Otitis media

Inflammation of the middle ear. This condition is due to a viral or bacterial infection extending up the eustachian tube, which runs from the back of the nose to the middle ear. The tube may become blocked by inflammation or enlarged adenoids, causing fluid and pus to accumulate in the middle ear rather than draining away through the tube. Children, particularly those under 7 years, are especially susceptible to otitis media, and some children have recurrent attacks. Acute otitis media can cause sudden severe earache, a feeling of fullness in the ear, deafness, tinnitus, and fever. The eardrum may burst, in which case healing usually occurs within a few weeks. The condition is diagnosed by examination of the middle ear with an otoscope; the eardrum will appear red and possibly bulging outwards. Treatment is with analgesic drugs, and sometimes antibiotic drugs, although many childhood infections are viral. One possible complication of otitis media is glue ear (chronic secretory otitis media), in which a thick fluid builds up in the ear and affects hearing. It may develop following severe or recurrent otitis media, particularly in children. Other complications include hearing impairment and a cholesteatoma. In rare cases, the infection responsible for otitis media spreads inwards to cause mastoiditis.