Otitis Media (Secretory)

Patients may report no symptoms, but some (or their family members) note hearing loss. Patients may experience a feeling of fullness, pressure, or popping in the ear with swallowing. Otalgia is rare.

Various possible changes to the tympanic membrane (TM) include an amber or gray color, displacement of the light reflex, mild to severe retraction, and accentuated landmarks. On air insufflation, the TM may be immobile. An air-fluid level or bubbles of air may be visible through the TM.

Diagnosis of secretory otitis media is clinical and uses pneumatic otoscopy, in which an insufflator attached to the otoscope head is used to move the tympanic membrane (fluid in the middle ear, a perforation, or tympanosclerosis inhibits this movement). Tympanometry Hearing Loss Worldwide, about half a billion people (almost 8% of the world's population) have hearing loss ( 1). More than 10% of people in the US have some degree of hearing loss that compromises their... read more may be done to confirm middle ear effusion (ie, by showing lack of mobility of the tympanic membrane).

Adults and adolescents must undergo nasopharyngeal examination to exclude malignant or benign tumors. Nasopharyngeal malignancy should particularly be suspected in cases of unilateral secretory otitis media. If malignancy is suspected or demonstrated by biopsy, imaging studies should be done.

For most patients, watchful waiting is all that is required. Antibiotics and decongestants are not helpful. For patients in whom allergies are clearly involved, antihistamines and nasal corticosteroids may be helpful.

If no improvement occurs in 1 to 3 months, myringotomy may be done for aspiration of fluid and insertion of a tympanostomy tube, which allows ventilation of the middle ear and temporarily ameliorates eustachian tube obstruction, regardless of cause. Tympanostomy tubes may be inserted for persistent conductive hearing loss secondary to middle ear fluid which does not clear. Tympanostomy tubes can help prevent recurrences of acute otitis media Otitis Media (Acute) Acute otitis media is a bacterial or viral infection of the middle ear, usually accompanying an upper respiratory infection. Symptoms include otalgia, often with systemic symptoms (eg, fever... read more and secretory otitis media.

Occasionally, the middle ear is temporarily ventilated with the Valsalva maneuver or politzerization. To do the Valsalva maneuver, patients keep their mouth closed and try to forcibly blow air out through their pinched nostrils (ie, popping the ear). To do politzerization, the physician blows air with a special syringe (middle ear inflator) into one of the patient’s nostrils and blocks the other while the patient swallows. This forces the air into the eustachian tube and middle ear. Neither procedure should be done if the patient has a cold and rhinorrhea.

Persistent, recurrent secretory otitis media may require correction of underlying nasopharyngeal conditions. In children, particularly adolescent boys, a nasopharyngeal angiofibroma should be ruled out and, in adults, nasopharyngeal carcinoma must be ruled out. Children may benefit from adenoidectomy, including the removal of the central adenoid mass as well as lymphoid aggregations on the torus of the eustachian tube and in the Rosenmüller fossa. Antibiotics should be given for bacterial rhinitis, sinusitis, and/or nasopharyngitis. Demonstrated allergens should be eliminated from the patient’s environment and immunotherapy should be considered. Susceptible young children with prolonged hearing loss from longstanding serous otitis may require appropriate therapy Treatment of Hearing Loss in Children Worldwide, about half a billion people (almost 8% of the world's population) have hearing loss ( 1). More than 10% of people in the US have some degree of hearing loss that compromises their... read more to ensure normal language development.

Because environmental pressure changes can cause painful barotrauma, scuba diving and air travel should be avoided or delayed when possible. If air travel cannot be avoided, chewing food or drinking (eg, from a bottle) may help in young children. A Valsalva maneuver or politzerization (eg, during descent) may help older children and adults.