Otitis Media


Overview

Review Sections

(18)
Otitis Media Icon    Otitis Media

Otitis Media is an inflammation of the middle ear including the auditory ossicles and the eustachian tube.

Although there are serious concerns relating to the use of antibiotic drugs in the treatment of otitis media (OM), very little research has taken place to develop alternative, conservative treatments. Antedotal evidence and observational studies abound but few RCT’s were located to demonstrate effectiveness of drugless interventions. The obvious first concern for the physician is to relieve pain and suffering of the patient as well as prevention of more serious pathological conditions. It is also important in OM to insure the patient does not experience hearing loss and suffer the associated sequelae of learning impairment and developmental delays in language and behavior.

Clinical Reviews

Otitis Media: Prevention



The American Academy of Pediatrics has expressed concern with the rising rates of antibacterial resistant pathogens and resultant use of more expensive and broader spectrum antibiotics for the treatment of otitis media (OM). As a result they have issued recommendations intended to reduce the amount of antibiotics prescribed. It appears these recommendations have had little effect on prescription patterns between 1995 and 2000. One answer to reducing antibiotic therapy would be to reduce the number of children who develop acute otitis media (AOM) through prevention strategies. Several risk factors have been identified in the literature. Although some of these prevention strategies do not have large clinical trials demonstrating effectiveness, the evidence available has been repeated in multiple studies and appears promising.

Otitis Media: Diagnosis



Otitis media presents in two primary forms, acute otitis media (AOM) and otitis media with effusion (OME). With the heightened concerns relating to the increasing number of antibiotic resistant microbes and inappropriate use of antibiotics, the first diagnostic concern is to distinguish between the two variants. AOM is characterized by the signs of infection (fever, otalgia, irritability, headache, rhinitis, pulling at ears) combined with a bulging, sometimes red tympanic membrane and often treated with antibiotics. OME does not have the signs of infection and is characterized by a neutral or retracted tympanic membrane. Recommended treatment is "watchful waiting" for 3 months.

Otitis Media: Therapy



Although there are serious concerns relating to the use of antibiotic drugs in the treatment of otitis media (OM), very little research has taken place to develop alternative, conservative treatments. Antedotal evidence and observational studies abound but few RCT’s were located to demonstrate effectiveness of drugless interventions. The obvious first concern for the physician is to relieve pain and suffering of the patient as well as prevention of more serious pathological conditions. It is also important in OM to insure the patient does not experience hearing loss and suffer the associated sequelae of learning impairment and developmental delays in language and behavior.

Medical Subject Heading (MeSH) Information

MeSH Term: Otitis Media

Scope Note: Inflammation of the MIDDLE EAR including the AUDITORY OSSICLES and the EUSTACHIAN TUBE.

MeSH Synonyms:
  • Otitis Media
  • Middle Ear Inflammation
  • Inflammation, Middle Ear
Applicable MeSH Subheadings:
  • blood
  • cerebrospinal fluid
  • chemically induced
  • classification
  • complications
  • congenital
  • cytology
  • diagnosis
  • diet therapy
  • drug therapy
  • economics
  • enzymology
  • epidemiology
  • ethnology
  • etiology
  • genetics
  • history
  • immunology
  • legislation and jurisprudence
  • metabolism
  • microbiology
  • mortality
  • nursing
  • parasitology
  • pathology
  • physiology
  • physiopathology
  • prevention and control
  • psychology
  • radiography
  • radionuclide imaging
  • radiotherapy
  • rehabilitation
  • surgery
  • therapy
  • transmission
  • ultrasonography
  • urine
  • veterinary
  • virology
See Related MeSH Terms:

Informative Links

Arrow

MayoClinic.com Ear Infection, Middle Ear Information



Mayo Clinic Health Solutions' award-winning consumer Web site offers health information and self-improvement tools. MayoClinic.com's medical experts and editorial professionals bring you access to the knowledge and experience of Mayo Clinic for all your consumer health information needs, from cancer, diabetes and heart disease to nutrition, exercise and pregnancy.
Arrow

MedlinePlus: Ear Infections



MedlinePlus will direct you to information to help answer health questions. MedlinePlus brings together authoritative information from NLM, the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations.

Current Clinical Trials Relating to  Otitis Media

ClinicalTrials.gov: Provides patients, family members, and members of the public easy and free access to information on clinical studies for a wide range of diseases and conditions.

Arrow

Host-pathogen Interaction in Otitis Media


(Status: Active, not recruiting)

Arrow

Homeopathic Ear Drops for Otitis Media Study


(Status: Active, not recruiting)

20 Clinical Trials Returned