Otitis Media Diagnosis and Management in Family Medicine Practice

Background: Otitis media is an infectious disease of the middle ear that presents with or without acute symptoms. It is the most prevalent diagnosis among children presenting at family physicians’ clinics in the US and the second most common diagnosis overall. Objective: In this study, we aimed to discuss and evaluate the role of family physicians in otitis media diagnosis and management. Method: A comprehensive search was done using biomedical databases; Medline, and PubMed, for studies concerned with assessing the role of family physicians in the diagnosis and management of otitis media. Keywords used in our search through the databases were “Otitis Media Diagnosis”, “Otitis Media Management”, and “Family Physician”. Conclusion: It was found that the family physicians were more likely to diagnose acute otitis media than the otorhinolaryngologist. Family physicians also tend to prescribe high-cost antibiotics more frequently than pediatricians do. Accurate diagnosis is a critical factor in decreasing antibiotic use for otitis media. Careful examination and adherence to the guidelines will decrease the use of antibiotics for cases like otitis media with effusion or red ears in the crying child.