Otitis media, is an inflammation of the middle ear, which is located between the external auditory canal with the tympanic membrane (eardrum) and the inner ear. The inflammation causes swelling and redness followed by a gathering of liquid behind the eardrum.
The inflammation of the middle ear, which lies between the external auditory canal and the inner ear, is called otitis media. Anyone can experience otitis media but the condition is most common in children between six and fifteen months old. According to some studies, 1 in each 4 children are affected by the condition before their tenth year of life. Otitis media accompanies often various respiratory infections including flu and common cold. This is due to the connection of the middle ear with the upper respiratory tract through a small channel called the Eustachian tube. This tube is so thin that microbes that are existing in the sinus cavities or nose penetrate into the middle ear over the Eustachian tube and begin growing. There are numerous subtypes of Otitis Media. These types include adhesive otitis media, chronic suppurative otitis media, otitis media with effusion, and acute otitis media.
Pathogens (viruses and bacteria) may induce inflammation of the middle ear, which is especially common in children. The inflammation is typically experienced as an (pulsating) earache and fever and usually heals on its own within a week. This type of inflammation is different from long term (chronic) middle ear infections that affect either the mucus membranes or the bones of the middle ear (a disease called cholesteatoma) which generally leads to lasting damage of the eardrum.
While chronic middle ear inflammation of the mucus membrane is not life-threatening, chloesteatoma can attack the structures in the middle and inner ear. This form of inflammation requires surgery. For the treatment of acute forms, anti-inflammatory nasal sprays and pain medication are often effective against symptoms. Treatment with antibiotics, in the base of a bacterial infection, is effective and shorts the length of the disease.
Several years of work in academia, medical practice and finally commercialization make it possible to provide an end-to-end process to help users to “find the appropriate medical help based on their present symptoms”. Below you will find a short explanation, showing you which part of the platform will help you best in finding the appropriate medical support.
Proceed as follows to enter your current symptoms.
Click on the appropriate body part on the picture. Select one/multiple symptoms corresponding to your complaint.
You can also add symptoms by typing your medical complaint in the search box and selecting the best matching suggestion.
Note: Your information will be kept anonymously.
Once you have selected all applicable symptoms, click the “analyze disease pattern”-button.
Accordingly, you will get a list of possible diseases and matching doctor categories who can further help you.
You can inform yourself about the possible diseases by reading the related information. But you can also return to the previous step and add more symptoms or delete already added ones to further narrow down your disease pattern.
Click on the desired doctor category to find a doctor who can help you.
If you are logged in with your profile, you will be displayed the appropriate doctors in your area. Otherwise you can enter an address in the “address” field and you will be displayed a doctor’s list around that specified address.
You will receive further information about the displayed doctors when you press on “details”.
Online bookable doctors in your area will be indicated with the notation “Book appointment” or “Book externally”, additionally they will be displayed on top of the list for your convenience.
Click on “Book appointment” to start the online appointment booking process with the desired doctor.
Please select an available appointment. “Green“ appointments are booked directly. “Red“ appointments need to be confirmed by the doctor.
Enter your general personal and health information.
Enter your present medical symptoms.
Enter your mobile phone number to identify yourself and you can finalize the appointment booking.
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