Where does the Eustachian tube go. Video: Eustachitis - symptoms and treatment

Any part of the ear system (inner, middle, outer) can become inflamed. The Eustachian tube is also prone to inflammation - the auditory canal that connects the outer auricle to the inner ear.

Its dimensions - up to 4 cm - from the outer shell to the eardrum, and the diameter is not more than - 2 mm. In addition to the connecting function, the auditory tube also performs a number of others:

protective;
ventilation;
acoustic;
drainage.

It not only provides the inner ear with air, but also removes moisture that has entered the outer ear. Thanks to the mucous membrane that produces certain enzymes, it prevents the penetration of infection and helps maintain normal pressure in the internal organs of the ear system. With inflammation of the Eustachian tube (eustachitis or tubo-otitis), its mucous membrane becomes inflamed and enlarges, the lumen of the canal decreases, stagnation of pathogenic mucus occurs, which leads to the development of pathogenic microflora and spread to the membrane and other organs of hearing. In addition, pressure in the middle ear increases and ventilation of the ear area stops, which leads to hearing loss.

Causes of inflammation of the auditory tube

The causative agents of tubootitis are pathogens that are in the body of any healthy person:

staphylococci;
streptococci.

With normal immunity and the absence of diseases, these microorganisms complement the general microflora of organs and tissues. But with some malfunctions in the work of the human body, the activity of these microelements begins to increase, and they begin to destroy healthy organ cells.

Therefore, any disease in the body can be attributed to the causes of Eustachitis. But most often the disease is provoked by:

hypothermia and overheating;
acute tonsillitis;
colds of any nature: influenza, SARS, acute respiratory infections, tonsillitis, etc .;
trauma;
rupture of the eardrum;
allergies;
incorrect medical manipulations;
infectious disease of any organ.

If there is an infection in the body, and it is not treated, otitis media is possible. It is known that the ear, throat and nose are closely interconnected systems. And when one of them is ill, the inflammation easily passes to the other. Proximity to the ear zone contributes to infection in the Eustachian tube.

The risk group includes, first of all, people:

with reduced immunity;
having bad habits;
chronic diseases, allergies;
age over 50;
malnourished;
not following personal hygiene;
drug abusers, etc.

Symptoms

Inflammation in the Eustachian tube of the ear, as in another organ of hearing, can be acute and chronic. The acute form is the onset of the disease before 20 days of its development. It is characterized by pronounced symptoms:

ear congestion;
autophony - an unusual sound of one's own voice;
noises;
feeling of heaviness of the head in the direction of the inflammatory process;
feeling as if water were running in the ear when moving.

As a rule, acute or aching pain does not occur, the temperature does not rise, and general well-being does not worsen. Therefore, often patients do not rush to the otolaryngologist and begin to be treated on their own. Then the acute form becomes chronic - more severe and dangerous. Pathogenic microflora spreads to the eardrum, causing its deformation, the auditory tube closes almost completely, and additional symptoms appear:

permanent hearing impairment;
redness in some areas.

Eustachitis can have any clinical picture, depending on the cause of the inflammation:

the presence of fluid is an exudative type of disease;
edema - catarrhal;
pus - purulent;
pathology on the eardrum -;
adhesions - adhesive.

Depending on which auditory tube of which ear is affected, eustachitis can be left-sided, right-sided and bilateral.

The prolonged course of the disease depresses the nervous system, causing stress and increased excitability and fatigue. The sooner you see a doctor, the sooner you get rid of unpleasant symptoms and avoid complications and negative consequences in the form of hearing loss or deafness.

Diagnostics

Diagnosis of Eustachitis is quite simple. At the reception at the ENT, the doctor will perform an external examination, collect an anamnesis of diseases and examine the ear with an otoscope. After that, a test will be carried out for the level of audibility - with the help of speech sounds uttered at different distances and at different volumes. This will help determine the patency of the Eustachian tube.

If the disease is infectious in nature, then not only the contents of the ear zone are taken, but also a swab from the throat. Many clinics have modern equipment that allows you to make a diagnosis on the day of treatment.

If the doctor has questions, then additional diagnostics are required:

CT scan;
Magnetic resonance imaging;
Ultrasound, MRI, etc.

Treatment

After an accurate diagnosis is made and the patient's personal intolerance to certain drugs is determined, the patient is sent to the treatment room to cleanse the mucous membrane of the auditory tube.

