Otitis is considered a disease in which an inflammatory process develops in the middle ear region behind the eardrum. This is accompanied by a rather painful sensation. After proper treatment, in most cases there are no complications. Nevertheless, sometimes (5-10%) patients complain of stuffy ears after otitis media. Why does this happen? It’s worth sorting it out.
Root cause
It is worth saying a few words about an inflammatory disease called otitis media, which causes complications. The appearance of inflammation is due to the harmful effects of various microorganisms (viruses, bacteria), ear injury. Also, the disease can occur against the background of caries, measles, sore throat, scarlet fever.
Often, preschool children are susceptible to the disease, but it can also occur in adults. Otitis manifests itself in different ways:
- External damage - due to the closure of the ear canal, the passage of sound waves is limited.
- Damage to the middle ear - in this case, pus accumulates, which leads to disruption of the functioning of the organ of hearing: audibility decreases, noise, echo, congestion appears.
- Otitis media of the inner ear - not only congestion appears, but the temperature rises sharply, the pain takes on a shooting character and gives to the head.
The treatment of this disease, as well as congestion of the ears after otitis media, is best done under stationary conditions. But after a positive outcome, for some time the patient will feel congestion in the ear.
A number of complications after otitis media
If an inflammatory process is detected in the ear, treatment should be started immediately. Otherwise, there may be serious consequences that simply cannot be avoided. You should not rely on the old Russian custom - "maybe it will carry over." The main consequences are:
- Hearing loss. Such a complication occurs most often, while the hearing may decrease significantly or it completely disappears. But after treatment, everything is completely restored. At the same time, in some cases, this process is irreversible, and hearing is lost forever. Unfortunately, this concerns children to a greater extent.
- Meningitis. This complication of otitis media occurs when the treatment of the disease is ignored. The inflammatory process is already spreading to the brain.
- Eardrum rupture. It occurs due to the accumulation of purulent mass.
- An inflammation of the facial nerve occurs.
- The functionality of the gastrointestinal tract is impaired.
- The development of mastoiditis.
- The transition of the disease to the chronic phase. In children, an untreated disease results in a relapse.
All of these complications can be avoided by following proper and timely therapeutic procedures. In addition, it is useful to monitor your immunity, strengthening it, and maintain a balanced diet.
Causes of Complications
We have already met the enemy, now it remains to find out why the stuffy ear after otitis media does not go away. Normally, the pressure in the external auditory canal and in the middle ear is the same. The Eustachian tube, which, in fact, is the canal located between the middle ear and pharynx, is responsible for its alignment between these two areas. If there are no violations in this organ, then the air freely passes through the channel, equalizing the pressure.
But if the Eustachian tube is narrowed or patency is impaired in it, the air circulation stops. As a result, the middle ear cavity becomes closed with other pressure values. As a result - stuffiness in the ear.
There are many reasons why this can happen:
- viral diseases;
- nasal infection;
- lingering rhinitis;
- colds;
- deformation of the nose (acquired or congenital);
- inflammation of the middle ear.
As a rule, congestion of ears after otitis is manifested in the form of swelling of the Eustachian canal in the presence of a concomitant disease or inflammation. Congestion occurs in patients regardless of age. Both infants and elderly people are subject to this.
But more often this phenomenon occurs among children under 10 years old. This is due to the fact that the child has an Eustachian tube, due to the peculiarity of its structure, significantly narrower than that of adults. Therefore, the violation of the channel is faster. But the main reason is the incomplete treatment of otitis media.
Clinical picture
Many patients after recovery do not know how to remove ear congestion after otitis media. Depending on how the inflammatory process proceeds, in each case its own symptoms. People who develop an external form of the disease often have the following complaints:
- Throbbing pain in temples, teeth, neck.
- The auditory meatus is red.
- Presence of purulent mass in the ear cavity.
- Hearing loss occurs quickly.
Signs of middle ear damage are slightly different:
- The presence of pain in the ears of a shooting character.
- Nausea and vomiting.
- The appearance of noise in the ear.
- Hearing loss also occurs in a short time.
With inflammation of the inner ear, dizziness is added to nausea and vomiting. If, after treatment of the disease, congestion in the ear has not passed, it is necessary to find out the cause of this phenomenon. Those signs that are listed above do not always indicate the occurrence of a complication after otitis media. There are certain pathologies with similar symptoms. Therefore, only the attending physician can identify the ailment.
To eliminate the symptoms of otitis media in children and treatment, a certain period of time is required, and it all depends on the severity of the disease. The main thing is that you must strictly follow the instructions of a specialist, taking the prescribed medications strictly according to the schedule.
What can be done?
There are various ways to remove congestion in the ear. You can even resort to the advice of traditional healers. However, it should be remembered that self-medication can lead to different consequences. But to delay the treatment is not worth it, as if it were not even worse. Seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Depending on the form of otitis media in children, symptoms and treatment differ in individual characteristics. Those drugs that help one patient may not always be suitable for other patients. This is due to the individual characteristics of the body of each person. In this regard, to prescribe the necessary medications is the prerogative of the attending physician.
Diagnostics
The ENT doctor, or otolaryngologist, is involved in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the ear, throat, and nose. In the people it is also called “ear-throat-nose”. Only he will be able to prescribe the necessary medications, after having examined the patient. And after the cause of congestion in the ears is established, all efforts are directed towards its elimination.
