Middle Ear Infection (Otitis Media), Causes, SIgns and Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment.

A middle ear infection is a condition that occurs when a virus or bacteria causes the air-filled space behind the eardrum to become inflamed.
• Also called otitis media, a middle ear infection is the most common type of ear infection individuals face.
• This condition is more prevalent in children than in adults. The Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford estimates that middle ear infections occur in 80% of children by the time they reach age 3.
• It is easier for parents to recognize the condition in children who are able to articulate how they are feeling than in infants and toddlers.
• Hearing problems and other serious complications can develop from long-term exposure to ear infections – persistent or frequent ear infections, persistent fluid in the middle ear.
• These complications may include impaired hearing, the spread of infection, tearing of eardrum, and even speech and developmental delay.

Some other conditions that may result in similar middle ear problems or that may be related to an ear infection may include:
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• Otitis media with effusion (OME) which occurs when mucus and fluid persist or continue to build up in the middle ear after an infection has resolved. It may also occur following some dysfunction or noninfectious blockage of the Eustachian tube.
• Acute otitis media, this types comes on quickly and is accompanied by swelling and redness in the ear.