Introduction
Inflammation of the middle ear (otitis media) is a very common disease of the baby or toddler. More than half of all children suffer at least once during the first years of their lives from inflammation of the middle ear. Children between 6 months and 6 years are particularly often affected.
Middle ear infections are particularly common during the cold season between December and March. Inflammation of the middle ear is not necessarily dangerous, but often very painful and unpleasant. Treatment is in most cases very well possible and effective.
Anatomy
As its name suggests, the middle ear (Auris media) is the middle of the three components of the ear. It is bordered on the outside by the eardrum. From the inner ear, more precisely the cochlea, it is delimited by two other membranes (the round and the oval window).
The only direct connection between the middle ear and the outside is via the auditory tube (Eustachi tube, usually simply called a tube). In the middle ear itself, there are several important structures, including the ossicles. In addition, the facial nerve (Nervus facialis), which innervates the muscles of the fish, and a taste nerve (Chorda tympani) run through the tympanic cavity.
Middle ear infections are mostly caused by bacteria, but sometimes also by viruses. Pathogenic bacteria usually colonize the middle ear continuously via the auditory tube. Typically, this occurs in the context of colds or tonsillitis, i.e. infections of the upper respiratory tract.
More rarely, pathogens reach the middle ear via the bloodstream. These are then usually viruses, for example in measles notitis. However, scarlet fever caused by streptococci, i.e. bacteria, also occurs via this route.
If there is already a perforation of the eardrum before the disease, pathogens can also enter the ear from outside, for example through bath water. Small children are generally more susceptible to middle ear infections than adults, as their ear trumpet is still comparatively short but has a fairly large diameter. This makes it easier for pathogens to ascend through the tube into the middle ear.
In the course of the disease, the infection leads to a swelling of the mucous membrane, among others in the Eustachian tube. This prevents secretions and pus from flowing away. In addition, a negative pressure can develop in the middle ear, which additionally promotes the development of an effusion. This manifests itself in a deterioration of hearing and a noise in the ear.
