Introduction
Otitis media stands for several health conditions that affect the middle ear. They usually include otitis media with effusion (OME) that implies the presence of fluid in the middle ear and acute otitis media (AOM) that refers to the infection and inflammation of the given organ. To manage these health conditions accurately, clinicians should follow specific guidelines that will help them achieve the best patient outcomes.
Otitis Media with Effusion Treatment
When it comes to OME, Rosenfeld et al. (2016) indicate that pneumatic otoscopy is needed to diagnose the disease. Once the health problem is found, clinicians should determine whether patients are at “risk for speech, language, or learning problems” (Rosenfeld et al., 2016, p. S9).
Watchful waiting is a suitable option for patients who are not at risk. It is not recommended to use steroids, antibiotics, and antihistamines to treat OME. However, when it comes to the vulnerable population with chronic OME, clinicians should recommend surgery (Rosenfeld et al., 2016). It can be accompanied by tympanostomy tubes for children who are under four years old and tympanostomy with adenoidectomy for children of four and more years old (Rosenfeld et al., 2016). Improved hearing and improved quality of life are the best indicators of successful treatment.
Acute Otitis Media Treatment
At the same time, AOM represents a more challenging clinical situation. An appropriate study argues that this health disorder is usually caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Haemophilus influenzae (Pichichero & Almudevar, 2016). The most suitable options for managing AOM include the insertion of ventilation tubes and adenoidectomy (Schilder et al., 2016). It means that the given otitis media variation is a severe problem that requires immediate intervention.
Conclusion
In conclusion, otitis media is a critical health condition that affects the middle ear. Numerous patients can suffer from acute otitis media and otitis media with effusion. Since OME is caused by fluid, its treatment strategy begins with watchful waiting that can be followed by specific measures. As for AOM, it is caused by one of many pathogens, which means that it makes clinicians take immediate steps to deal with the problem.
References
Pichichero, M. E., & Almudevar, A. (2016). Serum cytokine biomarkers accurately predict presence of acute otitis media infection and recovery caused by Haemophilus influenzae. International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, 83, 200-204.
Rosenfeld, R. M., Shin, J. J., Schwartz, S. R., Coggins, R., Gagnon, L., Hackell, J. M., … Corrigan, M. D. (2016). Clinical practice guideline: Otitis media with effusion (update). Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, 154(1S), S1-S41.
Schilder, A. G. M., Chonmaitree, T., Cripps, A. W., Rosenfeld, R. M., Casselbrant, M. L., Haggard, M. P., & Venekamp, R. P. (2016). Otitis media. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 2. Web.