The doctor may prescribe drugs that will eliminate inflammation:

vasoconstrictor - to relieve swelling;
antihistamines;
antibacterial;
anti-inflammatory;
fortifying, etc.

Procedures are also possible:

blowing (catheterization) of the auditory tube;
physiotherapy - laser therapy, UVI, UHF, electrophoresis, etc.

All treatment must be prescribed by a doctor.

Folk remedies

As an addition to the main treatment, there is phytotherapy, both internal and external use.

You should not prescribe herbal teas or baths on your own. It is no coincidence that the doctor develops a complex of treatment - for a comprehensive and harmonious disposal of inflammation. The procedures prescribed by the doctor complement each other. Therefore, your tea based on any plant may be discordant with the general course of treatment. It is better to consult a doctor.

Phytotherapy can only be an addition to the general course of treatment. To relieve the inflammation of the auditory tube and cure the disease from the inside, herbal treatment alone will not be enough. Only the complex prescribed by the doctor.

When people begin to be treated according to "grandmother's" advice and prescribe themselves, for example, warming compresses, they harm themselves. With eustachitis, heating with heating pads or a warm, damp towel is not advisable, they can only harm.

The most popular traditional medicine for inflammation of the auditory tube:

decoctions of calendula, chamomile, oak bark - internally;
aloe and agave juices, diluted with warm boiled water - externally;
steam from boiled potatoes;
infusion of garlic;
onion porridge.

Possible Complications

If the inflammation of the Eustachian tube is not treated for a long time or is self-medicated, then the disease can turn into otitis media and there will be complications, persistent complete deafness. Complete non-treatment with inflammatory problems to the doctor is fraught with dangerous diseases:

meningitis;
paresis of the facial nerve;
cyst formations;
hearing loss, etc.

Prevention

In order for immunity to be normal, and inflammation of the tube does not occur due to internal causes, you should lead a healthy lifestyle:

observe the daily routine;
monitor personal hygiene;
properly clean the ear holes;
move and play sports.

But if, nevertheless, the infection penetrated the body and began to affect the auditory system, then at the first discomfort in the ear zone, you should consult a doctor-ENT. Today, all clinics are equipped with modern high-precision equipment, which will allow all manipulations of a diagnostic and therapeutic nature to be carried out without creating pain and discomfort for the patient. Getting rid of the disease at the initial stage of development is simple. Advanced forms require long-term treatment, sometimes surgery or a hearing aid is needed. Take care of your ear system - the key to good hearing and the maximum realization of all your desires and aspirations.

Acute eustachitis is diagnosed when an inflammatory process of a catarrhal nature occurs in the Eustachian tube. The disease causes swelling, reducing and sometimes making it impossible to ventilate the tympanic cavity, which leads to the formation of catarrhal otitis in the middle ear. The launched process easily passes into the chronic stage and threatens with a decrease or loss of hearing.

The auditory, or Eustachian, tube is a canal that connects the pharynx and the space of the middle ear. Its physiological function is to ensure the penetration of air into the tympanic cavity from the pharynx to smooth out the discrepancy between atmospheric pressure from the outside and internal blood pressure. This creates conditions for the functioning of the sound-conducting apparatus located in the middle ear, from where the sound is amplified and the vibration is directed from the eardrum to the inner ear.

The cavity of the tube, about 2 mm wide, is lined with mucous epithelium. Pathogenic microflora, penetrating from the nasopharynx into the Eustachian opening, causes inflammation and swelling. The lumen of the canal, even with a slight narrowing of the walls, makes it difficult or completely prevents the penetration of air into the middle ear, which leads to a decrease or cessation of aeration. The pressure in the tympanic cavity decreases, causing the tympanic membrane to retract inward.

Violation of stable pressure causes stagnation and seepage of edematous fluid into the space of the tympanic cavity. At first these are protein compounds, later in the transudate the number of leukocyte cells produced during inflammation increases. The process passes to the inner ear, otitis media develops in a catarrhal form. The disease can disturb on the one hand or is bilateral in nature (it is also called tubo-otitis or salpingo-otitis).

With prolonged deterioration of the aeration of the tympanic cavity caused by tubo-otitis, mucous inflammation flows into a purulent process, which threatens the transition of the disease into a chronic form. This is fraught with the formation of adhesions in the Eustachian tube, its stenosis, atrophic processes in the eardrum and its cavity, and also often becomes a factor in the occurrence of hearing loss.

