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This is one of the most common complications of viral infections of upper respiratory tract. Enabling factors are sinusitis, distorted nasal septum, polyps, increased third tonsil. Most common causes are: staphylococci, streptococci, pneumococci. Initially, the clinical picture is dominated by general symptoms: fever, fatigue, lack of appetite, headache. Upon initiation of inflammation of the ear temperature rises up to 39 degrees. At first the pain is in long time periods and it is sharp. Gradually intervals without pain get shorter, the pain increases and becomes continuous, pulsing and going up to the head. Characteristically, the pain is stronger at night. In some cases, hearing disorders precede pain. Hearing loss is most often of wire type (without affecting the auditory nerve), but in some patients, hearing loss is mixed. So hearing should be monitored systematically. With inadequate treatment complications may occur: inflammation of the mastoid process or the disease to become chronic.

Treatment: In the beginning of the process starting with: antibiotics, painkillers, ear drops, nose drops, physiotherapy. If the process is advanced a paracentesis is made - drilling inflamed tympanic membrane with a special tool under regional anesthesia /sedation/. This allows the flow of the gathered in tympanic cavity purulent exudation. With adequate treatment acute purulent inflammation of the ear goes for about 8-10 days.

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