If this is somehow connected with an abnormality in the structure of the nose of a congenital or acquired nature, surgery may be prescribed to eliminate the defect. In the case when the ailment is provoked by a cold, ear stuffiness after otitis is removed by taking antiviral drugs.
During recovery from otitis media, it is important to be vigilant, which allows you to notice discharge from the ear. The fact is that they usually happen if the disease was started. Then, the formation of purulent masses is added to the ongoing inflammatory process, which may be fraught with a worsening of the patient's condition.
For this reason, it is worth contacting the otolaryngologist, and not the therapist. The latter can write out a referral to the ENT doctor.
Drug therapy
Despite the fact that congestion in the ears is a frequent phenomenon, some patients do not take it seriously, thinking that you can do without the help of a doctor. But such an approach to one’s own health is only harmful. After all, only a doctor can determine the reason for the preservation of such a phenomenon after a disease.
Based on this, usually the treatment of ear congestion after otitis media is carried out using the following drugs:
- The elimination of bacteria is carried out using antibiotics.
- If the cause of the disease is sulfuric plug, then it is removed by surgery, after which a medicine is buried in the ear.
- With external inflammation, the use of alcohol compresses is allowed, the introduction of turunds soaked in alcohol. Only the use of these funds without the approval of the attending physician is highly not recommended. Otherwise, the disease becomes chronic, or complete hearing loss may occur.
In addition, you can wash your ears with boric acid or a solution of "Furacilin". It is worth considering one important point - if pus is released from the ear, it is necessary to stop using warming compresses and drops.
What drops can I use?
Often, when the ears are stuffy, the doctor may approve the use of drops that will help in eliminating noise, restoring hearing.
Recommended remedies:
- Otipax - contains lidocaine, thanks to which not only congestion of the ear and noise after otitis are eliminated, but also the pain syndrome is removed. Active substances are not able to penetrate the bloodstream, and therefore their use by pregnant women is allowed.
- "Otofa" - has an antibacterial composition. Using these drops, you can effectively fight the infection, but at the same time, they do not relieve pain.
- "Normax" - contains a broad-spectrum antibiotic. The result of the application can be expected on the next day.
These drops can significantly alleviate the condition of the patient, but it is unlikely that it will be possible to cure diseases only with their help. This requires an integrated approach to solving the problem.
Physiotherapy
But if the stuffiness of the ear after otitis bothers, what should I do besides using drops? To do this, you can take a course of physiotherapy. The main goal in this case is to eliminate puffiness and normalize blood circulation. These procedures include:
- Magnetotherapy - therapy is carried out through exposure to a low-frequency magnetic field.
- Pneumatic massage - airflows are sent to the affected ear.
- Amplipulse therapy - with this manipulation, the sinusoidal modular currents (SMT) are applied to the affected ear. The device causes a reduction in muscle tissue, which leads to normalization of blood flow and the removal of swelling.
- Sollux is a device that affects the affected organ of hearing with an ultraviolet lamp. The duration of therapy can be from 15 to 60 minutes, depending on the severity of the disease.
- UHF - this therapy is indicated when the disease is in a chronic stage and the complication of otitis media has become permanent. An electromagnetic field is also used here, but already a high-frequency one.
For obvious reasons, all these procedures are performed only in hospitals.
Treatment with traditional medicine
In addition to traditional treatment, you can resort to the experience of traditional healers. Only previously it is better to consult with a specialist in this regard.
Good folk remedies can be considered as follows:
- Propolis tincture. It is done on water or alcohol. The mixture is applied to turunda, after which it is inserted into the affected organ of hearing for 10-12 hours. As a result, the inflammatory process is eliminated and pathogens are destroyed.
- Aloe, or rather its juice. True, in its pure form it is not recommended to use it in order to avoid the occurrence of allergies. For this reason, aloe juice must be mixed with water in equal proportions. With the resulting product, the diseased ear is instilled in the amount of 3 drops 2 times a day.
- Warming up. Only before conducting such a procedure, you must obtain the permission of your doctor. Otherwise, serious consequences of otitis media may begin.
- Tea tree oil. This remedy has an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory effect, which is important in the case of purulent otitis media. Before use, the product must be warmed up, then dripped in three ears in three drops and left for about 10 minutes. Then remove excess oil with a clean cotton swab.
- Onion juice. This tool also helps to eliminate the inflammatory process. If you mix it with vodka, you can increase the efficiency. Drip three drops in a sore ear.
In addition, there are funds for other uses. Salt (half a dessert spoon) should be diluted in a glass of warm water (200 ml). Gargle with the resulting solution. After some time, congestion in the ear passes, the patency of the nasal passages improves.
If, after exudative otitis media, ear congestion caused by viscous exudate remained, then to dilute it, you should use a warm drink in the form of herbal teas, broths, warm milk. Drink as much fluid as possible.
When should nasal congestion pass?
According to experts, the congestion that remained after treatment of otitis media is considered quite normal. This complication usually goes away on its own, without any help. On average, it usually takes about 3-4 weeks to completely get rid of congestion in the ears with a return of hearing.
This is due to the fact that the hole in the eardrum needs to be tightened, which does not happen quickly, contrary to desire. This happens in most cases, however, as noted above, sometimes congestion persists.
Conclusion
Many of us, at the right moment, are interested in not only when the stuffy ear after otitis media will pass, but also what can be done in this case. Now, armed with the proposed knowledge, you can easily cope with an ailment, from which there is no less discomfort than from a common cold. And even more.