The development of otitis externa is preceded by a violation of the barrier mechanism for protecting the skin of the ear. The latter may be a consequence of traumatizing him during the cleansing of the ear canal with cosmetic sticks, ingress of dirty water when bathing in ponds, and the influence of humid hot air.
Otitis externa often develops against the background of allergic diseases, psoriasis, diabetes mellitus. Doctors of any specialty need to be guided in the principles of treatment of external otitis.
For more information about modern approaches to the treatment of the disease, read on estet-portal.com in this article.
Otitis externa: the relevance of the problem and the epidemiological picture of the disease
The prevalence of otitis externa among the population has not been studied enough due to the erased clinical picture of the chronic form of the disease.
According to official data, about 0.4% of the population annually visits doctors with symptoms of acute otitis externa. 3-5% of patients are diagnosed with a chronic form of the disease each year.
Such symptoms of otitis externa as low-grade fever, general malaise, itching, hearing loss are most often the reason for patients to contact general practitioners, dermatologists and otolaryngologists. However, it is difficult to find a specialist who has never encountered this disease in his practice.
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Otitis externa: ear canal hygienic toilet rules
It is worth pointing out to the patient that meticulous cleaning of the ear canal is the cornerstone of treatment. The hygienic toilet of the ear should be carried out with the help of special ear sticks, which are much shorter than cosmetic ones.
After mechanical cleaning of the ear canal, it is advisable to irrigate it with saline and then dry it with a clean towel. For etiotropic therapy of otitis externa, antibiotic or antimycotic agents are used, depending on the nature of the pathogen.
It is possible to determine the cause of pruritus by its localization
Systemic side effects of drugs can be avoided by using ear drops. In this case, a high local concentration of drugs is achieved. Treatment of otitis media lasts an average of 7-10 days. In case of pronounced swelling of the ear canal, it is necessary to use turundas, impregnated with a local drug.
Treatment of otitis externa: modern approaches and international recommendations
For mild acute otitis externa, treatment is with ear drops containing a bacteriostatic/fungistatic antiseptic, such as boric acid or ethyl alcohol.
In cases of moderate or severe acute otitis externa, it is necessary to prescribe combined local preparations, which include an anti-inflammatory component and a bactericidal agent.
Specific therapy should be effective against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive pathogens. The drug of choice is ciprofloxacin in combination with a glucocorticoid agent.
Combined ear drops containing clioquinol and flumethasone pivalate are effective only against gram-positive bacteria and fungi of the genus Candida. Ear drops containing oxytetracycline, polymyxin B and hydrocortisone may be used as an alternative.
Chronic otitis externa is usually based on an aseptic inflammatory process.
Specific antibiotic therapy is not appropriate in such cases. The basis for the treatment of chronic external otitis are glucocorticoid drugs.
Thank you for staying with estet-portal.com. Read other interesting articles in the "Dermatology" section. You might also be interested in Big Ear Shape: How to Fix a Cosmetic Flaw.
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