Causes

The provocateurs of the development of Eustachitis include:

The movement of inflammation to the pharyngeal mouth of the Eustachian tube is noted in infectious diseases of the nose and nasopharynx. The causative agents are predominantly viruses, staphylococci and streptococci, pneumococci mainly affect children. Less commonly, the agent is a fungus or a specific flora, as in syphilis or tuberculosis.
Edema in allergic rhinitis also acts as a provocateur of the disease.
Tubo-otitis can be caused by the introduction of tampons into the nose to stop bleeding.
The chronic form of eustachitis develops when an infection (adenoids, tonsillitis, rhinitis or sinusitis) is present in the nasopharynx for a long time.
The likelihood of pathology increases when the normal movement of air in the nose or pharynx is disturbed, caused by a curvature of the nasal septum, as well as during the formation of benign formations.

A rare pathology is a violation of the functioning of the auditory tube, which provokes the development of aerootitis. When the structure does not have time to respond to a sharp change in atmospheric pressure, it is compressed and microtraumas are formed in the middle ear.

Characteristic symptoms

Signs of tubo-otitis in children and adults do not differ, often appear with respiratory diseases, sometimes at the stage of treatment or after an illness. Specific symptoms of eustachitis include:

congestion in both ears or one ear;
heaviness in the head;
hearing loss;
tinnitus (ear);
autophony: when the voice resonates, a person hears himself as if from within;
when the head is tilted, there is a sensation in the ear as if liquid is overflowing.

Some people experience a temporary improvement after yawning or swallowing, when the muscles of the pharynx tighten and the lumen of the auditory tube widens. Young children usually do not become immobile and do not show significant restlessness during illness. A baby may turn his head, worry and whimper, but this is more likely a sign of otitis media.

Chronic eustachitis is characterized by relapses, during this period the symptoms correspond to the acute form of the pathology. During remission, a person may complain of a slight hearing loss and tinnitus.

Painful sensations and fever are not specific for catarrhal inflammation, these are signs of a purulent process. The feeling of pain and fullness in the ears worries with eustachitis, which is caused by a pressure drop.

Diagnosis and effective treatments

When the first signs of eustachitis appear, it is necessary to visit an otolaryngologist, the specialist will conduct an examination and prescribe treatment. When making a diagnosis, the ENT doctor takes into account the patient's complaints, concomitant diseases (impaired nasal breathing, respiratory infections), and also conducts instrumental and laboratory studies. As a rule, the following methods are used for tubo-otitis:

Otoscopy - an instrumental examination of the tympanic space - shows the retraction of the membrane, shortening of the light cone or its disappearance.
Microotoscopy helps to assess the condition of the eardrum.
Audiometry determines the hearing loss and the patient's sensitivity to waves of different frequencies.
A subjective test evaluates the condition of the ear canal, based on the patient's sensations. To do this, the patient swallows or exhales with pinched nostrils: with pathological changes, he hears a squeak or gurgle.
An objective test through audiometry shows the result after blowing, an improvement in performance means the presence of a disease.

To identify the source of infection, pharyngoscopy and rhinoscopy are performed. When the origin of the edema is allergic, consultation with an allergist is required.

Review of medicines

The goal of therapy for eustachitis is to eliminate the infection in the nasopharynx, relieve inflammation and edema, and restore the functions of the Eustachian tube. For a quick recovery, complex treatment is necessary, the use of medications at the local and systemic level:

To relieve puffiness, vasoconstrictors are prescribed, they are instilled into the nose: Nafazolin, Sanorin, Oxymetazoline, Phenylephrine.
Anti-allergic drugs are administered orally: Chloropyramine, Suprastin, Loratadin.
Antibiotics are indicated when the acute form of the disease is caused by the bacterial flora: Amoxicillin, Cefuroxime, Doxycycline. With a viral infection, antiviral drugs are used, a fungal infection must be treated with antimycotics.
To raise immunity, the main treatment is supplemented with a complex of vitamins, herbal teas and immunomodulators.

With a protracted process, to relieve swelling and restore patency, the doctor injects a solution of adrenaline or hydrocortisone directly into the lumen of the auditory tube through a catheter.

The course of medications is combined with physiotherapy. The procedures contribute to the destruction of microbes, improve blood circulation, have a resolving effect on edema, and eliminate the consequences of the disease. The otolaryngologist may prescribe:

pneumomassage of the tympanic membrane;
magnetotherapy;
laser therapy.

To expand the lumen of the Eustachian tube, electrical stimulation of the muscles responsible for opening it is used.

