Otitis Media with Effusion: Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis | Otitis media with effusion treatment

TreatmentOtitisMediawithEffusionMedicallyreviewedbyKarenGill,M.D.—WrittenbyRachelNall,MSN,CRNA—UpdatedonSeptember17,2018CausesSymptomsDiagnosisTreatmentPreventionComplicationsOutlookWhatisotitismediawitheffusion?Theeustachiantubedrainsfluidfromyourearstothebackofyourthroat.Ifitclogs,otitismediawitheffusion(OME)canoccur.IfyouhaveOME,themiddlepartofyourearfillswithfluid,whichcanincreasetheriskofearinfection.OMEisverycommon.AccordingtotheAgencyofHealthcareResearchandQuality,about90percentofchildrenwillhaveOMEatleastoncebytheageof10.WhatcausesOME?ChildrenaremorelikelytoexperienceOMEduetotheshapeoftheireustachiantubes.Theirtubesareshorterandhavesmalleropenings.Thisincreasestheriskofcloggingandinfection.Children’seustachiantubesarealsoorientedmorehorizontallythaninadults.Thismakesitmoredifficultforfluidtodrainfromthemiddleear.Andchildrenhavemorefrequentcoldsandotherviralillnessesthatcansetthemupformorefluidinthemiddleearandmoreearinfections.OMEisn’tanearinfection,buttheycanberelated.Forexample,anearinfectioncanaffecthowwellfluidflowsthroughthemiddleear.Evenaftertheinfectionisgone,fluidmayremain.Also,ablockedtubeandexcessfluidcanprovidetheidealenvironmentforbacteriatogrow.Thiscanleadtoanearinfection.Allergies,airirritants,andrespiratoryinfectionscanallcauseOME.Changesinairpressurecanclosetheeustachiantubeandaffectfluidflow.Thesecausesmightbeduetoflyinginanairplaneorbydrinkingwhilelyingdown.AcommonmisconceptionisthatwaterintheearcancauseOME.Thisisuntrue.WhatarethesymptomsofOME?OMEisn’ttheresultofaninfection.Symptomsareoftenmildorminimal,andcanvarybasedonachild’sage.ButnotallchildrenwithOMEhavesymptomsoractorfeelsick.OnecommonsymptomofOMEishearingproblems.Inyoungerchildren,behaviorchangescanbeasymptomofhearingproblems.Forexample,achildmayturnthetelevisionuplouderthanusual.Theymayalsotugorpullontheirears.OlderchildrenandadultswhohaveOMEoftendescribesoundasmuffled.Andtheymayhavethefeelingthattheearisfulloffluid.HowisOMEdiagnosed?Adoctorwillexaminetheearusinganotoscope,whichisa


常見健康問答


延伸文章資訊