Otitis Media

Otitis media (OM) is an inflammation of the middle ear that can occur in one or both ears. It is the most common disease of childhood, after respiratory tract infections. OM is often caused by a buildup of infectious fluid within the eustachian tube, a slender canal in the inner ear. Symptoms of acute OM can include complaints of pain or tugging at the ear (in nonverbal children), a pus-like ear discharge, irritability, fever, poor appetite, and short-term hearing loss. OM with effusion indicates the presence of a watery or mucuslike fluid in the ear without symptoms of infection (i.e., complaints of pain, irritability, etc.). Instead, it is characterized by mild to moderate hearing loss and possible reports of an itchy feeling deep within the ...