Journal of AdvancedMedical and Dental Sciences Research

Background: Acute otitis media (AOM) is an acute, suppurative infectious process marked by the presence of infected middle ear fluid and inflammation of the mucosa lining the middle ear space. The present study was conducted to record the sign & symptoms in patients with otitis media. Materials & Methods: The present study included 168 patients with symptoms of otitis media. General symptoms like fever, irritability & Gastrointestinal symptoms & local symptoms of cold, earache, hearing impairment, ear discharge, retro auricular pain, tinnitus, vertigo & facial asymmetry were noted. Results: In present study we included 168 patients of both gender with signs and symptoms of otitis media. We observed that 20-30 years aged individual had maximum patients (males- 20, females- 48) followed by 30-40 years (males- 16, females- 22), 40-50 years (males- 14, females- 16), 50-60 years (males- 6, females- 12) and 60-70 years (males- 4, females- 10). The difference was significant (P< 0.05). Our study showed that symptoms of cold (60), fever (20), earache (132), hearing impairment (44), ear discharge (122), tinnitus (14), retroauricular pain (8), vertigo (4) and facial asymmetry (2) occurred in respective number of patients given in parenthesis. The difference was significant (P<0.05). Conclusion: Otitis media is a common ear problem most commonly seen in young adults. Female prevalence was observed. Symptoms of acute otitis media are so nonspecific that they are largely unhelpful in making a diagnosis. The basis for deciding whether to administer antibiotics should include not only this evidence but also parental values. Key words: Deviated nasal septum, inflammation, otitis media, Tinnitus.