To accelerate the outflow of fluid accumulated in the canal of the auditory tube, it is recommended to chew the gum more often. In this case, chewing gum helps a lot. For a child, this method is not suitable. You can give your baby an apple or a carrot so that when chewing a solid product, he makes more active movements.

Therapeutic measures for tubo-otitis include the elimination of factors affecting the development of the disease. Surgical methods are used if the inflammation is caused by a violation of nasal breathing due to adenoids or a curvature of the nasal septum.

Folk recipes

Treatment of eustachitis at home does not prohibit the use of folk recipes as part of complex therapy. Herbs and solutions with anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties are used:

Aloe juice is diluted in half with boiled water, the composition is instilled into the nose according to the scheme: 4 drops after 4 hours. Cotton swabs soaked in the solution are placed in the ear overnight. The course of treatment is two weeks.
Prepare decoctions of chamomile or calendula: 2 tablespoons of dry raw materials pour 250 g of water, insist and gargle up to 6 times a day.
In the chronic course of tubo-otitis for adults, the following recipe is suitable: a piece of onion is heated in a water bath, wrapped in a bandage and placed in the ear for half an hour. Daily use for a month helps prevent recurrence of the disease.
Garlic oil requires a medium-sized head of garlic and vegetable oil (100 g). The bulbous plant is crushed, poured with oil, insisted for 10 days in the dark, then the infusion is filtered and glycerin (2 drops) is added. Oil swabs are placed in the ears.
Hydrogen peroxide is an excellent antiseptic that improves blood circulation and relieves swelling. The solution is used to cleanse the ears before procedures or put cotton wool in the ear canal for half an hour. To avoid skin burns, a composition is prepared from water (a tablespoon) and peroxide (15 drops).

In order not to harm, before using folk recipes, you need to consult an otolaryngologist. This is especially important during pregnancy and the treatment of children.

Forecast and prevention

With a timely visit to the doctor, taking medications and performing a set of therapeutic measures, eustachitis is cured in a few days. Untimely treatment complicates the course of catarrhal tubootitis with an adhesive form, which is much more difficult to cope with. Concomitant pathologies that affect the aeration of the auditory tube worsen the prognosis, create prerequisites for the chronic course of the disease, which can lead to hearing loss. Therefore, to prevent the development of the disease, preventive measures should be followed:

do not delay the treatment of acute inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx;
to relieve edema during periods of illness, use countercurrent agents (vasoconstrictor drops in the nose);
for allergies, take desensitizing drugs;
eliminate chronic infectious foci in the upper respiratory tract;
strengthen immunity.

If the functions of the Eustachian tube are impaired, it is important to avoid situations where sudden changes in atmospheric pressure are possible (air travel or diving to depth).

Eustachitis usually acts as a complication of diseases of the nasopharynx of an infectious nature, since pathogenic microorganisms penetrate the auditory tube and cause inflammation of its mucosa. Therefore, the best means of preventing the pathology in question is the prevention and timely treatment of a cold.

They play an important role in the human body. Deviations from the norm lead to an incorrect perception of the world around us, provoke the development of many chronic diseases, and create difficulties in communication.

Often patients come to the hospital with inflammation of the Eustachian tube (auditory). This part of the ear organ becomes inflamed quite often, as it connects the eardrum with the nasopharynx. Inflammation leads to disruption of the full functioning of the hearing organs, which leads to serious consequences, up to hearing loss and complete deafness.

Despite its tiny size, the Eustachian tube connects the cavity with the nasopharynx, primarily performing a protective and drainage function. In addition, the channel performs a ventilation and acoustic function.

Eustachian tube is a kind of connecting element, due to which air exchange occurs, and through which the accumulated liquid is removed from the ear cavity. The shell of the canal prevents the penetration of the infection, periodically producing mucus that can destroy bacteria and maintains the necessary air pressure inside the hearing organ.

Reference. The length of the Eustachian tube is no more than 3.5 cm, and the thickness is 0.2 cm.

Causes of inflammation of the auditory tube

Violation of the channel leads to its compaction. The mucous membranes gradually begin to thicken, while the lumen becomes so small that there is a violation of metabolic processes.

The pressure inside the auditory organ drops sharply, part of the secreted fluid is not excreted, stagnates, and all this together leads to the onset of the inflammatory process (eustachitis).

