What to do if a child has difficulty hearing after otitis media?

Root cause

Otitis is an inflammation in the main parts of the middle ear, which leads to damage to the soft and bone tissues responsible for receiving and processing sound signals.
As a rule, ENT disease develops against the background of general infections that affect the nasopharyngeal mucosa. During the process of reproduction, pathogenic flora penetrates into the tympanic cavity through the auditory tube. It is for this reason that otitis media is much more common than external or internal. Ear congestion with otitis media occurs as a result of inflammation of the soft tissues and eardrum, and the accumulation of serous effusions in the ear cavity. Malfunctions in the operation of individual links of the sound-receiving and sound-conducting chain lead to hearing loss, the appearance of tinnitus, etc. With timely relief of pathological processes, tissues regenerate, but not immediately. Therefore, at the stage of regression of inflammation, congestion goes away within a few days.

Important! If congestion does not go away within a week, this may indicate chronicity of the inflammatory process and the development of sluggish otitis media.

Prevention of complications

Monitor for complications of otitis media early in the disease. Then the prevention of complications will be easier, since in most cases, perforation of the eardrum can be avoided in the initial stages.

Avoid injury to the ear - do not insert prickly or sharp objects. Dry your ears thoroughly after showering or water activities.

If you suffer from private ear inflammation, use specialized oils to protect the skin. This is especially true in the summer season with frequent swimming in reservoirs. Prevention of otitis media includes hardening the ears, taking vitamins and medications that support the immune system. It is also important to promptly treat nasal diseases, which are the main causative factor of middle ear inflammation.

Why can the ear be blocked?

The inflammatory process is not fully treated - this is the main cause of congestion. Most patients, disobeying the advice of doctors, stop therapy after the severity of symptoms decreases. That is why, when drawing up an individual treatment regimen, emphasis is placed on its mandatory duration. This will not only eliminate the problem, but also prevent relapse.

Sulfur plug

Another common reason. During the disease, it is impossible to carry out hygienic cleaning, which provokes the accumulation of discharge from the sulfur glands in the ear canal. The formation of a plug is also facilitated by the purulent nature of the pathology.

After otitis media, the ear may become blocked due to the accumulation of exudate in the cavity of the middle section. Typical for childhood. An older child complains of a feeling of water in the ear, a sharp decrease in hearing, children become capricious and refuse to eat. If the integrity of the eardrum is damaged, exudate may leak out.

Congestion can become a symptom of the development of complications with otitis media. One of these problems is labyrinthitis, which provokes perceptual hearing loss. This is hearing loss that develops as a result of damage to the sound-receiving apparatus of the inner ear, the auditory nerve, or those parts of the auditory analyzer that are located in the cerebral cortex.

Complications of otitis media from the eustachian tubes, which can cause a feeling of congestion:

inflammation (eustachitis) – accompanied by distortion of sound perception, decreased hearing, relapses of otitis media;
allergic swelling of the auditory tubes.

Etiological factors may also be:

neoplasm of any part of the ear;
choleastomy - a tumor-like formation, sharpened by a capsule;
deformation of the auditory ossicles as a result of age-related changes;
mechanical damage.

Treatment

Most often, conductive hearing loss occurs in children, which develops in parallel with acute respiratory infections, prolonged runny nose or otitis media. In addition, the baby may constantly ask questions due to sulfur formation in his ear or the presence of a foreign object in the ear canal. In this case, eliminating the cause of the pathology is the solution to the hearing problem.

In more severe cases, for example, negative changes in the eardrum, long-term rehabilitation of children with hearing impairment is required, since such a pathology requires high-quality and proper treatment.

