Chronic Otitis Media Suppurativa

It is a hearing loss and disability in the middle ear which is medically called Chronic Otitis Media Suppurativa (OMSK) or what the general public calls congekan. This results in perforation/tearing of the lining of the eardrum (tympanic membrane) which lasts a long time and continues to produce fluid and is usually recurrent/recurrent. The secretions or fluid that comes out of the ear vary from thin to thick, clear to pus, odorless to foul-smelling. Sometimes if the inflammation is prolonged it can cause fatal brain/intracranial infections and acute mastoiditis to the point of decreased conductive hearing power (hearing loss that occurs when sound is blocked from the ear).

Before becoming chronic, this disease usually begins with acute otitis media which occurs due to blockage of the eustachian tube (the tube that connects the middle ear and the back of the nose), injury to the ear, chemical burns or injury due to an explosion.

Chronic otitis media suppurativa can recur after an infection of the nose and throat, such as the common cold, because sufferers are often advised to seek treatment immediately if they have a cold or cough. Or after water enters the middle ear through a perforated tympanic membrane when bathing or swimming. Usually a recurrence of the disease causes a discharge of yellowish or greenish pus and sometimes a foul or fishy smell in the ear and often chronic otitis media suppurativa does not cause pain but makes the sufferer feel insecure.

In some cases of chronic otitis media suppurativa, cholesteatoma occurs in the middle ear. This cholesteatoma is a white, skin-like growth that is non-cancerous (benign). People with cholesteatoma may experience fever, vertigo and/or earache, and if it continues to grow it can erode the surrounding structures.

Risk Factors for CSOM

• Babies and children
• Unhygienic environment
• Immune disorders
• Poor ear hygiene
• Malnutrition
• Allergy

PREVENTION FOR NO RECURRENCE / RESIDENCE

• Get treatment immediately if you have a cold and cough and take regular medication. Also inform your doctor if you have a history of chronic otitis media suppurativa.
• Be careful when bathing so that water does not get into your ears
• Swimming is not recommended for sufferers of acute otitis media suppurativa
• Maintain ear hygiene
• Consume healthy and nutritionally balanced food

TREATMENT OF CHRONIC OTITIS MEDIA SUPURATIVA

• With antibiotic ear drops
• If necessary, oral antibiotics are also given
• Periodic ear washing
• For the condition of a perforated eardrum, it can be an indication for tympanoplasty. If the auditory ossicles are damaged, the ossicles can be repaired at the same time.

If your child experiences complaints and symptoms around the ears, immediately consult a doctor to get fast and appropriate treatment.