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Otitis Media Introduction |
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Acute Otitis Media, or ear
ache, is a common childhood
illness that may also occasionally
occur in older children and
adults. This condition often
occurs secondary to an upper
respiratory tract infection (URI), though it can occur by itself as
well. A viral or bacterial
infection is usually to blame, and treatment must
be geared towards the correct
causative organism.
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Acute Otitis Media occurs when
organisms move through the
Eustachian tubes into the
middle ear, and there cause
infection.
[1]
Eustachian tubes are those that
connect the throat to the middle
ear, and allow the pressure in the
middle ear to remain normal with
the outside air.
In acute otitis
media, the onset of symptoms is
usually rapid. Symptoms can
include;
Infants will tend to
pull at their ears, and often will refuse to
nurse or sleep. There may also be
fluids that ooze from the ear canal
that may be purulent
and/or bloody in appearance. [2] A steady increase in the intensity
of symptoms, followed by a sudden
cessation of symptoms (i.e. infant
stops crying), may be a key indicator that the eardrum has burst. There
are several other signs and symptoms
that must be interpreted by a
physician.
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