What is mastoiditis?
One of the most important structures in your内耳is the mastoid bone. Although it’s called a bone, the mastoid doesn’t have the typical structure associated with other bones in the human body. It’s made of air sacs and resembles a sponge, rather than being solid and rigid like most bones.
The mastoid must receive air from other parts of the ear, including the咽鼓管,正常运行。你的咽鼓管connects your middle ear to the back of your throat. If an infection develops in your middle ear and blocks your eustachian tube, it may subsequently lead to an infection in the mastoid bone. This serious infection is known as mastoid bone infection of the skull, or mastoiditis.
最常见的乳突炎原因是一个中耳感染that has been left untreated. It can spread to your inner ear, invading the sacs of the mastoid bone, without treatment. This can cause the mastoid bone to begin to disintegrate.
Although the condition is most common in children, it can also occur in adults.
The symptoms of mastoiditis are similar to those of anear infection。它们包括：
- drainage from the affected ear
- 耳痛
- fever
- 头痛
- hearing lossin the affected ear
- 受影响的耳朵背后的发红，肿胀和温柔
在某些情况下，乳突炎可能导致开发brain abscessor other complications involving your skull. The symptoms of these conditions include severe headaches and swelling behind your eyes. This swelling is known aspapilledema。
If you have symptoms of an ear infection, your doctor will examine your ears and head to determine if the infection has spread to your mastoid bone.
乳突骨位于内耳内，由于感染可能看不到。您的医生可以执行其他测试以确认诊断。这些包括：
- awhite blood cell countto confirm the presence of an infection
- aCT scan你的耳朵和头部
- 耳朵和头部的MRI扫描
- anX射线of your skull
If the tests confirm a diagnosis of mastoiditis, your doctor may also perform a腰刺穿, orspinal tap。This test will allow your doctor to determine if the infection is present in yourspinal column。
乳囊炎is a potentially life-threatening condition. Initial treatment for a severe infection may include hospitalization. You will receive antibiotic medication through a vein in your arm, or intravenously, while at the hospital. You will need to take oral antibiotics at home for several days after leaving the hospital.
If the infection doesn’t clear up after treatment with antibiotics, surgery may be necessary. Surgery may involve removing part of your mastoid bone to drain the infection. Doctors may also need to drain your middle ear of infected fluid to successfully treat the infection.
由于乳突骨头位于耳朵内部，因此可能难以困难。如果治疗无效或在损坏乳突前未治疗感染，可能会产生严重的健康问题。这些健康问题包括：
- 眩晕或头晕
- facial paralysis
- hearing loss
- 脑膜炎, a bacterial infection of the membranes covering your brain and spinal cord
- 硬膜外脓肿, a collection of pus on the outside of your brain and spinal cord
- 败血症，整个身体传播感染
您可以通过有效治疗所有耳朵感染来预防乳孔炎。如果您培养耳朵感染，请追究医疗注意力并跟随您的医生的建议。这可能包括口服抗生素7至10天。
Early intervention is necessary to prevent permanent damage if mastoiditis develops. Even if treatment is successful, the infection may return. Doctors will need to monitor those who develop mastoiditis to ensure that the infection doesn’t return or spread.