Disease of the week

What is Otitis Media?

Otitis media is a very common and painful infection of the middle ear, typically affecting young children. For no determined reason ear infections are more common in boys than girls.

The ear nose and throat are all interconnected and ear infections will often accompany other illnesses such as colds and flu. They can also be caused by allergies such as hay fever. For this reason, although it is less common, older children and adults can also suffer with this type of illness.

Infections take hold when fluid which normally drains from the ear into the throat is unable to do so.

If the Eustachian tube which performs this duty becomes blocked, fluid builds up in the middle ear, providing a breeding ground for bacteria which can cause the area to become infected.

Symptoms

In children, you may notice a difficulty sleeping or the child pulling at their ear on a regular basis. It may affect sleep or encourage the child to cry when they are laid down. Because ear infections are often a result of other illnesses you should also check for a fever.

In adults, earache can be felt as either a sharp sudden pain or a continuous dull pain. Hearing may be muffled and you could see drainage of fluid from the ear itself.

Diagnosis

Your GP will use an Otoscope, a special device for looking into the ear to check your middle ear for signs of infection. This is usually easy to see as the eardrum will appear swollen, red or inflamed.

Treatment

It is important ear infections are treated promptly to avoid any complications such as loss of hearing ability or a perforated eardrum.

As ear infections are caused by a virus in most cases, antibiotics will not help. Instead your GP may recommend decongestants and pain relief such as paracetamol (liquid form for children). This will relieve the symptoms until the infection passes.

Repeated infections over the course of a few months or weeks indicate there could be an issue with the Eustachian tube or that there is an allergy problem to pollen or even common dust. People who smoke or have asthma, typically have more chance of contracting a ear infection too. Your GP will be able to recommend further investigation if they feel it is needed.

Q&A

Q: My partner and I want to try for a baby, can you give us any advice?

A: There is no set formula but around 84 per cent of couples who have sex regularly and do not use contraception will conceive within a year.

The best advice is to look after your own health. Your local GP will know your own personal circumstances but generally, exercising, eating a healthy diet and maintaining a good body weight (too much or too little body fat can stop your periods completely and thus affect fertility) can really help. If you smoke, quitting will also improve your chances and is one of the best health decisions you can make.

If your partner drinks, stick within recommended guidelines of 2-3 units a week as higher alcohol consumption can affect the quality of his sperm.

You’re most likely to get pregnant if you have sex within a day or so of ovulation (when your ovaries are releasing an egg). This time varies depending on the length of your menstrual cycle and your GP will be able to help you calculate this time if you tell them your usual cycle pattern.

Q: My son gets cradle cap. He is now seven, surely he is too old for a 'baby illness'?

A: There is no direct cause of cradle cap (greasy yellow patches of skin on the scalp of babies) but for it to still be present beyond age two is quite rare. It is not contagious though research has found that babies (or in your case young people) with cradle cap, often have family members with allergy-type conditions, such as asthma and eczema so the underlying cause is potentially genetic.

Given your child's age, I would recommend a conversation with your local GP or pharmacist just to rule out seborrhoeic dermatitis and to see if a hydrocortisone cream may help. Your GP can also check to make sure there is no infection of inflation which needs separate treatment.

Q: I've had a cold I just can't shake off. Can I get antibiotics to help shift it?

A: Antibiotics only work on bacterial infections and a cold is caused by a virus so they will have no effect. Colds are best treated at home with plenty of rest and over the counter medications like throat lozenges and paracetamol.

However, if your cold, and especially a cough, persists for more than three weeks, it is a good idea to see your GP to be sure that you do not have a more serious lung infection or other illness. You should certainly see your GP if you are struggling to breathe, have an existing lung condition or develop chest pains.