Prophylaxis
If left untreated, middle ear infections can become chronic and ultimately cause permanent damage to the inner ear, resulting in hearing loss. In addition to direct losses in the child’s later quality of life, hearing loss in infants and children can lead to complications in speech development. In addition to the inner ear, other structures of the tympanic cavity can also be damaged by a long-standing middle ear infection.
Inflammatory processes can calcify the ossicles (hammer, anvil and stirrup), which are very important for hearing, and scar the eardrum. In both cases, hearing loss is the result. Very rarely, facial nerve paralysis or meningitis can also occur. Also possible, although also rare, is sepsis or mastoiditis (a very painful inflammation of the temporal bone just behind the ear).
Duration
An uncomplicated otitis media needs about one week to heal. It is assumed to have a curvilinear course. It increases over 2 to 3 days, then reaches its peak and decays over another 2 to 3 days. Depending on the extent and type of treatment and the beginning of the treatment, its duration varies greatly.