If hearing loss is a congenital defect, then the only solution is to use a hearing aid. Rehabilitation of children with hearing impairment using this method can be carried out from the first days of life, so it is important to identify the defect in time. The sooner your baby starts wearing a hearing aid, the more effective the hearing correction will be. Recommended use from four months, as after nine months the effect will be worse. Don’t be afraid to show your baby to the doctor; if there is pathology, a timely visit to the hearing care center is required. The sooner you help your baby, the lower the risk that the baby will have developmental problems. It is worth noting that over 80% of cases of hearing loss develop in children in the first two years of life (during the period when the baby has not yet begun to speak).

The hearing aid is selected individually, so it is important to conduct a high-quality diagnostic study that will help determine the degree of hearing impairment and its type. Based on the audiogram, a hearing aid is selected and adjusted. Please note that the development of your baby depends on the literacy of the specialist and the seriousness of the approach to choosing a device. The Transair-07 and Auditon devices have gained popularity; they have better efficiency and a huge number of positive results in correcting hearing in children.

Etiology

How long has the ear been blocked with otitis media? If the ear disease is successfully treated, the unpleasant symptom disappears within 4-5 days. However, approximately 10% of patients complain of the presence of autophony, noise and congestion in the ears for longer than the specified period. The main causes of discomfort include:

tubootitis - catarrhal processes in the mucous membrane of the auditory tube, which lead to blockage of the canal and the formation of a vacuum in the cavity of the middle ear;
stenosis of the ear canal - narrowing of the auditory canal leads to a weakening of sound signals entering the ear, resulting in hearing loss and congestion;
wax plugs - blockage of the external auditory canal with earwax, intensively secreted by the glands during inflammation of the outer ear;
chronicization of otitis - the transition of an acute form of otitis to a sluggish form, characterized by the formation of permanent foci of inflammation in the soft tissues;
labyrinthitis – inflammation in the inner ear, accompanied by damage to the cochlea, auditory nerve, vestibule, etc.;
neoplasms – benign (cholesteatomas) and malignant (basal cell carcinomas) tumors that interfere with the normal transmission of sound signals by the outer and middle ear.

The above reasons often lead to hearing loss, the development of autophony, hearing loss and a feeling of congestion. Inadequate treatment of ear pathology is fraught with the spread of inflammation, which can result in complications such as meningitis, brain abscess, mastoiditis, etc.

Diagnostics

Timely diagnosis becomes a determining factor in successful therapy. Prescribing treatment on your own or neglecting doctors’ recommendations significantly increases the risk of various types of complications.

If there are clear signs of hearing impairment in a child, consultation with an ENT specialist is required.

The list of studies to diagnose the causes of hearing loss includes:

initial examination by a doctor using an otoscope to identify the presence of a narrowing of the passage and identify the accumulation of pus;
audiometry to determine the child’s hearing threshold;
tuning fork test to diagnose the nature of the disorder, which can be bone or air;
impedancemetry to study the middle ear and its condition.

When will ear congestion go away after otitis media?

Doctors often, seeing that there are no signs of otitis media and other pathologies do not clearly manifest themselves, say that deafness will go away with time. And in most cases this is true. The persistence of ear congestion for a short period of time after otitis media is considered normal for the recovery period.

To speed up the process, physiotherapeutic procedures are prescribed: blowing the auditory tube, warming up.

Most patients are interested in the question of when the congestion in the ear will go away after otitis media. There is no clear answer to this question. As a rule, the absence of other signs of the inflammatory process and other pathologies indicates the rapid disappearance of residual effects. Usually it takes 10 to 14 days.

The presence of serious causes requiring treatment may be accompanied by ear congestion until the underlying etiological factor is eliminated (for example, until drainage function is restored or a tumor is removed).

Very often a person is faced with a nuisance - a feeling of ear congestion. At such moments, pain may occur, hearing loss, headache, and a ringing sensation may begin to occur inside. There are several ways to relieve the disease: catheterization, massage, ointment or ear drops.

Congestion, a feeling of pressure and partial deafness of the hearing organ can be caused by a number of reasons:

otitis;
colds;
changing the difference in pressure inside the ear and the environment;
sulfur plug;
ingestion of liquid or foreign object into an organ.

