulty sleeping, fever and fluid (usually green in colour) draining from the ear. Young children may also tug or pull on one or both ears, and show signs of unresponsiveness to quiet sounds.
What are the effects of otitis media?
Otitis media causes severe ear pain and in some cases, if left untreated, it can result in serious complications. The infection can travel to the surrounding parts of the head, including the brain. Most cases, especially those caused by viruses, get better without treatment. However an untreated bacterial ear infection can also lead to permanent hearing loss, which can in turn result in speech and language disabilities.
Who gets otitis media and how common is it?
Children are much more likely to suffer from otitis media than adults, as their immune systems are still developing. Also, the inside of the ear is not fully developed at a young age, and so is more prone to infection.
Before pneumococcal vaccination was introduced into the national childhood immunisation programme in 2006, approximately three-quarters of children aged 3-years and younger had at least one episode of acute otitis media, and more than one third had recurrent infections.
What are the risk factors for of otitis media?
Children are much more likely to suffer from otitis media than adults, as their immune systems are still developing. There is some evidence to suggest that an ear infection is less likely to develop in babies and young children who do not use dummies and those children who live in a smoke free home. Passive smoking of babies and children can increase the risk of developing ear infections, and various other problems.
How is otitis media treated?
A lot of the time, otitis media gets better within a few days without any treatment. However in cases where treatment is needed, over the counter pain killers like paracetamol or ibuprofen can be used to control the pain and fever.
Antibiotics may be prescribed if the infection is getting severe or worse after 2-3 days. There is little evidence to suggest antibiotics clear symptoms more quickly or reduce the chance of complications happening.
Surgery is sometimes needed to treat otitis media. What does this involve?
If the infection is very serious, and fluid persists for longer than three months, a small surgical procedure, which involves insertion of grommets (small metal or plastic tubes) into the opening of the eardrum is recommended. The aim of the surgery is to remove all of the infected tissue to prevent infections from recurring while the tubes help to ventilate the middle ear and keep air pressure at a suitable level.
Is otitis media preventable?
Since September 2006, all infants are offered a pneumococcal vaccination as part of the routine childhood immunisation schedule. The vaccine protects against one of the most common types of otitis media, caused by the bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae. Since pneumocoocal vaccine introduction, there has been a fall in the number of cases of invasive pneumococcal disease in children aged 5 and under.
Click here for further information on ways to help protect your patients against otitis media caused by pneumococcus.