At the origin of the symptoms there can also be inflammatory pathologies of the neighboring districts (tonsillitis, sinusitis) or, more rarely, diseases of the oral cavity or larynx
Pain it can appear suddenly or arise gradually, to be pulsating or continuousbut what is certain is that earache is one of the most difficult symptoms to tolerate. It can occur at all ages, but children are undoubtedly the most targeted category.
What are the most common causes of earache?
«Earache, or more correctly otalgia, is a symptom as common as it is annoying it can originate from inflammation of one part of the ear. In these cases we speak of primary otalgia, or better still of otitis, more often external and sometimes average, “he explains Lorenzo Pignataro, full professor of otolaryngology at the University of Milan and director of the Operating Unit of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery of the Fondazione Irccs Ca Granda Policlinico of Milan. «Otalgia, however, can also be secondary to other conditions that do not directly affect the ear, including inflammatory pathologies of the neighboring areas (tonsillitis, sinusitis) or, more rarely, tumors of the oral cavity or larynx which can give as a first symptom a reflected pain in the ear “.
What are the characteristics of otitis?
«Otitis is an inflammatory process that can affect the external ear, that is the structure that includes the pavilion and the external auditory canal, or the middle ear and therefore the eardrum and tympanic cavity. External otitis, afflicts adults and children, and it is more frequent in the summer, following prolonged contact with water which, stagnating in the ear canal, can favor the engraftment of germs, especially bacteria or fungi. The viral forms they are rare and these include herpetic otalgia (Herpes zoster virus). Otitis media
it is more common in children for various reasons, such as the typical difficulty in blowing the nose of children, the conformation of the pharyngum-tympanic structure, the frequent inflammatory processes contracted in the school environment and the presence of obstruction of the Eustachian tube by hypertrophic adenoid tissue. Often it all starts with a cold: the inflammation causes poor ventilation and drainage of the middle ear with consequent effusion inside the transudative (uninfected) endotympanic which can subsequently be superimposed on a bacterial infection (exudate), generally sustained by the germs present in the nose. The pain is usually greater at night, due to the supine position and vasodilation. Often it is accompanied by a decrease in hearing and sometimes to a discharge ». The severity of the otalgia and the intensity of the pain depend on the underlying cause. The pain can be perceived as continuous or intermittent and at times it becomes really unbearable. Otalgia, when primary, is usually accompanied by other symptoms such as otorrea (discharge from the ear), otorragia (secretion with blood), hearing loss (hearing loss), tinnitus, and more rarely vertigo.
Is it possible to prevent it?
A few small steps can help keep otalgia away. “Who is predisposed to developing otitis externa must try to keep the external auditory canal clean, referring to a specialist as, for example, the presence of earwax can promote skin irritation, making it more susceptible to inflammation. Cleaning the ear canal, dressing with vital dyes and using cortisone drops for those suffering from skin irritation / eczema can drastically reduce the onset of infections »explains Pignataro. “To reduce the risk of otitis media it is instead useful to do nasal washes with hypertonic or isotonic solutions ».
How is otitis treated?
«The necessary condition to be able to heal from external otitis is do not introduce more water into the ear, even with a shower. Typically otitis externa can be treated with local antibiotic or antifungal drops (in relation to the cause of the infection), analgesics, by taking an antibiotic by mouth, in selected cases. Local therapy is often most effective if the ear canal is cleaned and medicated by the specialist. For otitis media it is a good idea to treat the nose with nasal washes and sprays as well as mucolytics in order to favor the drainage of secretions through the tube. It is also good to combine an analgesic and an antibiotic by mouth if symptoms persist. If the disturbances persist beyond ten days or complications appear, it is advisable to contact the specialist “.
October 1, 2021 (change October 1, 2021 | 18:11)
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