Treating Middle Ear Infection (Otitis Media)
Otitis media is an infection of the middle ear. It can cause pain, inflammation and an accumulation of fluid behind the eardrum. By 10 years of age, approximately 25% of all children experience at least one middle ear infection. Although anyone can get a middle ear infection, babies up to 15 months old are most vulnerable.
There are a number of factors that can contribute to developing a middle ear infection, including colds, enlarged adenoid (the soft tissue at the back of the throat), and certain conditions, such as a cleft palate or Down's syndrome.
The eustachian tube is a slim tube that runs between the middle ear and the back of the nose and upper throat. In young children this tube is smaller and is more prone to become blocked or swollen. When colds lead to mucus build-up in the ear which doesn't drain properly, infection can spread to the middle ear.
Symptoms of infection can include earache, fever, or some hearing loss, and infants may pull or rub their ears, be irritable and restless, eat poorly, or have a cough, runny nose or diarrhea. Additionally, the eardrum may become perforated and pus may run out of the ear.
In cases where the condition doesn't resolve itself, or when it becomes a chronic condition, treatment may be required to prevent other serious complications such as the infection spreading to the inner ear or tissues surrounding the brain or spinal cord, especially in children with other underlying health conditions.
When a surgeon performs a procedure to make an incision in the eardrum to remove the fluid in the middle ear, it is known as a myringotomy. A tympanostomy is when an ear tube is inserted into the tympanic membrane in order for the fluid to drain out from the middle ear. This procedure requires general anesthesia in a hospital. The tube is then later either naturally expelled or the surgeon removes it.
In fact, more than half a million ear tube surgeries are performed each year on children. This makes it the most commonly performed childhood surgery with anesthesia. Unfortunately, about 1 in 4 children who get ear tubes before the age of 2 may need them placed again. If the ear tube expels too soon, repeat surgery may be needed.
Although childhood anesthesia is generally safe, there are some risks. Additionally, despite the surgery for ear tubes being considered low-risk, some complications such as eardrum perforation that doesn't close, infection, or scarring can occur.
However, Otomagnetics is currently developing an exciting new technology that may allow therapy to be delivered safely, painlessly, non-surgically and effective, without the need for anesthesia. To find out more, please visit www.otomagnetics.com.
Otomagnetics technology has not been approved for any use by the United States Food and Drug Administration. The technology is in early stage development and is not available for sale, clinical use, or otherwise.
