One of the first aid methods for otitis media in adults and children after 5 years is warming procedures. Warming of the ear area with heated salt or sand, as well as the thermal effect of an UFO lamp, UHF currents, is very popular. Compresses with various warming substances are also widely used.
However, when prescribing these procedures, it must be remembered that physiotherapeutic effects can only be an auxiliary method of treatment. In most cases, therapeutic measures for otitis media consist in the appointment of ear drops that have an antiseptic, anti-inflammatory or antibacterial effect. Often, especially in severe cases of the disease, systemic antibiotics may also be needed.
Preparation of compresses
Despite the difference in the solutions used for the procedure, the compresses look identical, and their preparation goes through the following stages:
- A wide bandage or gauze is folded in 5-6 layers, turning into a square with a side of 10 cm;
- An ear hole is made in the center;
- The bandage is moistened with a medicinal solution;
- A square is cut out of waxed paper or polyethylene, slightly exceeding the gauze in area;
- The ear is pushed through a hole in wet gauze, covered with prepared paper or polyethylene and a layer of cotton wool so that the compress retains heat for as long as possible;
- You can attach it to your ear using a scarf or hat;
- The duration of the procedure is usually 3-4 hours. In cases where there is no threat of eardrum perforation, the compress can be left overnight.
If, after the procedure, there is a deterioration in the general condition, the pain in the ear increases, the compress must be removed and the otolaryngologist should be consulted regarding further tactics.
Components used
Compress for otitis media is usually prepared using 70% ethyl alcohol, diluted in half with water, or vodka. Camphor alcohol or oil can also be used. In addition, other products from the home first aid kit are popular. For example, a decoction of chamomile has a pronounced antiseptic effect. Dry
its flowers are poured with boiling water, infused for half an hour, then heated to the desired temperature. In the future, the compress is prepared in the usual way.
Grated boiled beets can be used as a component for making a compress. A spoonful of honey is added to the resulting gruel, the agent is heated in a water bath and placed in the form of a cake on a prepared gauze napkin. The therapeutic effect of compresses for otitis media is based on the warming effect, as well as the antiseptic property of the solution included in it.
In addition to vodka, alcohol and herbal decoctions or infusions, compresses are used on the ear for otitis media using camphor oil, the presence of which allows you to keep warm for a long time, thereby increasing the effectiveness of the procedure. However, when using components such as honey or camphor oil for medicinal purposes, it must be borne in mind that these substances are powerful allergens. In those cases, when it comes to a patient prone to the development of allergic reactions, one should refrain from such remedies. In the event that the use of the compress caused itching in the ear, redness or swelling of the external auditory canal, it can be assumed that there is an allergic reaction to the component of the compress. The procedure should be canceled, wipe the skin of the parotid area dry.
Indications
When can you make a compress for otitis media? Thermal procedures for this pathology are possible only in the initial stage of the disease or in the recovery phase. Their use for otitis media is contraindicated in the perforated stage of otitis media, when suppuration is noted.
Compress with purulent otitis media can lead to a sharp deterioration in the condition and the development of complications. Heat contributes to the further spread of purulent exudate and the development of such serious diseases as mastoiditis, abscess, sepsis.
The course of acute purulent otitis media of the middle ear is characterized by several stages. The first, catarrhal, is the stage at which it is possible to use a compress for otitis media in an adult. Its duration is usually 2-3 days. Subsequently, the stage of perforation begins, when thermal procedures are contraindicated, as well as the use of agents with an ototoxic effect (alcohol-containing drugs, non-steroidal inflammatory drugs, some antibiotics).
Features of use in children
As for the compress for otitis media in a child, due to the narrowness of the auditory tube and a tendency to stagnation of mucus in it, perforation of the eardrum in a child can be noted within a few hours after the first signs of the disease appear. Therefore, decide on a safe period of time
it is quite difficult to apply a compress for otitis media in a child. To avoid complications, compresses for otitis media in children are used only at the stage of recovery, when measures are needed to restore the injured eardrum. As for the child's body, due to imperfect thermoregulation and the immune system, carrying out physiotherapy procedures for children is dangerous. The reaction can be unpredictable.
In addition, the use of physiotherapy procedures is contraindicated in
- tumor processes;
- pregnancy;
- an increase in body temperature over 37.4 degrees;
- intolerance to any component that is part of the solution used.
With greater safety, it is possible to use compresses for otitis media in adults and children in the recovery stage. During this period, the body activates its efforts to restore the damaged eardrum, and thermal procedures will facilitate this process.
