Mastoiditis is an inflammation or infection of the mastoid bone, which is one of the bones of the skull behind the ear.
It results from an infection of the middle ear.
The most common symptoms are pain, redness or swelling behind the ear, ear pain, displacement of the pinna forward due to inflammation of the mastoid bone, fever, irritability or nervousness, headache and deafness.
The diagnosis will be made thanks to the clinical history, physical examination (with an otoscope), the performance of imaging tests and the possibility of ear drainage cultures.
Treatment consists of early administration of antibiotics, although there are cases in which it may be difficult to treat, requiring prolonged antibiotic treatment and even surgery to properly drain the pus from the area.
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