In fact many factors can cause inflammation of the eustachian tube:

hypothermia or overheating;
the development of viral, diseases of the upper respiratory tract;
inflammation of the throat or eardrum;
metabolic disorders, hormonal failure;
injuries of the head, ear, larynx, nasopharynx;
entry into the ear canal of a foreign body;
chronic diseases of the internal organs, including the hearing organs, leading to deformation of the auditory tube;
oncological diseases;
long-term medication;
exposure to chemicals;
allergy attack.

Symptoms

The first symptom usually goes unnoticed.. The feeling of discomfort and itching in the ear canal causes the first suspicions. It seems that the ear is stuffed up or fluid has accumulated in it.

The following main symptoms can be distinguished:

noise in the ears when turning the head;
aching or shooting pain in the ear area;
decreased hearing sensitivity;
bouts of dizziness, weakness, headaches;
heat;
irritation, itching in the ear canal.

Attention! Since inflammation is most often not recognized at the initial stage of development, but the process develops very rapidly, the symptoms can worsen dramatically in a few hours.

The disease in a few hours can go into the most severe form. So doctors distinguish between acute and chronic forms of the disease, depending on the symptoms and frequency of manifestation.

Treatment

As the main link, the auditory tube of the middle ear is necessary for the normal functioning of the body. Any deviation from the norm leads to severe consequences.

Therefore, at the first signs and symptoms of the disease, it is necessary to go to an appointment as soon as possible.

Medical treatment

Treatment of inflammation of the auditory tube with medicines is widespread. Depending on the degree of eustachitis, provoking factors and existing chronic diseases, the course of treatment is selected strictly individually. First, he will try to reduce the symptoms of the disease, alleviating the patient's condition, then he will take up the main treatment.

First you need to remove the swelling of the nasopharynx, thereby partially restoring the functions of the auditory tube. Appointed for this purpose vasoconstrictor drops:

Nazivin;
Tizin;
Nazol;
Sanorin.

When, in addition, the channel is clogged with a thick liquid to help thin it out additionally recommend the use of:

Sinupret;
Ambroscola.

When inflammation is triggered by an allergic reaction, reception is required:

Claritin;
Suprastin;
Cetrina;
Zodak.

To reduce the development of the inflammatory process, as well as the level of bacteria and infections, allows a solution of penicillin in ephedrine. The substance is instilled into the nasal canals. Nasontex, Avamys are also prescribed.

To fully restore patency, the ear canal is purged with the Politzer method or a catheter is inserted. Sometimes the removal of the palatine tonsils is also required to remove the obstruction.

Additionally, physiotherapy, laser therapy, pneumomassage of the tympanic membrane are prescribed. Many are prescribed restorative drugs that help activate the immune system (immune stimulants, vitamins, multivitamins).

Folk remedies

Alternative methods of treatment are widespread, but such decisions cannot be made independently.. First, he must study the causes and symptoms of inflammation of the auditory tube, after which treatment with folk recipes can only be carried out with the approval of a specialist.

Otherwise, you can waste time and thereby hurt yourself. It is impossible to independently predict how your body will react to a particular substance. So, for example, if an allergy is the cause of the problem, and in addition you use a harmful component, then the consequences can be critical.

Even doctors confirm that some folk recipes bring a quick effect in the treatment of inflammatory diseases.

So, among traditional medicine, highly effective and harmless are decoctions of medicinal herbs. Means are prepared on the basis of calendula, pharmacy chamomile, oak bark.

Prepared as tea leaves, pouring a glass of boiling water a couple of tablespoons of dry powder of chopped herbs. When the decoction is infused, but not completely cooled down, it is instilled into the ear and nostril from the side where the inflammation has occurred.

Several folk recipes for relieving inflammation:

Fresh juices of many plants have a good effect. Yarrow juice, kalanchoe, aloe are instilled into the ear and nostril in a couple of drops. Diluted in a small amount of warm water, the liquid is recommended for use in washing the ears and nose.
At the initial catarrhal manifestations, it is advised to “breathe” over the boiled potatoes “in uniform”.
The garlic clove is rubbed and poured with vegetable oil, leaving for a couple of weeks in a dark place. Used as ear drops.

Prevention

Trying to prevent inflammation of the auditory tube, you need to pay a lot of attention to your body:

At the slightest suspicion that you have something with your ear, do not diagnose yourself. Perhaps you do not have inflammation, but a gaping auditory tube - a completely different serious pathology.

Do not delay, but immediately go to. It is naive to believe that “it will pass by itself” is not worth it. Such processes need to be treated for a long time, carefully considering the problem. Pathology can be of a different nature, and the result, if neglected, is similar - hearing loss or complete deafness.

