Eustachitis is one of the most common complications after acute upper respiratory tract infections. This is an inflammatory process that occurs in the Eustachian tube, which connects the tympanic cavity with the nasopharynx. The disease has several more names - tubo-otitis, salpingo-otitis. Treatment of Eustachitis with early diagnosis is simple and short-lived, and neglected tubo-otitis can turn into purulent otitis media of the middle ear.
Main reasons
Inflammation of the auditory tube has rather blurred symptoms, which significantly complicates its diagnosis. Therefore, a final diagnosis can be made only after a comprehensive examination, which includes otoscopy, smear analysis for microflora and other procedures.
Most often, the symptoms of Eustachitis in an adult are manifested through:
- the appearance of noise or ringing in the ears;
- persistent or intermittent congestion;
- a decrease in the auditory threshold;
- autophony (amplification of the sound of your own voice);
- a feeling of fullness in the ear with fluid.
Possible (but not always!) Quite strong pain and fever, headaches, dizziness. These are symptoms characterizing acute tubo-otitis and treatment should be started immediately, as it can provoke purulent inflammation of the middle ear.
In the chronic course of the disease, tubo-otitis gives symptoms only in the exacerbation stage, and during periods of remission it can proceed unnoticed. However, if untreated, it leads to atrophy of the tissues of the tympanic membrane, it loses sensitivity and hearing loss gradually develops.
Therefore, if chronic eustachitis is diagnosed, treatment must necessarily take place under the supervision of a doctor until complete recovery, after which preventive examinations by an otolaryngologist are required about once every six months.
Symptoms of the disease
Only a doctor should decide how to treat tubo-otitis in adults. It all depends on the symptoms, the degree of development of the disease and the reasons for its occurrence. Most often, Eustachitis develops when pathogenic microorganisms enter the auditory tube. To do this, the infection has two ways: from the nasopharynx or from the tympanic cavity of the middle ear. In this case, it is necessary to use antibacterial drugs, which are individually selected by the doctor.
But this is not the only reason why Eustachitis occurs. It often accompanies diseases such as:
- chronic inflammation of polyps and adenoids;
- acute inflammation of the upper respiratory tract;
- viral diseases transmitted by airborne droplets;
- curvature of the nasal septum;
- allergic reactions accompanied by swelling.
If a patient has an allergic tubo-otitis, the treatment is usually more complicated and longer than with an infectious one. It often becomes chronic and immediately aggravated in the presence of any allergens.
Effective treatment
Effective treatment of tubo-otitis in adults is possible only with accurate identification of the cause that caused the disease. Since inflammation of the auditory tube in most cases is not an independent disease. At an early stage, it is easiest to cure infectious tubo-otitis. To do this, it is enough to use antibiotics or phytopreparations with antimicrobial action.
The introduction of solutions of antibacterial drugs directly into the auditory tube helps well in the treatment of infectious tubo-otitis. This manipulation is simple and practically painless, but a specialist should do it. The medicine acts directly on the site of inflammation, and it quickly passes. Excellent results are obtained by connecting physiotherapeutic procedures: UHF, microcurrent therapy, electrophoresis.
The situation is complicated when Eustachitis symptoms are unexpressed. It can manifest itself as acute and purulent otitis media that often occur for no apparent reason, or as persistent tinnitus. This happens with enlarged adenoids or polyps, compressing the auditory tube and disrupting normal air circulation. Treatment of tubo-otitis with medicines will then be ineffective. An operation is required to remove adenoids or polyps.
The only way to treat allergic tubo-otitis in adults is to regularly take antihistamines and completely stop contact with the allergen. It can be very difficult to identify what exactly causes an allergy.
Therefore, if tubo-otitis manifests symptoms exclusively in repetitive situations, then you should seek the advice of an allergist.
Prevention and complications
If untreated, tubo-otitis becomes chronic. This is highly undesirable because the Eustachian tube allows the same pressure to be generated on both sides of the eardrum. When the eustachian tube is blocked, air presses on the eardrum and causes constant tension on it. As a result, she loses sensitivity and sclerotic changes begin to occur in it, leading to a gradual loss of hearing.
For the prevention of eustachitis, it is imperative to treat a runny nose, while it is advisable to include vasoconstrictor drugs in the course of therapy that relieve puffiness.
You also need to learn how to blow your nose correctly - alternately cleansing the nostrils, since blowing them simultaneously leads to the creation of great pressure in the Eustachian tube. You can not refuse antibiotics if they are prescribed by a doctor. And at the first signs of hearing loss - immediately to the otolaryngologist, until the disease becomes chronic.
