Search
SectionsIndexSymptoms
  • Cardiovascular Disorders
  • Clinical Pharmacology
  • Critical Care Medicine
  • Dental Disorders
  • Dermatologic Disorders
  • Ear, Nose, and Throat Disorders
  • Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
  • Eye Disorders
  • Gastrointestinal Disorders
  • Genitourinary Disorders
  • Geriatrics
  • Gynecology and Obstetrics
  • Hematology and Oncology
  • Hepatic and Biliary Disorders
  • Immunology; Allergic Disorders
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Injuries; Poisoning
  • Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue Disorders
  • Neurologic Disorders
  • Nutritional Disorders
  • Pediatrics
  • Psychiatric Disorders
  • Pulmonary Disorders
  • Special Subjects
ABCDEFGHI
JKLMNOPQR
STUVWXYZ
  • Abdominal Pain, Acute
  • Abdominal pain, Chronic
  • Alopecia
  • Amenorrhea
  • Amnesia
  • Anosmia
  • Bleeding, Excessive
  • Breast Lumps
  • Chest Pain
  • Constipation in Adults
  • Constipation in Children
  • Cough in Adults
  • Cough in Children
  • Crying
  • Diarrhea in Adults
  • Diarrhea in Children
  • Diplopia
  • Dizziness
  • Dry Mouth
  • Dysmenorrhea
  • Dyspepsia
  • Dysphagia
  • Dyspnea
  • Dysuria
  • Earache
  • Ear Discharge
  • Edema
  • Edema During Late Pregnancy
  • Epistaxis
  • Erectile dysfunction
  • Eyelid Swelling
  • Eye Pain
  • Fever
  • Fever, Acute, in Adults
  • Fever, Chronic (FUO)
  • Fever in Infants and Children
  • Floaters
  • Gas
  • Gastrointestinal Bleeding
  • Halitosis
  • Headache
  • Hearing Loss
  • Hearing Loss: Sudden Deafness
  • Hematospermia
  • Hematuria
  • Hemoptysis
  • Hiccups
  • Hirsutism
  • Insomnia and Excessive Daytime Sleepiness
  • Itching
  • Itching, Anal
  • Jaundice in Adults
  • Jaundice in Neonates
  • Joint Pain, Monarticular
  • Joint Pain, Polyarticular
  • Knee pain
  • Lump in Throat
  • Nasal Congestion and Rhinorrhea
  • Nausea and Vomiting During Early pPregnancy
  • Nausea and Vomiting in Adults
  • Nausea and Vomiting in Infants and Children
  • Neck and Back Pain
  • Neck Mass
  • Nipple Discharge
  • Orthostatis Hypotension
  • Pain
  • Pain, Chronic
  • Palpitations
  • Pelvic Pain
  • Pelvic Pain During Early Pregnancy
  • Polyuria
  • Priapism
  • Red Eye
  • Scrotal Pain
  • Sore Throat
  • Stomatitis
  • Stridor
  • Syncope
  • Tearing
  • Tinnitus
  • Toothache
  • Tremor
  • Urinary Frequency
  • Urinary Incontinence in Adults
  • Urinary Incontinence in Children
  • Urinary Retention
  • Urticaria
  • Vaginal Bleeding
  • Vaginal Bleeding During Early Pregnancy
  • Vaginal Bleeding During Late Pregnancy
  • Vaginal Itching and Discharge
  • Vision, Blurred
  • Vision Loss, Acute
  • Weakness, Generalized
  • Wheezing
In This Topic
Ear, Nose, and Throat Disorders
Middle Ear and Tympanic Membrane Disorders
Myringitis
Back to Top
Resources
  • About The Merck Manual
  • Ready Reference Guides
  • Trade Names of Some Commonly Used Drugs
  • Normal Laboratory Values
  • Clinical Calculators
  • Multimedia
  • Selected Links
Manuals available online
'/home/index.html' + bookPageLink
 
'/professional/index.html'
These and other Manuals available
in print, online, and as mobile applications.

See more at MerckManuals.com
Sections in Health Care Professionals
  • Cardiovascular Disorders
  • Clinical Pharmacology
  • Critical Care Medicine
  • Dental Disorders
  • Dermatologic Disorders
  • Ear, Nose, and Throat Disorders
  • Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
  • Eye Disorders
  • Gastrointestinal Disorders
  • Genitourinary Disorders
  • Geriatrics
  • Gynecology and Obstetrics
  • Hematology and Oncology
  • Hepatic and Biliary Disorders
  • Immunology; Allergic Disorders
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Injuries; Poisoning
  • Musculoskeletal and Connective Tissue Disorders
  • Neurologic Disorders
  • Nutritional Disorders
  • Pediatrics
  • Psychiatric Disorders
  • Pulmonary Disorders
  • Special Subjects
Chapters in Ear, Nose, and Throat Disorders
  • Approach to the Patient With Ear Problems
  • Hearing Loss
  • Inner Ear Disorders
  • Middle Ear and Tympanic Membrane Disorders
  • External Ear Disorders
  • Approach to the Patient With Nasal and Pharyngeal Symptoms
  • Oral and Pharyngeal Disorders
  • Nose and Paranasal Sinus Disorders
  • Laryngeal Disorders
  • Tumors of the Head and Neck
Topics in Middle Ear and Tympanic Membrane Disorders
  • Introduction
  • Mastoiditis
  • Myringitis
  • Otitis Media (Acute)
  • Otitis Media (Secretory)
  • Otitis Media (Chronic)
  • Otic Barotrauma
  • Otosclerosis
  • Traumatic Perforation of the Tympanic Membrane
     
    • Merck Manual
    • >
    • Health Care Professionals
    • >
    • Ear, Nose, and Throat Disorders
    • >
    • Middle Ear and Tympanic Membrane Disorders
    • 4
     
    Myringitis(Bullous Myringitis)

    Share This

    Myringitis is a form of acute otitis media in which vesicles develop on the tympanic membrane.

    Myringitis can develop with viral, bacterial (particularly Streptococcus pneumoniae), or mycoplasmal otitis media. Pain occurs suddenly and persists for 24 to 48 h. Hearing loss and fever suggest a bacterial origin. Diagnosis is based on otoscopic visualization of vesicles on the tympanic membrane.

    Because differentiation among a viral, bacterial, and mycoplasmal cause is difficult, antibiotics effective against organisms causing otitis media are prescribed (see Table 2: Middle Ear and Tympanic Membrane Disorders: Guidelines for Using Antibiotics in Acute Otitis MediaTables). Severe, continued pain may be relieved by rupturing the vesicles with a myringotomy knife or by oral analgesics (eg, oxycodoneSome Trade Names
    OXYCONTIN
    OXYIR
    Click for Drug Monograph
    with acetaminophenSome Trade Names
    GENAPAP
    TYLENOL
    VALORIN
    Click for Drug Monograph
    ). Topical analgesics (eg, benzocaineSome Trade Names
    AMERICAINE
    ANBESOL
    HURRICAINE
    ORAJEL BABY TEETHING
    Click for Drug Monograph
    , antipyrine) may also be beneficial.

    Last full review/revision December 2012 by Richard T. Miyamoto, MD

    Content last modified December 2012

    Buy the Book

    Mobile Versions

    Back to Top

    Previous: Mastoiditis

    Next: Otitis Media (Acute)

    Audio
    Figures
    Photographs
    Sidebars
    Tables
    Videos

    Copyright     © 2010-2013 Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Whitehouse Station, N.J., U.S.A.    Privacy    Terms of Use