All infectious processes affecting the auditory organs in medicine are called the generalized term "otitis." It is an ear inflammation - the symptoms in adults of this disease are diverse, they depend on the localization of the problem, its form and pathogen. In accordance with the affected department, the external, middle and inner otitis are distinguished. The latter type of disease is less common than others, usually a complication of lighter forms of pathology.
Signs of inflammation of the external ear in an adult
The main symptoms of this type of otitis media are as follows:
- constant discomfort in the area of the ear canal, usually on the one hand;
- itching, most characteristic of eczema and fungal infection;
- severe pain during palpation of the tragus and any part of the auricle;
- discharge from the ear, sometimes with impurities of pus;
- increased nearby lymph nodes;
- feeling of stuffiness, decrease of acuity of hearing;
- swelling of the external ear canal;
- change in skin color near the affected ear;
- increase in local temperature;
- the appearance of a furuncle in the auditory canal.
Symptoms and signs of inflammation of the middle ear in an adult
The presented form of pathology is considered more dangerous, since otitis in this case progresses in the deep zones of the ear passage.
The clinical picture of the disease resembles in many respects the external inflammation, but has a number of principal differences:
- intense pain is felt constantly, does not depend on touching the auricle;
- the temperature of the entire body rises to 39 degrees;
- the hearing deteriorates rapidly, there is noise, ringing in the ears ;
- decreased appetite;
- pain increases with sneezing, cough, gives to the temple and dentition;
- weakness, drowsiness;
- discharge from the ear begins only on day 2-3 of the disease, after perforation of the tympanic membrane.
Symptoms for inflammation of the inner ear in adults
As already mentioned, the labyrinth or internal otitis is the most complex kind of pathology. It proceeds with such signs:
- dizziness and imbalance;
- intense, sometimes intolerable, pain in the ears ;
- a feeling of pulsation in the head;
- sharp deterioration of acuity of hearing, in severe cases, otitis can lead to complete deafness;
- nausea with vomiting;
- noise in ears;
- copious sweat separation;
- changing the color of the skin near the ear, on the face;
- fever, fever;
- headache;
- deterioration of orientation in space;
- severe malaise.