For tubo-otitis

Treatment of tubo-otitis involves fighting inflammation and pain. Can be used:

Otinum. The drug acts as a remedy against inflammation and pain. Suitable for topical use for acute otitis media, external otitis, myringitis. For tubo-otitis, you need to drip 3-4 drops three times a day. The course should not last more than 10 days.
Albucid. This drug is intended for the treatment of eye diseases, but is also used as part of complex therapy for otitis media. A 20% Albucid solution is used. The required dosage must be determined by a doctor. Before instillation, the bottle should be warmed with your hands so as not to cause ear pain. Do not use the medicine if the eardrum has ruptured or if there is pus discharge from the ear.

A runny nose can cause organ congestion; nasal drops are suitable for its treatment:

Naphthyzin. Purpose: treatment of runny nose and tubo-otitis caused by colds, has a vasoconstrictor effect. The dosage is determined according to the severity of the ear disease and the age of the patient. It is not recommended to use it for more than 5 days - addiction may form.
Nazol. Contains oxymetazoline, used to treat runny nose (infections, rhinitis and sinusitis). How to use:
Adults need to do 2-3 presses into each nasal opening 2 times / day.
During use, you do not need to tilt your head back and do not administer the product while lying down. Use is allowed for no more than 5 days, otherwise nasal congestion and runny nose may worsen.

For pressure in the ears

An unpleasant feeling of pressure occurs when flying on an airplane or taking the subway. To relieve symptoms, use medications:

Anauran. Application: external, otitis media, purulent formations after surgery. Use 4-5 drops three times a day for adults, 2-3 drops 3 times a day for children. Drip into the ear with a pipette and leave your head tilted for several minutes.
Droplex. Action: anti-inflammatory, analgesic. How to use: drip the liquid 3-4 drops three times a day, the course of treatment is 10 days. Do not use if you have a ruptured eardrum or are allergic to the drug.

For ear plugs

To remove sulfur plugs, the following are prescribed:

Remo-Wax. The action of the product is aimed at softening and preventing the formation of wax plugs in the ear cavity. You need to drip the medication along the back wall of the ear canal in the amount of 20 drops. Leave the product in the ear cavity for 20-60 minutes, then let it flow out for about 1 minute. Allowed during pregnancy.
A-Cerumen. The product breaks down the fats that make up the ear plug and is suitable for people who need to clean their hearing organs. For A-Cerumen to show effectiveness, you need to drop one ml into both ears twice a day, leave the drug inside for an hour and a half, then rinse the hearing organ with warm boiled water.

Each hearing disease has its own symptoms. Congestion can be accompanied by various manifestations. For example, with otitis media, acute pain often occurs; cerumen plugs provoke a sensation of fluid ingress and partial deafness. Ringing in the ears can be the result of a bacterial disease. You can select effective medications for treatment by consulting a doctor.

If the ear does not hear, but does not hurt, you can use vasoconstrictor drugs:

Galazolin. A topical vasoconstrictor medicine used for runny nose and severe ear congestion caused by a cold. You need to instill the product 2-3 drops no more than 3 times a day.
Vibrocil. The product is used topically for sinusitis, allergic, acute, vasomotor and chronic rhinitis, otitis media. Dosage:
1-6 years – 1-2 drops 3 times a day;
adults – up to 16 drops in each nostril (divided into 3-4 applications).

If your ears hurt

Ear drops for painful ear congestion should contain an anesthetic component:

Ototon. Action: reduction of pain in the ear, elimination of inflammatory processes. Usage: 4 drops 2-3 times a day into the external auditory canal. Before instillation, warm the bottle in your hand. Should not be used if the eardrum is ruptured or if you are allergic to substances in the medication.
Otipax. Ear drops act very gently, removing all symptoms of inflammatory processes and pain. The drug is considered safe and can even be used to treat newborns. How to use: adults and children instill 3-4 drops three times a day, course duration is 10 days.

