The area behind the ear will appear red and swollen, and will be very sore. There may be drainage of pus from the infected ear. Fever is common.
Symptoms of mastoiditis may at first be the same as symptoms of an early middle ear infection.
With early identification of mastoiditis, the prognosis is very good. When symptoms are not caught early enough, however, a number of complications can occur.
What is mastoiditis?!Why would you need to know that!
Mastoiditis can cause hearing loss which may result in tinnitus.
Prevention of mastoiditis involves careful and complete treatment of any middle ear infections.
Mastoiditis is caused by the same types of bacteria which cause middle ear infections (Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae).
Mastoiditis is usually suspected when a severe middle ear infection is accompanied by redness, swelling, and pain in the mastoid area.
In a simple case of mastoiditis some fluid escapes into the mastoid air cells during a middle ear infection.
Mastoiditis may occur due to the progression of an untreated, or undertreated, middle ear infection.
Otitis Media or middle ear infection can cause Mastoiditis or bacterial infection of the mastoid bone. If Otitis Media is untreated and recurrent, this can cause Mastoiditis. Mastoiditis typically affects children moreso than adults.
Mastoiditis
In complex mastoiditis, the infection penetrates through to the lining of the mastoid bone, resulting in a very severe and destructive infection of the mastoid bone itself.