The common ear disease, tubo-otitis, in which the Eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the nasopharynx, becomes inflamed, has several varieties. It usually begins in an acute form, when the mucous lining of the right or left auditory tube is affected. With inadequate treatment or its absence, the disease becomes chronic, or the second ear becomes inflamed, and then bilateral tubo-otitis is diagnosed.
Symptoms and Causes
Bilateral acute tubo-otitis has the same symptoms as unilateral, but they can be more pronounced, especially when both auditory tubes are blocked. In this case, the autophony is very pronounced - the person has the impression that he hears his own voice right in his head. Phenomena such as:
- sharp and severe hearing loss;
- frequent dizziness;
- loud noise alternately in each ear or in both ears at once;
- sensation of painful distention of the eardrums.
The body temperature often rises to 39 degrees or more. Often, the inflammatory process is accompanied by strong pain, especially if bilateral tubo-otitis has already struck the tympanic cavity and caused the formation of purulent discharge. Accumulating behind the eardrum, they exert constant pressure on it, disrupt blood circulation and can lead to perforation or rupture.
The main reason why tubo-otitis becomes bilateral is the wrong treatment.
With infectious eustachitis, intensive therapy should be aimed primarily at suppressing pathogenic microflora. It is the refusal of patients from antibiotics that often leads to bilateral illness. Most often this happens in a child whose parents are trying to cure him with home methods.
The onset of the disease is provoked by the same factors as the development of unilateral tubo-otitis:
- pathogenic microflora;
- curvature of the nasal septum;
- nasal congestion;
- inflammation of the maxillary sinuses;
- allergic reactions;
- overgrowth of polyps and adenoids.
Constantly inflamed tonsils, enlarged adenoids, chronic diseases of the upper respiratory tract are a source of infection, without eliminating which it will not be possible to avoid the transition of tubo-otitis into a chronic form.
Treatment features
Treatment of bilateral tubo-otitis should be comprehensive and intensive. It is advisable to apply techniques such as:
antibiotic therapy;- anti-inflammatory drugs;
- blowing out the auditory tube;
- pneumatic massage;
- antihistamines;
- vasoconstrictor drops.
antibiotic therapy;With a strong increase in body temperature, you can use antipyretic drugs for a short time, with severe pain - pain relievers.
Manipulations such as a puncture of the tympanic membrane, restoration of the patency of the auditory tube, physiotherapy procedures should be performed alternately in both ears. Otherwise, they will not give the desired effectiveness, and the disease will move from one side to the other until it becomes chronic.
Treatment of bilateral tubo-otitis with home remedies is ineffective. It can only lead to a worsening of the situation and the appearance of such complications as bilateral purulent otitis media or inflammation of the meninges.
It is especially dangerous to do heating on your own without a doctor's permission. You can connect folk remedies only when the period of exacerbation has already passed, and the patient is at the stage of recovery.
Prevention and complications
It is very important to know when bilateral tubo otitis is diagnosed that this disease can progress rapidly and lead to the development of hearing loss. In this case, in both ears, the eardrums are constantly under strong tension. This leads to the fact that, trying to resist pressure, they thicken, and their elasticity decreases rapidly. They can no longer react so sensitively to sound vibrations, and the patient rapidly loses hearing.
In order to prevent possible complications in some cases with acute unilateral tubo-otitis, the doctor will recommend using ear drops and vasoconstrictor drugs for both ears at once, and this should be heeded. The drugs will prevent the transfer of inflammation to the second ear and promote a speedy recovery.
Additional measures for the prevention of bilateral tubo-otitis are:
taking multivitamin preparations;- constant increase in immunity;
- thorough cleansing of the nose with a runny nose;
- strict adherence to doctor's prescriptions;
- good nutrition;
- quitting bad habits (especially smoking);
- wearing hats in cold weather.
taking multivitamin preparations;If you experience ear pain or other unpleasant or unusual symptoms, you should not delay your visit to the doctor. Cope with bilateral tubo-otitis is much more difficult than with unilateral, and it quickly becomes chronic.
