Pain is a kind of protective reaction of the body, signaling damage, inflammation. The etiology of pain can be different, but in all cases it remains one of the most pressing problems in the practice of clinicians. In the existing classification, pain is described as “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience” - pain syndrome often becomes an incentive to visit a doctor, as it causes justified anxiety and disrupts the quality of life, including the duration of sleep. With inflammatory lesions of the ear, or otitis media, the pain can become so severe that the patient cannot do without the use of medications aimed at eliminating it.
Classification
The question of how to anesthetize the ear with otitis media is relevant primarily in the case of an acute course of a purulent form of the disease. The pain that occurs with purulent otitis media is intense enough to interfere with proper rest and sleep. She is described as:
- pulsating, shooting, boring;
- sharp, constant, with a tendency to increase in the evening hours and at night;
- radiating to the temple, teeth, half of the head on the affected side.
The severity of the pain syndrome may be the basis for the use of anesthetics. The pain is combined with a feeling of ear congestion, hearing impairment, and fever. It should be immediately clarified that the painful sensations are most severe before the outpouring of pus, since the eardrum is edematous and tense due to the pressure of the inflammatory purulent exudate. After a spontaneous rupture (perforation) of the tympanic membrane or surgical intervention (paracentesis, tympanopuncture), the intensity of pain decreases.
Pain relievers for otitis media in adults can be:
- topical preparations in the form of drops;
- tablet preparations;
- drugs for parenteral administration.
Pain injections for otitis media in adults are used less frequently than topical drugs and tablets. In all cases, without exception, pain relievers for otitis media should be used only as directed by a doctor. Self-administration requires dosage control. The timing of the use of analgesics and local anesthetics, as a rule, is limited to the first days of the disease - in the future, in the absence of complications, the need for pain relievers disappears, the patient can easily refuse them.
There are a lot of options for analgesic drugs. Most often, otolaryngologists recommend
such as the:
- Otipax drops.
- Drops "Anauran".
- Ibuprofen, oral paracetamol.
There are other examples of pain relievers - an alcoholic solution of boric acid (3%) with glycerin, a solution of carbolic acid (5%) in glycerin, a 20% solution of camphor alcohol (drops), metamizole sodium (Analgin), Ketorolac (injections).
In case of severe pain that cannot be relieved by analgesics, urgent delivery of the patient to the hospital is necessary.
Ear drops
Topical pain relievers given by drip into the ear canal must meet the following requirements:
- sterility;
- lack of ototoxicity;
- ease of use.
It is important to remember that analgesics do not treat otitis media - they are only intended to relieve pain.
It is necessary to inject anesthetic drops into the ear in a warm form (heated to 38–40 ° C) - unless otherwise specified in the instructions. The ear canal on the affected side is closed with cotton wool. The procedure is performed 2-3 times a day.
All topical analgesics are indicated for use in the pre-perforated stage when the patient is in severe pain with intact tympanic membrane. The presence of ototoxic properties is an important criterion for drug selection. For example, the drug "Anauran" contains neomycin and polymyxin - these components are not
allow the use of drops after the transition of otitis media from the pre-perforated to the perforated stage.
Local anesthetics, as a rule, are not found in the form of monopreparations when it comes to ear drops. They are part of the combined funds. Otipax drops contain:
- Phenazone (Antipyrine);
- Lidocaine.
Phenazone is an analgesic and anti-inflammatory drug. Lidocaine as a local anesthetic relieves pain. The combination of the listed active substances allows you to count on a longer and more pronounced analgesic effect than that of a monopreparation. Lidocaine is also present in Anauran drops, the main action of which is antimicrobial.
Tablets
Ibuprofen and Paracetamol are representatives of the group of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which have come to replace the usual sodium metamizole (the effectiveness of which cannot be denied in the case of injection). They are often used as antipyretics (antipyretic) for fevers of various etiologies, have anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects. As an analgesic for otitis media, they are aimed at reducing the intensity of pain, improving the general condition of the patient.
An inflammatory process in the pre-perforative stage, accompanied by severe pain, may be the basis for prescribing pain pills. In this case, otitis media must be treated with antibacterial drugs (systemic or topical) and other means of therapy. Since pain is only one of the many manifestations of otitis media, suppressing pain should not be the only option for patient care.
Pain reliever for otitis media is applied symptomatically - when severe pain occurs, which cannot be ignored. If the pain syndrome is successfully stopped after taking the medication, there is no need to repeat it after a while as a "prophylaxis". This will not work, but it will increase the risk of side effects. The dosage of the agent should correspond to the age and weight of the patient. Neither Paracetamol nor Ibuprofen should be used in patients with:
- Allergic reactions to these drugs.
- Impaired liver and / or kidney function.
- Pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract (peptic ulcer, ulcerative colitis), etc.
Before you start taking it, you must familiarize yourself with the full list of contraindications.
Intense, persistent pain even after the use of a topical or pill drug, accompanied by photophobia, nausea, vomiting, suppuration from the ears, unbearable headache is an indication for immediate hospitalization of the patient. Analgesics in this case will not give the desired effect, and the patient's condition may deteriorate significantly - the listed symptoms are characteristic of complications of purulent otitis media.
Pain relievers allow you to feel only a short-term effect - you cannot do without complex treatment of otitis media.
