Treatment of secretory otitis media

  Secretory otitis media is not an acute inflammatory disease of the ear caused by microbial infections such as bacteria, and it is characterized by hearing loss due to fluid accumulation in the tympanic chamber. It is one of the more common ear diseases in the fall and winter.  Secretory otitis media is due to the fact that the ear is connected to the nasopharynx through the eustachian tube. The eustachian tube regulates the pressure in the ear as a way to maintain a balance with atmospheric pressure, and it also has a defensive and cleansing function outside of it. In autumn and winter, when the temperature difference between day and night is large, upper respiratory tract infections are often triggered, and when the inflammation spreads to the eustachian tube, negative pressure is often formed in the ear, which results in a feeling of ear stuffiness. The mucous membrane in the ear is affected by the negative pressure and secretes more fluid, which cannot be discharged in time due to the dysfunction of the eustachian tube, resulting in hearing loss and the sound of blisters in the ear. Sometimes there is also ear pain.  In addition to colds, episodes of rhinitis and sinusitis, allergic rhinitis, occupying lesions in the nasopharynx, adenoid hypertrophy in children, infections, and radiation therapy to the head and neck can also induce secretory otitis media.  If secretory otitis media is not treated promptly and the fluid in the ear is not completely absorbed, it can lead to secondary diseases such as tympanosclerosis, adhesive otitis media, and cholesterol granuloma, the treatment of which will be much more complicated than that of secretory otitis media. Pediatric patients will have an impact on their speech development and learning and their ability to communicate with others due to hearing loss.  Treatment of secretory otitis media is divided into two types: conservative and surgical treatment. Conservative treatment mainly involves intranasal drops, antibiotics and glucocorticoids to improve the ventilation of the middle ear and promote the elimination or absorption of fluid. Therefore, when treating acute secretory otitis media, doctors often prescribe some drugs for rhinitis and sinusitis, such as nasal drops 1% ephedrine nasal drops, to contract the nasal mucosa and nasopharyngeal mucosa, facilitate pharyngeal tube ventilation and drainage, and promote the healing of otitis media. If conservative treatment is ineffective, pharyngeal tube ventilation and tympanic membrane perforation can be used to extract the fluid, and laser perforation of the tympanic membrane or tube placement can be performed if long-term recovery is not possible.  Early detection and treatment can improve the cure rate and reduce complications and sequelae.