Impact of sulphurous water politzer inhalation on audiometric parameters in children with otitis media with effusion

Abstract

Objectives: The positive effects of spa therapy on ear, nose, and throat pathology are known but robust literature in this field, is still lacking. The aim of this study was to assess through a retrospective analysis, the effects on otitis media with effusion of Politzer endotympanic inhalation of sulphurous waters in children aged 5-9 years.

Methods: A cohort of 95 patients was treated with Politzer insufflations of sulphurous water: 58 patients did a cycle consisting of a treatment of 12 days per year for three consecutive years; 37 patients followed the same procedure for 5 years consecutively. The control population was represented by untreated, age-matched children. A standard audiometric test was used before and after each cycle of treatment.

Results: One cycle of Politzer inhalation of sulphur-rich water improved the symptoms. Three cycles definitively stabilized the improvement of hearing function.

Conclusion: Our results show that otitis media with effusion in children can be resolved by an appropriate non-pharmacological treatment of middle ear with sulphur-rich water.

Keywords: Otitis media; Pediatric audiology; Spa therapy; Sulphur hydrogen.

Fig. 1

Time-course of hearing levels (acusia) in a four-years follow-up of 37 patients. Hearing levels (right and left ear) are reported. Acusia values are arbitrarily clustered into two groups: 1) normal acusia-low hypoacusia group (below 15 dB of hearing loss, empty circles); 2) hypoacusia group (from 20 to 25 dB of hearing loss, filled circles). Linear correlation curves and slopes are reported. Note that at every frequency, but more evidently at 500 and 1,000 Hz, the three curves diverge (P<0.001, P=0.013, and P=0.026 for 500 Hz, 1,000 Hz, and 2,000 Hz curves, respectively) as the treatments increase in number. This indicates that progressively more children reach the normal hearing levels.