Tubootitis, or eustachitis - inflammation of the auditory, or Eustachian tube. At the initial occurrence, the pathology proceeds in an acute form. Lack of treatment or its untimely onset leads to the fact that the disease becomes chronic. The disease is characterized by a violation of ventilation in the middle ear area, which inevitably entails a rapid deterioration in hearing.

Inflammation in the area of the auditory Eustachian tube in medicine is often considered as the initial stage of such a pathology as catarrhal otitis media. There is an inextricable link between eustachitis and inflammation in the tympanic cavity, so doctors use two concepts that combine both of these diseases: tubo-otitis and salpingo-otitis.

Features of inflammation of the Eustachian tube

The cause of the disease, as a rule, is a pathological process that has passed from the nasopharynx to the ear zone.

Basically, the precursor of this disease is acute or chronic rhinitis, tonsillitis, pharyngitis. When it first appears, inflammation is called acute.

If it is not cured completely or not treated at all, it becomes chronic and bothers the person from time to time.

It should be noted that any form of eustachitis is accompanied by a high risk of developing otitis media.

Obstruction of the tube often occurs when the nasopharyngeal orifice is closed, provoked by diseases like adenoids, choanal polyps, hypertrophy of the inferior turbinate.

The main causes of inflammation

It has already been mentioned above that physicians often consider eustachitis as the initial stage of catarrhal otitis.

However, this disease can cause regular purulent and adhesive otitis media, resulting in hearing loss.

Tubootitis can also occur due to the presence of chronic pathology in the body, and due to anatomical disorders, which are quite common among ENT organs.

The latter include, for example, rhinitis, nasopharyngitis, polyps, adenoids, sinusitis, deviated septum in the nose, etc.

Pathogenic microflora acts as a provocateur of inflammation- staphylococci, streptococci, pneumococci and similar microorganisms. It is they who provoke the pathological process in the ear.

However, such a phenomenon as an allergic reaction is not excluded. Inflammation caused by an abnormal reaction of the body in medicine, respectively, is called allergic eustachitis.

Under the influence of negative factors, inflammation occurs, infectious or allergic, which is accompanied by swelling and thickening over the entire surface area of the mucosa. This process leads to a violation of the normal patency of the Eustachian tube and, of course, its ventilation worsens.

The tympanic membrane sinks, and then is drawn into the tympanic cavity due to a decrease in pressure in the tube - autophony occurs - ear congestion.

At the same time, the process of stenosis develops in this area, the walls of the auditory tube stick together, atrophic and sclerotic metamorphoses occur in the tympanic cavity and membrane. If you do not contact a specialist and do not start treatment, then inflammation leads to persistent hearing loss or complete hearing loss.

Symptoms of acute inflammation of the auditory tube

This form most often develops against the background of influenza or seasonal catarrh, localized in the area of the upper respiratory tract.

The most pronounced signs of the resulting pathology are as follows:

Congestion in one ear or two at once;
Resonance of own voice - autophony, as well as noise;
Feeling of heaviness in the head from the side of the lesion;
Sensation of iridescent fluid in the ear, which occurs when the head is turned or tilted.

In an acute process, the patient's state of health remains stable, the temperature does not exceed the norm, there is no pain syndrome.

This form of the disease most often occurs when an infection occurs against the background of a weakened immune system in the upper respiratory tract. If treatment is absent or does not have the expected effect, the pathology acquires a chronic course, which is difficult to respond to even the strongest therapy and leads to hearing loss. Timely measures allow you to get rid of the disease and its unpleasant symptoms in just a few days, restore the patency of the tube and hearing.

Symptoms of the chronic form of the disease

In this case, atrophic and sclerotic changes occur in the mucous membrane of the tympanic membrane and its cavity.

In the chronic course of the inflammatory process, the following symptoms are observed:

Clouding and deformation of the eardrum;
Narrowing of the auditory tube;
Persistent hearing loss
Limited redness in some areas;
Retraction of the membrane into the tympanic cavity.

The listed symptoms of the chronic form of the disease can only be seen by a specialist, that is, an otolaryngologist.

Such a pathology is accompanied by a decrease in the lumen of the auditory tube, which entails deformation of the eardrum and its further retraction. The patency is disturbed, the walls of the pipe begin to stick together. It is worth noting that the symptoms are persistent.