The medications have virtually no contraindications. The only reason for this, indicated in the instructions for use, is an allergic reaction to the components of the medication. However, before treating the ear with Otofa or analogues, it is necessary for the doctor to determine the cause of the congestion. If an unpleasant sensation is caused by a bacterial infection, adults need to drip 5 drops into the ear canal three times a day, children - 9 drops per day, dividing this dose into 3 doses.

This sensation may appear if liquid gets inside the organ, for example, after a shower or a sulfur plug appears. If you squelch after swimming, do not resort to using medications. You just need to tilt your head or lie on your side to let the unwanted water drain out. To enhance the effect, you can take a few sips. In the second case, it is useful to use drugs for earwax: Remo-Vax or A-Cerumen.

What to do when the ear does not hear, but does not hurt

Sometimes it happens that the ear does not hear, but does not hurt. This may be after various diseases or for some other reasons. It is important to see a doctor in time, because hearing helps a person enjoy life, hear nature and the voices of relatives.

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Adequate diagnosis and treatment of the disease is possible under the supervision of a conscientious doctor. Any medications have contraindications.

Clinical manifestations

Approximately every 10th patient develops temporary hearing loss after treatment for ear diseases. This may be due to insufficiently rapid regeneration of affected tissues or the development of complications. If ear congestion remains after otitis, you should undergo an examination by an otolaryngologist. Direct indications for contacting a doctor will be:

autoacusis;
hearing loss;
headache;
dizziness;
noise in ears;
heaviness in the head.

Important! Constant dizziness may indicate damage to the vestibular apparatus and the development of labyrinthitis.

The symptomatic picture may be supplemented by hyperthermia, otorrhea, nausea and malaise, which often signal the development of purulent otitis media. If the above symptoms occur, you need to undergo antibacterial therapy. Untimely elimination of ulcers can lead to the development of mastoiditis and even sepsis.

Ear congestion may be accompanied by the following symptoms:

sensation of noise or water in the ears;
headache of a pressing nature, heaviness;
ringing in the head and ears;
distorted perception of one's own voice;
a sharp decrease in hearing level.

Congestion itself is considered an unpleasant phenomenon that causes constant discomfort in the patient. There are cases of dizziness, hyperthermia, severe weakness, vomiting and nausea. As a rule, there is no pain at this moment; there may be complaints of a slight tingling in the ear canal with irradiation to the area of the auricle.

During the examination, the specialist discovers the following manifestations:

redness of the eardrum;
discoloration and appearance of turbidity of the membrane;
protrusion or thinning;
the presence of discharge of a different nature (serous, purulent, serous-purulent).

Physiotherapy and surgery

If the negative consequences of otitis media that occur in children are associated with impaired functioning of the elements of the auditory chain, auxiliary techniques must be used to eliminate them. These include physical therapy and surgery. First of all, traditional methods are used, and then more radical approaches are considered.

To restore hearing function against the background of inflammation caused by otitis media, the following methods are used:

rinsing the ear cavity;
pneumomassage of the eardrum;
acupuncture;
magnetic therapy;
laser therapy;
warming up with a blue lamp.

The child can perform some similar procedures himself. For example, to relieve congestion, you can press your palms to your ears and then sharply move them away. Or try exhaling with your nose pinched and then swallowing a few times or yawning.

More serious complications are treated surgically. For this purpose, tympanoplasty is performed, aimed at restoring the sound transmission chain. It includes plastic surgery of the ear cavity, restoration of the auditory ossicles and eardrum.

If this occurs, eardrum bypass may be necessary. A tube is inserted into a small incision to drain exudate and ventilate the middle ear. Some time after shunting, the ability to hear will be completely restored, provided there are no serious pathologies. The shunt often falls out on its own after about six months.

