Duration | Timpani effusion

Duration

The duration of the timpani effusion depends on the underlying cause. A simple, acute tympanic effusion such as that caused by a cold subsides after it has healed, but should not exceed 3 months. A chronic tympanic effusion lasts longer than 3 months or until the trigger of the effusion has been found and treated. The longer the duration, the greater the risk of chronicity and further complications. Therefore, a persistent tympanic effusion should be clarified relatively early, after 1-2 weeks.

Differences between adults and children

Since there are differences between adults and children with regard to causes, treatment and in some cases complications, this is again pointed out separately here.

• Frequency: The tympanic effusion occurs significantly more often in children than in adults. 90% of all children have had a tympanic effusion at least once in their life, of which approx.

  10-15% had to be treated with surgery. On the one hand, this is due to the different anatomical conditions with a more easily laid Eustachian tube. This tube is not yet fully developed by the age of 7 and is therefore often unable to ventilate the middle ear sufficiently.

  On the other hand, children often have additional obstacles in the nasopharynx. Enlarged pharyngeal tonsils, also known as adenoids or polyps, are not uncommon in children and are often the cause of chronic tympanic effusion because they obstruct the Eustachian tube.

• Causes: The differences between adults and children regarding the causes in adults are that here the tympanic effusion is usually caused by a cold or in the context of sinusitis or rhinitis. The irritated mucous membrane swells and thus prevents sufficient ventilation of the middle ear, resulting in a tympanic effusion.

  However, if the tympanic effusion persists for a longer period of time, in adults a tumor in the ENT area must be considered, which must then be ruled out.

• Symptoms: The differences in symptoms and diagnosis are rather small, although of course certain variations in the frequency of different causes must be taken into account.
• Treatment: There is a difference in the treatment of adults and children in that the child is more often treated surgically by splitting the eardrum or removing polyps.
• Follow: Further important differences concern the consequences or complications of an insufficiently treated tympanic effusion. This can have considerable consequences for children, as they learn language through their hearing. Due to the reduced hearing function, this can lead to impaired speech development, especially in young children, which may have to be treated with complex speech therapy and special exercises.