Inflammation of the auditory tube in childhood

Ear diseases in babies are quite common due to the peculiarities of the anatomical structure of this zone. In children, the ear canal is shortened and more straight than in adults. For this reason, they are prone to various ear diseases, including tubo-otitis.

Symptoms of pathology in babies practically do not differ from those inherent in adults:

The presence of noise;
Ear congestion;
Poor hearing;
Temporary improvement in hearing when coughing, sneezing, yawning.

Despite the fact that in children, as a rule, diseases are more severe than in adults, the temperature remains normal, and there is no pain either.

Eustachitis is a disease of the Eustachian tube that results in impaired ventilation in the middle ear. Pathology is directly related to the problems of the tympanic membrane and occurs as a result of the inflammatory process of the mucous membrane of the nasopharynx, which manifests itself against the background of pharyngitis, runny nose and adenoids.

When swelling of the mucous membranes begins, the auditory tube narrows and may even be completely blocked, which leads to the appearance of negative pressure, due to which the eardrum retracts. As a result, a short congestion appears in the ear, the level of hearing decreases, although short-term, but painful sensations and noise appear. In very young children, bilateral eustachitis can also develop.

What it is?

Eustachitis is a widespread ear disease. It occurs as a result of inflammation of the Eustachian passage - the middle ear. It is necessary for a person to pick up sounds well. Its size is only 2 mm, because any inflammation provokes its overlap and hearing problems. Thus, with a prolonged inflammatory process, otitis media develops. It can appear at any age. As a rule, these are the consequences of an infectious disease.

General information

The Eustachian tube is a canal, the diameter of which does not exceed 2 mm. The channel connects the tympanic cavity and the nasopharynx, serves to equalize atmospheric pressure and pressure inside the ear. This ensures the normal operation of the sound-conducting apparatus.

Since the size of the auditory tube is very small, even a slight swelling of the mucosa lining the Eustachian tube leads to a violation of the patency of the canal and the development of eustachitis. Stopping the flow of air from the pharynx into the middle ear cavity contributes to the development of inflammation that affects the auditory tube and middle ear.

By the nature of the course, the inflammatory process can be acute and chronic, according to the localization of inflammation, unilateral and bilateral eustachitis is isolated.

Causes

The disease in question can occur for a variety of reasons, but most often doctors diagnose eustachitis as a complication of certain pathologies:

neoplasms of the nasopharyngeal cavity;
hypertrophy of nasal conchas;
deviated nasal septum.
fungal infection - the cause of eustachitis can be the contact with the mucous membrane of the Eustachian tube of pathogens of tuberculosis, chlamydia, syphilis and other nonspecific microflora;
acute respiratory viral infection - viruses and pathogenic bacteria penetrate from the nasopharynx into the auditory tube and beyond;
allergic reactions - often manifested against the background of allergic rhinitis (runny nose) and polyposis;
pathologies of the nasopharynx, occurring in a chronic form - for example, tonsillitis, pharyngitis, adenoiditis, sinusitis;

In addition to the clearly defined causes of tubo-otitis, doctors also identify several predisposing factors:

improper cleansing of the nasal cavities from mucus with a prolonged runny nose, when a person begins to blow his nose simultaneously with two nasal passages;
long-term coughing and sneezing - with these actions, the pressure in the tympanic cavity rises sharply, the ventilation of the auditory tube worsens;
a low level of immunity in chronic diseases - for example, with diabetes mellitus or the usual beriberi.

In medical practice, it happened to diagnose eustachitis, the cause of which was sudden changes in atmospheric pressure - the entrance to the auditory tube is compressed, which leads to damage to the structures of the middle ear.

Development mechanism

Complete or partial obstruction of the patency of the auditory tube with eustachitis leads to a reduced flow of air into the tympanic cavity or to a complete cessation of its ventilation. At the same time, the air remaining in the tympanic cavity is gradually sucked in, the pressure in it decreases, which is manifested by the retraction of the tympanic membrane.

Reduced pressure leads to sweating into the tympanic cavity of a transudate containing protein and fibrin, and in later stages, lymphocytes and neutrophils - cells involved in inflammatory reactions. A catarrhal form of otitis media develops.

A long-term violation of the ventilation of the tympanic cavity caused by Eustachitis, especially in people with weakened immunity, can cause the transition of catarrhal inflammation to purulent inflammation, as well as the development of an adhesive process with the onset of adhesive otitis media.

