What is it about ?
The mastoid is the protrusion of the bone that you feel just behind the ear. It is a porous bone with cavities filled with air. A middle ear infection can also affect this bone and cause inflammation with pus formation, although this is rare. This is called mastoiditis. The adjective “acute” means that it appears suddenly and that its course is rapid.
What is its frequency?
Mastoiditis is rare; it occurs in 2 to 4 in 100,000 people each year. It is mainly a complication of otitis media accompanied by a discharge of pus from the ear. The affection mainly concerns children.
How to recognize it?
The main symptoms are: high fever, pronounced pain and tenderness in the ear, discharge of pus from the ear (less common), swelling, localized heat and redness behind the ear, ear sticking out and turned downwards. cause of the swelling behind the ear. Sometimes the glands in the neck are swollen.
How is the diagnosis made?
The clinical examination will already allow the doctor to have an idea of the diagnosis. The combination of otitis media and swelling behind the ear is characteristic of this inflammation. In this case, a blood test and a CT scan will have to be performed.
What can your doctor do?
Acute mastoiditis is a serious infection that requires hospitalization. You will need to take antibiotics. A small incision is made in the eardrum to allow the pus to drain and a drain is placed there to keep the eardrum open. If the fever does not subside within 48 hours, surgery is needed to open and clean the middle ear and bone.
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