Mastoiditis
What can be done to prevent the disease?
Antibiotics for ear infections and methods to drain fluid from the ears can help prevent most cases of mastoiditis. Children with ear infections should be treated early with antibiotics. It is important that a person take the full course of the antibiotic to prevent mastoiditis. Also, children who have frequent infections should be monitored in an effort to prevent mastoiditis and ear cysts from developing.
What are the long-term effects of the disease?
Long term, acute mastoiditis can lead to:
material under the skin behind the ear
facial paralysis
nerve deafness or hearing impairment
vertigo or dizziness
meningitis, or inflammation of the lining of the brain, which may cause permanent brain damage or death
a blood clot in the veins that drain the blood from the brain
an abscess or pocket of pus under the skin, in nearby muscles, or even in the brain. A brain abscess can result in permanent brain damage or death.
scarring in the ear or mastoid
What are the risks to others?
There are no risks to others, as the condition is not contagious.
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