Mastoiditis usually occurs when untreated or inadequately treated acute otitis media spreads from the middle ear into the surrounding bone—the mastoid process. Most mastoid infections are caused by pneumococcus bacteria. Pneumococcal conjugate vaccines
Pneumococcal Vaccine
Pneumococcal vaccines help protect against bacterial infections caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococci). Pneumococcal infections include ear infections, sinusitis, pneumonia, bloodstream...
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have significantly decreased infection with pneumococcus bacteria, and mastoiditis is uncommon. Inadequately treated mastoiditis can result in deafness
Hearing Loss
Worldwide, about half a billion people (almost 8% of the world's population) have hearing loss. More than 10% of people in the United States have some degree of hearing loss that affects their...
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, blood poisoning (sepsis
Sepsis and Septic Shock
Sepsis is a serious bodywide response to bacteremia or another infection plus malfunction or failure of an essential system in the body. Septic shock is life-threatening low blood pressure ...
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), infection of the tissues covering the brain (meningitis
Meningitis in Children
Bacterial meningitis is infection of the layers of tissue covering the brain and spinal cord (meninges). Bacterial meningitis in older infants and children usually results from bacteria carried...
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), brain abscess
Abscess of the Brain
A brain abscess is a pocket of pus in the brain. An abscess may form in the brain when bacteria from an infection elsewhere in the head or in the bloodstream or from a wound enter the brain...
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, or death.
Symptoms of Mastoiditis
Usually, symptoms of mastoiditis appear days to weeks after acute otitis media develops, as the spreading infection destroys the inner part of the mastoid process. A collection of pus (abscess) may form in the bone. The skin covering the mastoid process may become red, swollen, and tender, and the external ear is pushed sideways and down. Other symptoms are fever, pain around and within the ear, and a creamy, profuse discharge from the ear. The pain tends to be persistent and throbbing. Hearing loss can become progressively worse.
Diagnosis of Mastoiditis
Treatment of Mastoiditis
Most people with mastoiditis are immediately given an antibiotic (such as ceftriaxone or vancomycin) by vein. People who are not seriously ill may instead be given a fluoroquinolone antibiotic (such as ciprofloxacin) by mouth. After this initial treatment, doctors use the results of the laboratory culture to determine the best antibiotic to use. Antibiotics may be given by mouth once the person starts to recover and are also continued for at least 2 weeks. If an abscess has formed in the bone, or infection and inflammation become chronic, surgical removal of the infected part of the bone (mastoidectomy) and corrective surgery are required.
