Symptoms of secretory otitis media

Secretory otitis media usually affects one ear in adults. When the disease occurs, the patient will feel a sticky liquid in the ear, which is very uncomfortable. Severe problems can cause the entire ear to lose hearing. Secretory otitis media is most common in children. Because children do not understand what otitis media is, it is not discovered until hearing problems occur. This will seriously affect children's hearing. Parents should always pay attention to their children's every move.

There is no obvious pain or symptoms for secretory otitis media, so most people cannot detect otitis media in time, which leads to serious illness. In the early stages of secretory otitis media, there will be pus-like fluid in the ear. If you find this happening, you must seek medical attention immediately.

Specific causes and symptoms of secretory otitis media

Otitis media, commonly known as "rotten ears", is an inflammation of the tympanic cavity mucosa. When the bacteria enter the tympanic cavity, inflammation occurs when the resistance is weakened or the bacterial toxins are enhanced, which manifests as ear pain (worse at night), fever, chills, bitter taste in the mouth, red or yellow urine, constipation, hearing loss, etc. If the eardrum is perforated, pus will flow out of the ear and the pain will be relieved, which often exists at the same time as chronic mastoiditis. If the acute stage is not treated thoroughly, it will turn into chronic otitis media. Depending on the physical condition and climate changes, pus will often flow out of the ear, sometimes more and sometimes less, and it may last for many years. Traditional Chinese medicine calls this disease "ear pus" or "ear scurvy", and believes that it is caused by the prevalence of damp-heat (fire) evil qi in the liver and gallbladder.

Acute suppurative otitis media is more common in infants and young children clinically, mainly because the Eustachian tube, the passage from the ear to the throat in children, is shorter, thicker, and straighter than that in adults. Children are more susceptible to respiratory diseases such as colds, which can easily cause Eustachian tube inflammation, and bacteria enter the middle ear and cause the disease. In addition, when children are eating and choking or vomiting occurs, food can easily enter the middle ear through the Eustachian tube and cause inflammation.

Earache, headache, dizziness, fever, mild cases with low fever, severe cases with fever, body temperature can be as high as 40℃, may be accompanied by vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite and other systemic symptoms. Babies who can't talk cry and are restless, often scratching their ears. After 1-2 days, the eardrum is perforated and pus flows out, and symptoms such as ear pain are alleviated. If the treatment is not timely or thorough, it can easily turn into chronic otitis media.

Self-treatment precautions

(1) Actively treat nasopharyngeal diseases to prevent bacteria from entering the middle ear and causing inflammation.

(2) Do not blow your nose forcefully or rinse your nasal cavity casually. Do not close both nostrils at the same time. Blow your nose crosswise.

(3) When removing earwax from the bottom, be very careful and moisten it before removing to avoid damaging the eardrum.

(4) After swimming to shore, tilt your head and hop on one foot to let the water in your ears flow out. It is best to use a cotton swab to absorb the moisture.

(5) During the acute phase, take rest and keep the nasal cavity open.

(6) People with chronic otitis media should not swim.

(7) Strengthen physical exercise, improve rest quality, and reduce colds.

(8) Avoid spicy foods, such as ginger, pepper, wine, mutton, chili peppers, etc.

(9) Do not take heat-inducing tonic medicines, such as ginseng, cinnamon, aconite, deer antler, bullwhip, and tonic paste.

(10) Eat more fresh vegetables that have the effect of clearing heat and reducing inflammation, such as celery, loofah, eggplant, shepherd's purse, basil, yellow

Melon, bitter melon, etc.

(11) If a bug enters your ear canal, do not be impatient or try to catch it forcefully. Instead, drop some cooking oil into your ear to kill the bug and then catch it.

As long as we pay more attention to it in our daily lives, we can reduce the chance of secretory otitis media. Although this disease does not seem to be very serious, the condition will change over time. People who have already suffered from secretory otitis media should be extra careful and never let water enter their ears when taking a bath or washing their hair to avoid infection and more serious consequences.