What would an assessment look like for otitis media?
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What would an assessment look like for otitis media?
The most indicative signs of otitis media are revealed through otoscopic examination of the middle ear and include erythema, bulging, cloud appearance, and immobility of the tympanic membrane. The presence of effusion is also indicative of otitis media.
Which assessment findings is usually noted in a patient with external otitis?
The key physical finding of OE is pain upon palpation of the tragus (anterior to ear canal) or application of traction to the pinna (the hallmark of OE). Examination reveals erythema, edema, and narrowing of the external auditory canal (EAC), and a purulent or serous discharge may be noted (see the image below).
What is the most useful finding to determine otitis media?
An instrument called a pneumatic otoscope is often the only specialized tool a doctor needs to diagnose an ear infection. This instrument enables the doctor to look in the ear and judge whether there is fluid behind the eardrum. With the pneumatic otoscope, the doctor gently puffs air against the eardrum.
What assessment technique should be used to assist in the diagnosis of otitis media in a child?
Otoscopy was by far the most commonly used method for the diagnosis of AOM. Other diagnostic methods such as pneumatic otoscopy, otomicroscopy and tympanometry were used to a lesser extent.
What physical assessment findings can you find in the patient’s ear that will support middle ear infection?
A healthy eardrum will be pinkish gray in color and translucent (clear). If infection is present, the eardrum may be inflamed, swollen or red. Your healthcare provider may also check the fluid in the middle ear using a pneumatic otoscope, which blows a small amount of air at the eardrum.
What part of the ear is also known as the eardrum?
tympanic membrane
The tympanic membrane is also called the eardrum. It separates the outer ear from the middle ear. When sound waves reach the tympanic membrane they cause it to vibrate. The vibrations are then transferred to the tiny bones in the middle ear.
Which race is most likely to experience otitis media?
Definite racial differences exist in the incidence of AOM. Native Americans and Inuits have very high rates of acute and chronic ear infection, whereas African Americans appear to have a slightly lower rate than white children living in the same communities.
What is otitis media why are children more at risk for this condition?
Young children are more likely than adults to get ear infections because their eustachian tubes are shorter, narrower and horizontal. This makes it easier for bacteria to get in and more difficult for fluid to drain. Also, young children have weaker immune systems, making it harder for them to fight off infection.
What is the smallest bone in the ear?
the stapes
Once there, the sound waves vibrate three bones known as the ossicles, which are made up of the malleus, the incus, and the stapes. The stapes is the smallest bone in the human body.
Which factor contributes to infants having a higher rate of otitis media?
Among most children with acute otitis media, infection resolves rapidly with or without antibiotics, with ongoing middle ear effusion the only sequela. Overcrowding, poor living conditions, exposure to cigarette smoke, and lack of access to medical care are all major risk factors for otitis media.
What causes ear drainage?
Ear drainage can occur for several reasons, including an ear infection, a ruptured eardrum, or an ear tube that causes fluid to drain. Ear discharge can sometimes be a sign of something more serious, especially if it occurs after a recent head injury.
What is the management of otitis media?
Management of acute otitis media should begin with adequate analgesia. Antibiotic therapy can be deferred in children two years or older with mild symptoms. High-dose amoxicillin (80 to 90 mg per kg per day) is the antibiotic of choice for treating acute otitis media in patients who are not allergic to penicillin.
How is otitis media prevented?
How to prevent acute otitis media
- wash hands and toys frequently to reduce your chances of getting a cold or other respiratory infection.
- avoid cigarette smoke.
- get seasonal flu shots and pneumococcal vaccines.
- breastfeed infants instead of bottle feeding them if possible.
- avoid giving your infant a pacifier.
