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Sub-Category:

Mastoiditis

Specialty: Ear

Category: Infectious and Inflammatory Ear Conditions

Sub-category: Other Inflammatory Conditions

Symptoms:
ear pain; swelling behind the ear; fever; hearing loss; ear discharge; redness and tenderness behind the ear; headache; irritability in children

Root Cause:
Bacterial infection of the mastoid air cells in the temporal bone, often due to untreated or poorly managed otitis media (middle ear infection).

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical examination (checking for swelling and redness behind the ear), imaging studies (CT scan of the temporal bone), and blood tests (to check for infection).

Treatment:
Intravenous antibiotics, drainage of abscess if present, and mastoidectomy in severe or refractory cases.

Medications:
Antibiotics such as ceftriaxone (a third-generation cephalosporin) or vancomycin (a glycopeptide antibiotic) may be prescribed. Antibiotic choice depends on culture results and bacterial resistance patterns.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare in developed countries due to effective treatment of otitis media; more common in regions with limited access to healthcare.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Untreated or recurrent otitis media, immunosuppression, poor access to healthcare, and chronic ear infections.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good with prompt treatment; complications are rare if treated early. Delay in treatment can lead to life-threatening complications.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Brain abscess, meningitis, hearing loss, venous sinus thrombosis, and facial nerve paralysis.