Q Is there anything I should be careful about in daily life when I have otitis media?
A The key points are: keep water out of the ears, blow your nose gently one side at a time, feed infants in an upright position, and avoid secondhand smoke.
Detailed Answer
Daily Precautions
- No water in the ears — Use earplugs when swimming or bathing. If there is ear discharge (otorrhea), do not rinse the ear.
- Blowing the nose — Blowing both sides forcefully at once transmits pressure through the eustachian tube into the middle ear. Blow gently, one side at a time.
- Block secondhand smoke — A smoking environment suppresses ciliary motion of the eustachian tube lining and hinders drainage of effusion.
- Feeding position (infants) — Feeding while lying down can allow formula or breast milk to flow back into the eustachian tube. Feed with the baby held up at an angle of about 30 degrees or more.
Korean Medicine Lifestyle Care
In environments with frequent exposure to yellow dust and fine particulate matter, such as the Dong-gu and Dongincheon area of Incheon, nasal rinsing with saline after returning home and good ventilation are important. Keep indoor humidity at 50-60%, and cut back on spicy foods and snacks, which increase Lung-heat and phlegm-fluid.
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