Table of Contents
What is a differential diagnosis of ear infection?
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS The differential diagnosis of acute otitis media (AOM) includes otitis media with effusion (OME) (figure 2), chronic otitis media (COM), external otitis (otitis externa), herpes zoster infection, and other deep space head and neck infections.
What is the most common cause of mastoiditis?
Mastoiditis is most often caused by a middle ear infection (acute otitis media). The infection may spread from the ear to the mastoid bone. The bone has a honeycomb-like structure that fills with infected material and may break down. The condition is most common in children.
Can you have mastoiditis without an ear infection?
Mastoiditis is uncommon without a coinciding ear infection. A sample of the infected ear fluid should be collected for culture. If complicated, severe or chronic mastoiditis is suspected, you will be referred for a CT scan to image the mastoid area.
Can you have mastoiditis without ear infection?
Can an ear infection be mistaken for something else?
It is amazing how often middle ear infections (otitis media) are misdiagnosed by medical professionals.
What mimics an ear infection in adults?
Mastoiditis is a potentially life-threatening infection of the mastoid air cells behind the ear. This infection is caused by Streptococcus pneumonia, Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenza, or Moraxella catarrhalis. Symptoms are present 2-6 days after the onset of acute otitis media.
Can you get mastoiditis without an ear infection?
What causes swelling behind ear?
Swelling behind the ear is most commonly caused by swollen lymph nodes or an ear infection caused by bacteria, fungus or a virus. Most individuals with swollen glands behind the ear may also be experiencing pain behind the ear or headaches.
What is silent mastoiditis?
Silent mastoiditis may be defined as an insidious progressive destruction of the mastoid process with or without otorrhea. The disease is afebrile and painless in its course.
Can mastoiditis be seen on MRI?
Mastoiditis and subperiosteal abscesses were identified by MRI in all cases. Sensitivity for mastoiditis was 100%, specificity was 66%, and accuracy was 86%. Sensitivity for subperiosteal abscesses was 100% and accuracy was 100%.
How often are ear infections misdiagnosed?
These real-life impediments are what makes diagnosing AOM so difficult. Affecting more than 80% of children, ear infections are misdiagnosed up to 50% of the time using the otoscope.
Can you see mastoiditis with otoscope?
Diagnosing mastoiditis A GP will examine the inside of your ear with an otoscope (a device with a light and magnifying glass). If the GP thinks you have mastoiditis as a complication of a middle ear infection, they’ll refer you to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist for further examination and tests.
What are the diagnostic considerations for mastoiditis?
Diagnostic Considerations. A high index of suspicion, judicious use of diagnostic modalities, and close follow-up care are recommended to make a diagnosis in a timely manner. Conditions to consider in the differential diagnosis of mastoiditis include the following: Basilar Skull Fracture. Cellulitis. Cysts. Deep Neck Infections.
How is acute otitis media differentiated from mastoiditis?
Note post-auricular erythema and swelling, and loss of post-auricular sulcus. Acute otitis media: clinically differentiated from mastoiditis by the presence of a well-defined post-auricular sulcus and the absence of post-auricular swelling, erythema or tenderness.
What is the pathophysiology of mastoiditis?
Mastoiditis is the inflammation of a portion of the temporal bone referred to as the mastoid air cells. The mastoid air cells are epithelium lined bone septations that are continuous with the middle ear cavity.
What is the mortality and morbidity associated with mastoiditis?
After antibiotics and pneumococcal vaccination (PCV-7), 0.002% of children with acute otitis media progress too acute coalescent mastoiditis with a mortality rate of less than 0.01 per 100000 population. [2][3] Pathophysiology The majority of cases of mastoiditis result from the progression of acute otitis media.