What is serous otitis media?

Serous otitis media is fluid trapped behind your tympanic membrane (eardrum), without an ear infection. Your eardrum is in your middle ear. Serous otitis media is also called otitis media with effusion. Serous otitis media may be caused by an upper respiratory infection or allergies.

Thereof, what does serous otitis media mean?

Serous otitis media (SOM), also known as otitis media with effusion (OME), fluid in the ear, middle ear effusion (MEE), or secretory otitis media, is a condition in which fluid resides in the middle ear. "Serous" refers to the type of fluid that is collecting inside the middle ear.

One may also ask, what is the difference between serous and suppurative otitis media? Most pediatricians recognize and treat acute otitis media several times each day. Acute suppurative otitis media is distinguished from secretory (serous) otitis media by the presence of purulent fluid in the middle ear. Pathogenic bacteria may be cultured from the majority of needle aspirates of this purulent fluid.

Also asked, how is serous otitis media treated?

(Serous Otitis Media) Most cases resolve in 2 to 3 weeks. If there is no improvement in 1 to 3 months, some form of myringotomy is indicated, usually with insertion of a tympanostomy tube. Antibiotics and decongestants are not effective.

Is Otitis Media dangerous?

Otitis media not only causes severe pain but may result in serious complications if it is not treated. An untreated infection can travel from the middle ear to the nearby parts of the head, including the brain.

36 Related Question Answers Found

Can doctors drain fluid from your ears?

Rarely, a doctor may use a tiny tube that pierces the eardrum to drain fluid from the middle ear — a procedure called tympanocentesis. The fluid is tested for viruses and bacteria.

What is the best antibiotic for otitis media?

High-dose amoxicillin (80 to 90 mg per kg per day) is the antibiotic of choice for treating acute otitis media in patients who are not allergic to penicillin.

Where is serous fluid found?

Another type of serous fluid is secreted by the serous membranes (serosa), two-layered membranes which line the body cavities. Serous membrane fluid collects on microvilli on the outer layer and acts as a lubricant and reduces friction from muscle movement. This can be seen in the lungs, with the pleural cavity.

What is the most common cause of otitis media?

Acute otitis media (AOM) is the most common childhood bacterial infection for which antibiotics are prescribed worldwide. The most common pathogens causing AOM in children are Streptococcus pneumoniae, nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis and Group A streptococcus.

How do you sleep with fluid behind your eardrum?

Resting or sleeping sitting up rather than lying down can help fluid in your ear drain. This could ease pressure and pain in your middle ear.

Is there a way to drain fluid from ear?

Doctors sometimes place an ear tube in the ears of people who get frequent ear infections. The ear tube provides an opening into the middle ear, which may allow a small amount of clear fluid to drain from the ear. People should contact their doctor if any clear fluid drainage continues for more than 24 hours.

How do you remove fluid from your inner ear?

How to remove water from your middle ear

Yawn or chew. When water gets stuck in your eustachian tubes, moving your mouth can sometimes help to open the tubes.
Perform the Valsalva maneuver. This method can also help open closed eustachian tubes.
Use steam.

Can you fly with serous otitis media?

Ideally it is advisable NOT to fly if you have an ear infection, such as otitis media or otitis externa. However, if you (or your child) do have to fly, there is no evidence that you are likely to come to any serious harm. If you do have to fly with an ear infection, decongestant medicines may help prevent problems.

What are the five risk factors for otitis media?

The following are proven risk factors for otitis media:

Prematurity and low birth weight.
Young age.
Early onset.
Family history.
Race - Native American, Inuit, Australian aborigine.
Altered immunity.
Craniofacial abnormalities.
Neuromuscular disease.

What is best antibiotic for otitis media in adults?

Uncomplicated acute otitis media in nonimmunocompromised adults

Amoxicillin 875 mg PO BID or 500 mg TID for 5-7d or.
Cefuroxime 500 mg PO BID for 5-7d or.
Cefpodoxime 200 mg PO BID for 5-7d or.
Cefdinir 300 mg PO BID for 5-7d or.
Ceftriaxone 2 g IM/IV once.

How long does otitis media in adults last?

Symptoms of otitis media usually improve within 48 to 72 hours, but the fluid that has built up in the middle ear may last for up to 3 months.

Why does my ear feel full of fluid?

An Eustachian tube blockage is one possible cause of a clogged ear. But instead of flowing down the throat, fluid and mucus can sometimes become trapped in the middle ear and clog the ear. This blockage usually accompanies an infection, such as the common cold, influenza, or sinusitis.

What does serous otitis media look like?

Serous otitis media is a specific type of otitis media with effusion caused by transudate formation as a result of a rapid decrease in middle ear pressure relative to the atmospheric pressure. The fluid in this case is watery and clear.

Can you die from otitis media?

The deadliest complication of otitis media is a brain abscess, an accumulation of pus in the brain due to an infection. The most common symptoms are headache, fever, nausea, vomiting, neurologic deficits and altered consciousness.

How long does fluid behind eardrum last?

Usually the fluid goes away in 2 to 3 months, and hearing returns to normal. Your doctor may want to check your child again at some point to see if fluid is still present.

Can you treat otitis externa with oral antibiotics?

Oral antibiotics are reserved for cases in which the infection has spread beyond the ear canal or in patients at risk of a rapidly progressing infection. Chronic otitis externa is often caused by allergies or underlying inflammatory dermatologic conditions, and is treated by addressing the underlying causes.

Can fluid in ear cause pain?

A middle ear effusion occurs when fluid builds up in the space behind the eardrum. This fluid can cause problems in children. This condition is called middle ear effusion, otitis media with effusion or serous otitis media. This condition does not usually cause pain.