[Kim Jaeho's Life Story]<243> Otitis Media, You Must Know to Overcome It

Our ears are auditory and equilibrium organs that detect sound by converting sound waves into electrochemical impulses and maintain balance. The ear is divided into the outer ear (oei), middle ear (jung-i), and inner ear (nae-i). The outer ear collects sound waves and sends them to the eardrum (gokmak) in the middle ear. The middle ear converts the air vibrations delivered to the eardrum into fluid vibrations in the cochlea and transmits them to the inner ear, which then sends the received electrical impulses to the brain in the form of sound.

The middle ear refers to the space between the eardrum and the cochlea. It contains a 3?4 cm long tube called the Eustachian tube or eustachio-gwan, which connects to the innermost space of the nose (nasal cavity). This tube regulates pressure when the pressure difference between the middle ear and the atmosphere risks damaging the eardrum. The walls of the Eustachian tube have small cilia that help discharge secretions from the middle ear into the nasopharynx and then to the nose.

Among ear diseases, hearing loss, which impairs the ability to hear sounds properly, is the most serious. However, in terms of patient numbers, inflammation caused by bacterial or viral infections in the ear is the most common, with otitis media?inflammation of the middle ear?accounting for the majority. Until 2019, the number of otitis media patients exceeded 2 million annually, but due to the impact of COVID-19, the numbers dropped significantly to 1.4 million in 2020 and 1.06 million in 2021.

Otitis media is divided into acute and chronic types, with most cases being acute since chronic otitis media is less common. Acute otitis media can occur at any age but is most common in infants aged 6 months to 24 months. Approximately 80% of children experience otitis media at least once, making it very prevalent among children.

Children’s Eustachian tubes are shorter and have a gentler slope, making it easier for bacteria or viruses to travel up the tube and cause infection. Additionally, children frequently catch colds, which increases their susceptibility to otitis media. As children grow, the Eustachian tube lengthens and develops a steeper angle, facilitating the drainage of mucus and foreign substances and reducing the risk of infection.

The most common and prominent symptoms of otitis media include ear pain, discomfort and pressure, discharge of pus, and hearing loss. Very young children who cannot express themselves may show symptoms seen in adults along with unusual behaviors such as rubbing or pulling their ears, fever, frequent loss of balance, lack of response to certain sounds, severe headaches, restlessness, or loss of appetite.

Otitis media usually develops as a complication of a cold caused by bacterial or viral infection. It can arise as a bacterial complication of viral upper respiratory infections or directly from viral infections. Risk factors for otitis media include children with anatomical predispositions who drink milk while lying down or attend group childcare, exposure to tobacco smoke, poor air quality, and seasonal allergies, all of which increase the likelihood of otitis media.

Treatment for otitis media commonly involves antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and antihistamines, with pain relievers used if there is pain. Antibiotics are effective only for bacterial otitis media and have no effect on viral otitis media. Anti-inflammatory drugs and antihistamines reduce inflammation but do not kill bacteria or viruses, so viral otitis media is difficult to treat effectively.

However, otitis media often resolves within three days without treatment. Considering that antibiotics do not cure viral otitis media and their overuse can lead to antibiotic resistance, immediate use of antibiotics is not considered a good strategy. For this reason, some doctors prescribe antibiotics only when symptoms are severe or do not improve after two to three days.

So, what is the best approach when you have otitis media? As with all diseases, prevention is undoubtedly the best strategy, and preventive measures also greatly aid recovery. Since otitis media is an infectious disease, boosting immunity is crucial. The reduction in otitis media patients from over 2 million annually to 1.06 million in 2021, thanks to efforts to prevent COVID-19, shows that preventing infectious respiratory diseases also significantly helps prevent otitis media.

Methods to prevent infectious diseases include frequent hand washing, avoiding overcrowded places, not giving pacifiers to infants, breastfeeding as much as possible, avoiding feeding milk while lying down, avoiding secondhand smoke, and keeping vaccinations up to date.

Furthermore, to enhance immunity, which plays a decisive role in preventing and healing all infectious diseases, maintaining a pro-life lifestyle that properly activates genes?such as the Newstart program (see Life Story Part 6)?will greatly help maintain optimal immunity and overall health.

Kim Jae-ho, Independent Researcher