Eustachitis symptoms

In general, the patient may complain of:

feeling of congestion and noise (crackling) in the ear;
hearing impairment;
autophony (increased perception of one's own voice);
sensation of fluid transfusion in the ear;
frequent acute purulent otitis media.

Retraction of the tympanic membrane, shortening or complete disappearance of the light reflex, protrusion of the short process of the malleus are observed. The mobility of the tympanic membrane is limited. With the restoration of the function of the auditory tube, the phenomena of acute tubo-otitis gradually disappear.

acute form

The acute form of the disease can go away on its own without treatment, but this does not mean that you should abandon it and wait until eustachitis passes by itself. Symptoms of the disease can pass from the usual vasoconstrictor drops or disappear when chewing or swallowing.

Without treatment, the disease is fraught with serious complications or the transition to a chronic form. Any inflammatory processes in the nearest areas of the brain are highly undesirable.

Chronic form

The exacerbation of chronic eustachitis slightly differs in symptoms from the acute form of the disease, from the obvious, only the increasing loss of hearing acuity is noticeable.

In rare cases, a headache and a slight fever may occur. Ear pain, dizziness, and high fever can occur if otitis media occurs in the background of eustachitis.

At the same time, after examining a doctor, you can accurately know the form of the disease - chronic eustachitis gives specific signs. These include retraction of the eardrum, the appearance of redness and narrowing of the lumen of the auditory tube.

Diagnostics

In the case of tubo-otitis, the history is characterized by the presence of one or more of the following items (causes of tubo-otitis):

SARS, measles, scarlet fever, whooping cough, diphtheria;
inflammation of the upper respiratory tract (rhinitis, nasopharyngitis);
incorrect blowing (immediately both halves of the nose);
adenoids (in children);
curvature of the nasal septum;
polyps.

The diagnosis is established on the basis of anamnesis, clinical picture, otoscopy results, audiometry, as well as data from the study of the function of the auditory tube. For this purpose, an increased air pressure is created in the region of the pharyngeal opening of the auditory tube and its passage into the tympanic cavity is controlled. The patient himself can increase the pressure by making frequent swallowing movements or a sharp exhalation through the nose with the wings of the nose pressed against the nasal septum (Valsalva experiment).

It is possible to artificially increase the pressure when blowing the ear with a Politzer balloon. Also, doctors should identify what type of tubo-otitis is, infectious or allergenic. To do this, swabs are taken from the nose, and after two weeks the doctor identifies the cause of the disease. It should be noted that allergenic tubo-otitis is cured longer than infectious

Eustachitis treatment

Most people who have experienced this disease do not know how to treat eustachitis at home. Therapeutic measures for eustachitis are focused on removing puffiness, sanitizing the nasopharynx, stopping an allergic reaction or inflammation. With eustachitis, to reduce swelling of the auditory tube, oral antihistamines (suprastin, claritin, desloratadine) and vasoconstrictor nasal drops (nazol, nazivin, tizin, vibrocil, sanorin) are prescribed.

To improve the patency of the auditory tube, it is necessary to catheterize it, followed by the introduction of a solution of adrenaline or hydrocartisone. With eustachitis, pneumomassage of the tympanic membrane gives a good effect. In the case of the formation of a transudate of the tympanic cavity, the introduction of proteolytic enzymes is used to liquefy it. The manipulation itself is carried out through the auditory tube by catheterization.
In the acute period of eustachitis, it is not recommended to blow through the Politzer. The fact is that infected mucus can get from the pharynx through the auditory tube into the middle ear cavity. The complex treatment of eustachitis includes various physiotherapeutic methods - microwave therapy, UHF, laser therapy, electrical muscle stimulation, UVI.

In the process of treating eustachitis, it is imperative to eliminate the causes of its appearance. If necessary, removal of adenoids, systemic antibiotic therapy, removal of a benign tumor of the pharynx and nose, etc.

Prevention

Eustachitis develops against the background of a decrease in immunity, chronic infections of the respiratory tract, oral cavity. The patient must be careful not to make sharp exhalations through the nose, not to blow your nose with effort.

Untreated caries, chronic diseases of the pharynx and oral cavity can become provoking factors for inflammation of the auditory tube. Regular check-ups at the dentist, caries treatment reduces the risk of infection. The patient should refrain from air travel and deep-sea diving.

Forecast

Eustachitis is amenable to medical treatment. Timely contact with an ENT doctor is a guarantee of hearing improvement. The transition to the chronic phase creates a permanent focus of infection that threatens the health of the middle ear. Untreated eustachitis leads to deafness.