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IT’S THE SEASON, ATTENTION!
As of the season, we have now entered winter. As the weather got colder, upper respiratory tract infections and flu infections increased. In connection with this, we have started to see middle ear infections very often, especially in our children. Inflammation of the middle ear is an inflammation of the eardrum and the middle ear, which can usually occur in both adults and children. We can say that it is divided into 2 types: ”Acute Middle Ear Infections“ and ”Chronic Ear Infections”. Chronic inflammation of the middle ear is used to describe a type of inveterate non-healing inflammation that can be seen in adults, rather.
1- What is Acute Inflammation of the Middle Ear?
Acute inflammation of the middle ear is a disease that is very common, especially in the child age group, and causes families to worry.
Inflammation of the middle ear is a type of inflammation that affects the eardrum and the middle ear.
In general, “very frequent upper respiratory tract infections” in children trigger this problem. During upper respiratory tract infections or in the following periods, the microbial environment in our nasal cavity can cause an infection in the middle ear by moving from our Eustachian tube through coughing or other methods to the middle ear.
2- What are the Signs of Middle Ear Inflammation?
Inflammation of the middle ear is a type of infection that can develop very quickly and suddenly. Your child, whom you send to school in a healthy way in the morning, may experience ear pain towards noon and the teacher may call and inform you about the situation. In other words, findings can develop within very short hours.
Patients’ complaints usually may be ear pain, a feeling of pressure and fullness in the ear, high fever, weakness and exhaustion.
This problem is important from our point of view. Because inflammation of the middle ear causes serious pain and can cause the child to be really very uncomfortable.
3- We Do Not Resort to Antibiotics Immediately
In recent years, we doctors have been dealing with the treatment of this disease, we no longer resort to a method such as giving antibiotics immediately. But for this, the family must be conscious, easily accessible to their doctor.
The patient should be followed up with painkillers and fever reducers for 2 days. if there is no decrease in pain and fever after 2 days, then antibiotics can be started.
Let’s say that your opportunity to reach the doctor is not very available due to your daily pace of life. In this case, antibiotics can be started as soon as this problem is seen in the child. This is a condition that will be determined by the preference of you and your doctor.
4- After the Pain Passes, the Inflammation May Not Regress
Inflammation of the middle ear may not recede immediately after the pain passes. A fluid may remain in the middle ear, and this fluid may disappear on its own after a certain period of time.
However, in some children, this period may be prolonged. these liquids may not regress for up to 3 months. If these fluids do not regress by 3 months and last longer, the child may experience hearing loss.
This hearing loss is due to fluid. If the fluid is removed or disappears, the hearing loss condition will improve. In such cases, if there is no very serious hearing loss, or if there are no backward collapses of the eardrum, conditions that will disrupt the structure of the eardrum, a 3-month period is expected. But if these fluids do not disappear for more than 3 months, then this fluid behind the eardrum can be drained and temporary small prostheses can be placed in the ear, which we call a tube, which will then be removed spontaneously.
However, the condition I mentioned is very rare in patients. In other words, there is no rule that it will definitely happen after every middle ear inflammation problem. Inflammation of the middle ear is a condition that occurs in about 1% of problems.
5- It Happens in 90% of Children
Inflammation of the middle ear is very common in children. In almost 90% of children, it can be observed very often until they reach the age of 7-8.
6- What are the Risk Factors?
This is the problem;
It can often be experienced in children with low immunity who get sick very often.
In addition, we can say that children going to daycare is a risk factor.
Exposure to cigarette smoke and air pollution are also among the risk factors.
7- What are the Precautions to Be Taken?
No matter how many measures there are to prevent children from getting the flu, the same ones can also be a measure for this problem.
Smoking should not be allowed near children. Again, children should be fed with natural and unadulterated foods as much as possible.
Although it seems controversial, flu vaccines and pneumococcal vaccines, which are still of great importance from a medical point of view,can prevent middle ear infections as well as prevent flu if they are performed during these seasons in children who have very frequent upper respiratory tract infections.
I wish you all a healthy, happy and peaceful day…
ENT, HEAD and Neck Surgery Specialist Antalya MedicalPark Hospital
Assoc. Dr.
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Turkey's world-renowned organ transplant specialist. Dr. Demirbaş has 104 international publications and 102 national publications.
Physician's Resume:
Born on August 7, 1963 in Çorum, Prof. Dr. Alper Demirbaş has been continuing his work as the President of MedicalPark Antalya Hospital Organ Transplantation Center since 2008.
Prof. who performed the first tissue incompatible kidney transplant in Turkey, the first blood type incompatible kidney transplant, the first kidney-pancreas transplant program and the first cadaveric donor and live donor liver transplant in Antalya. Dr. As of August 2016, Alper Demirbaş has performed 4900 kidney transplants, 500 liver transplants and 95 pancreas transplants.
In addition to being the chairman of 6 national congresses, he has also been an invited speaker at 12 international and 65 national scientific congresses. Dr. Alper Demirbaş was married and the father of 1 girl and 1 boy.
Awards:
Eczacibasi Medical Award of 2002, Akdeniz University Service Award of 2005, Izder Medical Man of the Year Award of 2006, BÖHAK Medical Man of the Year Award of 2007, Sabah Mediterranean Newspaper Scientist of the Year Award of 2007, ANTIKAD Scientist of the Year Award of 2009, Social Ethics Association Award of 2010, Işık University Medical Man of the Year Award of 2015, VTV Antalya's Brand Value Award of 2015.
Certificates:
Doctor of Medicine Degree Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine Ankara, General Surgeon Ministry of Health Turkey EKFMG (0-477-343-8), University of Miami School of Medicine Member of Multiple Organ Transplant, ASTS Multiorgan Transplant Scholarship. Lecturer at Kyoto University. Lecturer at University of Essen, Research assistant at the University of Cambridge .
Professional Members:
American Society of Transplant Surgeons, American Transplantation Society Nominated, Middle East and Southern Africa Council Transplantation Society 2007, International Liver Transplantation Association, Turkish Transplantation Association, Turkish Society of Surgery, Turkish Hepatobiliary Surgery Association.
Disclaimer:
Our website contents consist of articles approved by our Web and Medical Editorial Board with the contributions of our physicians. Our contents are prepared only for informational purposes for public benefit. Be sure to consult your doctor for diagnosis and treatment.