What is mastoiditis?
Mastoiditis is a type of ear infection that occurs in the mastoid bone, part of the skull behind the ear. Infection is usually the result of an untreated middle ear infection that spreads to this bone. It occurs most often in children and may have serious health risks unless treated.
The ear area behind the ear is known as the middle ear . It can be infected due to various factors, including bacteria, ear structure or genetic predisposition. Middle ear infections are usually not serious and can be treated with antibiotics. If the infection is not treated or does not respond to antibiotics, it can move out to mastoid bones and cause mastoiditis.
Some of the symptoms of mastoiditis are the same as other types of ear infections such as ear feeling or have blood, pus or fluid leakage. Once the mastoid bone is infected, the area behind the ear can be red or swollen to cause that ears slightly profile forward. The infection can also cause a sudden high fever or headache.
mastoiditis may deteriorate over time if it is not treated when symptoms start for the first time. The doctor will usually be able to diagnose the infection by examining the physical appearance of the inner and outer ear. He will usually feel behind his ear for a swollen mastoid bone. The doctor can also perform an X -ray that checks the inflammation of the mastoid bone or any other internal ears. It can also collect a sample of any ear leakage and explore it to bacteria.
Because mastoiditis is a bacterial infection, it requires treatment for antibiotics to treat and kill bacteria. The doctor usually gives an antibiotic followed by a dose of oral antibiotic drugs. Infections often require two forms of antibiotics because bacteria are buried deep in the mastoid bone. Even comprehensive treatment of antibiotics, the infection can be too deep to completely clarify the drugs.
More serious cases of mastoiditis that do not respond to antibIotic, can usually be surgically treated. The surgeon can remove a small part of the mastoid bone to achieve the source of infection and emptied any fluid. If any liquid filled with bacteria is left, the infection may continue to be repeated.
If mastoiditis is untreated, this may result in a deterioration of the mastoid bone or cause hearing loss. Bacteria can also spread from the bone and affect the face muscles, resulting in paralysis of the face. In some cases, this may cause meningitis, a potentially fatal infection that occurs in the protective membranes surrounding the brain.