Health Benefits

What causes a middle ear infection?

A small tube connects your ear to your throat. A cold can cause this tube to swell. When the tube swells enough to become blocked, it can trap fluid inside your ear. This makes it a perfect place for germs to grow and cause an infection.

How does an ear infection occur?

The small space behind the eardrum in the middle ear is normally filled with air. It is connected to the back of the throat by a tiny channel called the Eustachian tube. The middle ear space sometimes becomes filled with mucus (fluid), often during a 'cold'. The mucus may then become infected by bacteria or viruses. Children with glue ear who have mucus behind their eardrum are more prone to ear infections. Sometimes an ear infection occurs 'out of the blue' for no apparent reason.

When the middle ear is actually infected with bacteria (or occasionally, viruses) rather than just inflamed, it is more serious. A chronic ear infection may be the result of an acute ear infection that does not clear completely, or the result of recurrent ear infections. The infection may spread into the mastoid bone behind the ear (mastoiditis), or pressure from fluid build-up may rupture the eardrum or damage the bones of the middle ear.

Young children with otitis media may be irritable, fussy, or have problems feeding or sleeping. Older children may complain about pain and fullness in the ear. Fever may be present in a child of any age. These symptoms are often associated with signs of upper respiratory infection such as a runny or stuffy nose or a cough.

The buildup of pus within the middle ear causes pain and dampens the vibrations of the eardrum (so there is usually transient hearing loss during the infection). Severe ear infections may cause the eardrum to rupture. The pus then drains from the middle ear into the ear canal. The hole in the eardrum usually heals with medical treatment.

Chronic Ear Infection

A chronic ear infection may be more destructive than an acute ear infection because its effects are prolonged or repeated, and it may cause permanent damage to the ear. However, a chronic, long-term infection may show less severe symptoms -- so the infection may remain unnoticed and untreated for a long time.

Children who have recurring bouts of otitis media may have a tympanostomy tube (ear tube) placed into the ear during surgery to permit fluid to drain from the middle ear. If a child has a bulging eardrum and is experiencing severe pain, a myringotomy (surgical incision of the eardrum) may be done to release the pus.

Ear infections happen mostly to young children because their tubes are smaller and get blocked more easily.