Otitis media most often occurs in childhood, but adults, including pregnant women, are not immune from it either. While carrying a baby, immunity becomes weaker, so infectious diseases are a great danger. Difficulties are also added by the fact that many drugs during this period cannot or should not be used.
However, there are drugs that, if used correctly, will not harm the development of the baby, but at the same time quickly eliminate inflammation and relieve ear pain. These drugs include Otipax... When it is prescribed to the expectant mother, it is important to carefully read the instructions for use in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters, ask the doctor how to drip into the ear correctly, and also study the review of reviews.
Features of the drug
Otipax is produced in the form of ear drops containing two active substances... One of them is lidocaine at a dose of 10 mg per 1 g of the drug. It is supplemented with a substance called phenazone, the dosage of which per 1 g of medication is 40 mg. Additionally, the preparation contains sodium thiosulfate, ethanol, glycerin and water.
The medicine itself is represented by a transparent solution with an alcoholic smell. This liquid is usually colorless, but may be slightly yellowish.
The solution is sold in glass bottles of 16 g. In addition to the bottle, the box contains a separately packed dropper. You can buy Otipax in a pharmacy without presenting a prescription.
Operating principle
Due to the Otipax phenazone present in the preparation able to influence the activity of the inflammatory process... This ingredient blocks an enzyme called cyclooxygenase that interferes with the formation of prostaglandins and provides the droplets with anti-inflammatory properties. In addition, under the influence of phenazone, the capillaries become less permeable, which also helps to reduce the inflammatory response.
The second, no less important effect of Otipax is local anesthesia. It is caused by lidocaine hydrochloride, a popular local anesthetic. Such a compound has an antagonism with respect to sodium and calcium ions, as a result of which nerve fibers do not perceive and do not conduct pain signals.
Phenazone also provides some analgesic effect, therefore, in combination, the active substances of "Otipax" quickly and permanently eliminate pain in the ear.
In this case, the effect of the medication is manifested only at the site of application - the solution only affects the condition of the ear tissues. In the absence of damage to the tympanic septum, the agent is not absorbed into the bloodstream and cannot affect the work of internal organs.
Is it allowed during pregnancy?
According to the annotation, which is in the Otipax package together with the bottle, the drug is not contraindicated for women in position. It can be used both in early and late pregnancy if there is an indication for such treatment. Since the main contraindication for Otipax is damage to the eardrum, treatment with drops while carrying a baby is permissible only after examination, which will confirm the integrity of the septum and thereby designate the safety of the medicine for the fetus.
The second contraindication, which is also of great importance during pregnancy, is hypersensitivity to any ingredient in the solution.... Especially often an allergic reaction develops to lidocaine, but other substances in the composition of Otipax can also provoke it, therefore, if a woman is prone to allergies, using these drops should be very careful.
If the expectant mother is worried about severe ear pain, she went to see the ENT, the doctor examined, made sure that there was no damage to the tympanic membrane, and then prescribed Otipax to the patient, you can drip the drug safely.
Its harmlessness can be assessed even by the fact that in childhood, this medication is allowed to be used from birth.
When is it prescribed for expectant mothers?
The reason for using Otipax while carrying a baby is usually severe ear pain caused by an inflammatory process. The medication is prescribed for otitis media, which is acute or is an exacerbation of chronic inflammation.
The drug is in demand for ARVI, if the infection has spread to the ear tissue and led to such a complication as viral otitis media. You can also drip Otipax with external otitis media, because the main symptoms of such a disease are pain, swelling, discharge from the ear, redness.... In addition, the solution is prescribed for otitis media caused by barotrauma.
Side effects
In rare cases, the drops provoke irritation of the tissues of the ear canal, their redness, itching in the ear, or other allergy symptoms. When they appear, you should immediately stop using Otipax and contact an ENT doctor to select another medicine that will not have a negative reaction.
Instructions for use
The scheme of application of "Otipax" should be clarified with the attending physician. A single dosage is usually 3 or 4 drops. Most often, the drug is dripped twice a day, but there are often cases when a specialist recommends a three-time application. The solution is injected into the ear canal using a dropper, which is attached to the bottle. Before starting use, you must release it from the packaging, then remove the cap and screw the dropper onto the bottle.
Turning the bottle over, press the center of the pipette as many times as the drops need to be injected into the ear. The agent is dripped, tilting the head to the side, after which they hold it in a horizontal position for some time so that the solution does not flow out.
You can also drip Otipax onto a cotton ball and then insert it inside the ear canal. The cotton flag will be an additional obstacle against the outflow of the product.
The duration of treatment is determined by the doctor, because for some women it is enough to drip the solution for 3-5 days, while others have to use the medication longer. However, it is usually not recommended to use Otipax for more than 10 days. If the doctor prescribed other ear drops to the woman, then between their use and the introduction of Otipax, it is required to wait at least 30 minutes.
Reviews
There are mostly positive reviews about the use of Otipax during the period of childbearing. They call the remedy very effective and note that such drops helped to get rid of pain in a short time and eased the condition of the expectant mother. Among the advantages of the drug are the ease of use, the minimum list of contraindications and safety for the fetus.
The disadvantages of "Otipax" are often attributed to its high cost, since there are cheaper analogues on the market. As for the tolerance, the majority of patients assessed it as good. Cases of negative local or allergic reactions are rare.
Analogs
Local remedies with the same composition can be used to replace Otipax. it Otirelax, Maxicold Ototita and Lorotox. All these medicines are ear drops containing lidocaine and phenazone, therefore they are used for the same indications, have the same restrictions and contraindications. Treating any of these drugs for otitis media during pregnancy is permissible only as directed by a doctor.
Also, with inflammation of the middle or outer ear, the otorhinolaryngologist may prescribe other means for the expectant mother, for example, drops "Otofa", "Polydexa" or "Anauran"... All these preparations contain different active substances, therefore they act on the woman's body in different ways. This means that their independent use is unacceptable, and only a specialist should select an analogue.
For a review of Otipax, see below.
