Acute and Chronic Otitis Treatment
Chronic otitis media is characterized by persistent infection of the middle ear mucosa lasting more than 3 months. Infection progresses in cases where inflammation in the middle ear is not treated in the early period or is inadequately treated. The progressive and destructive infection causes perforation in the eardrum, deterioration of the middle ear structures and inflammation in other tissues around the ear.
What Causes Chronic Middle Ear Inflammation?
The most common cause of chronic otitis media is inadequate or inappropriate treatment of acute otitis media. In some cases, individual anatomical variations may also make it difficult for otitis media to heal, causing it to become chronic or recurrent. Recurrent acute otitis media attacks cause a hole in the eardrum after a while. Inability of the Eustachian tube to fully function, low immune system, chronic sinusitis, frequent upper respiratory tract infections and poor environmental conditions also predispose to chronic otitis media.
How Does Chronic Middle Ear Inflammation Affect the Eardrum?
In chronic otitis media, that is, in chronic otitis media, the eardrum is usually not healthy and intact. The eardrum is perforated. This hole can be as small as the size of a pinhead, or it can be nearly complete, including the entire membrane. The part of the eardrum of the perforation (hole) is important in terms of treatment. Perforation is called marginal (at the edge) and central (central) according to where it occurs. If the perforation extends to the bony ring, called the annulus, into which the eardrum fits, it is marginal. Marginal perforations can occur even in the pars flaxida, which forms the upper part of the eardrum and has a more flexible structure. Perforations in this region affect hearing more. If it does not reach the annulus, the perforation is defined as central. Perforations that occur in the tense part of the eardrum, the pars tensa, are central perforations and are generally less dangerous. During chronic otitis media, calcification foci called myringosclerosis and tympanosclerosis may occur in the intact parts of the eardrum or in the middle ear mucosa.