| Subject | Contents |
| Definition | An infection of the mastoid bone of the skull. |
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| Causes, incidence, and risk factors | Mastoiditis is usually a consequence of a middle ear infection ( acute otitis media ). The infection may spread from the ear to the mastoid bone of the skull. The mastoid bone fills with infected materials and its honeycomb-like bone structure may deteriorate. Mastoiditis most commonly affects children. Before antibiotics, mastoiditis was one of the leading causes of death in children. Now it is a relatively uncommon and much less dangerous disorder. |
| Symptoms | ear pain or discomfortearache pain behind the ear redness of the ear or behind the ear fever , may be high or spike (have sudden high increases) headachedrainage from the ear |
| Signs and tests | An examination of the head may indicate mastoiditis. A skull X-ray or CT scan '>head CT scan or CT of the ear may show an abnormality in the mastoid bone. A culture of drainage from the ear may show bacteria. |
| Treatment | Mastoiditis may be difficult to treat because it is difficult for medications to reach deep enough into the mastoid bone. It may require repeated or long-term treatment. Antibiotics by injection, then antibiotics by mouth are given to treat the infection. Surgery to remove part of the bone and drain the mastoid ( mastoidectomy ) may be needed if antibiotic therapy is not successful. Surgical drainage of the middle ear through the eardrum ( myringotomy ) may be needed to treat underlying otitis media . |
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| Expectations (prognosis) | Mastoiditis is curable with treatment but may be hard to treat and may recur. |
| Complications | recurrence partial or complete hearing loss of the affected ear destruction of the mastoid bone spread of infection to the brain or throughout the body epidural abscess |
| Calling your health care provider | Call your health care provider if symptoms indicate mastoiditis. Call for an appointment with your health care provider if a known ear infection does not respond to treatment or is followed by new symptoms, or if symptoms do not respond to treatment. |
| Prevention | Prompt and complete treatment of ear infections reduces the risk of developing mastoiditis. |
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