Development mechanism

Why is the ear stuffy after otitis media? In approximately 70% of cases of ear pathologies, patients are diagnosed with otitis media.

The disease is characterized by damage to the mucous membranes of the tympanic cavity and the Eustachian tube. In turn, the auditory tube performs two important functions:

drainage – prevents the accumulation of serous effusions in the middle ear cavity;
ventilation – levels the difference in pressure in the cavity of the outer and middle ear.

During inflammation, the mucous membranes of the ear canal swell, which leads to blockage. For this reason, negative pressure is created in the tympanic cavity, as a result of which the eardrum is literally retracted into the middle ear. Pathological processes are always accompanied by the occurrence of uncomfortable sensations, which include congestion, a feeling of fluid transfusion inside the ear, heaviness in the head, etc.

What to do? After purulent otitis, the ear still has difficulty hearing.

Answers:

Someone's joy

Go to the ENT, of course. But after purulent otitis media this often happens. It will pass with time. My daughter began to hear better a month after otitis media.

Vincos

go to the ENT specialist for an appointment.

Lydia — —

The eardrum may be damaged, a possible complication of otitis media, do not hesitate, be sure to visit an ENT doctor

Natalia Belka

rinsing is necessary but see a doctor

Lyudmila

The ENT specialist will prescribe ear suppositories and physiotherapy - electrophoresis, magnetic therapy, etc. from folk remedies - insert a geranium (memory leaf), rolled into a tube, into the ear for a couple of hours during the day and at night.

Lena Ivanova

was otitis media cured? and since purulent otitis media means there was a perforation (rupture of the eardrum), but it has healed? or what did the ENT say?

if everything is fine with the drum and there is no hole, in Russian speaking, then you need to go to the doctor and find out if it is retracted, if it is retracted, etc. - then it could be tubootitis / eustachitis - it can be blown out - this is done by an ENT specialist

Elimination of pathology

You can get rid of ear congestion using traditional medicine and folk methods. Any measures should be discussed with your doctor. This will speed up the healing process and prevent the development of further complications.

Inflammatory causes require the prescription of systemic antibacterial drugs (cephalosporins, penicillins, macrolides) and local therapy in the form of ear drops (Otipax, Sofradex). To relieve swelling and restore patency of the Eustachian tubes, vasoconstrictor nasal drops (Galazolin, Otrivin, Nazol) are prescribed. Their use will ensure the restoration of drainage function and improve the outflow of accumulated fluid in the middle ear cavity.
If the cause is a viral pathology, the use of antiviral drugs (Interferon, Groprinosin) is necessary. The allergic component requires the prescription of antihistamines (Suprastin, Diazolin, Loratadine). If necessary, turundas with hormonal drugs (Hydrocortisone) are administered to relieve local inflammation and swelling.
In the presence of a tumor process and anatomical defects, surgical intervention is used. Neoplasms require further chemotherapy and radiation therapy. After acute manifestations begin to subside, preference is given to physiotherapeutic procedures (electrophoresis, UHF therapy).

At home, you can use traditional methods:

Using propolis infusion. The solution has anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. It can be made on a water or alcohol basis. The substance is applied to the turunda and injected into the ear canal or a few drops are instilled into the sore ear.
Aloe leaf juice. It is advisable to dilute the juice half and half with warm water, as it may cause an unwanted local allergic reaction or irritation. Place 3 drops into the ear twice a day.
Warming procedures. It can be carried out only after consultation with a doctor, since there are a number of contraindications (for example, tumors, purulent processes, acute periods of inflammation). Incorrect use will lead to generalization of pathology and serious complications.
Swallowing movements. This method allows you to either partially eliminate the problem or stop manifestations that do not have serious causes. You can use chewing gum and candy.

There is no need to be afraid to seek specialized help and rely on chance. Timely diagnosis and compliance with doctors’ advice is the key to a favorable outcome and speedy recovery.