Condition Lookup
Sub-Category:
Middle Ear Infections
Number of Conditions: 3
Acute Otitis Media (AOM)
Specialty: Ear
Category: Infectious and Inflammatory Ear Conditions
Sub-category: Middle Ear Infections
Symptoms:
ear pain; fever; difficulty hearing; irritability in children; fluid drainage from the ear; fullness in the ear
Root Cause:
Infection and inflammation of the middle ear, often caused by bacteria (e.g., Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae) or viruses, leading to fluid buildup behind the eardrum.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed by otoscopic findings of a bulging tympanic membrane.
Treatment:
Treated with antibiotics (e.g., amoxicillin).
Medications:
Amoxicillin (antibiotic, first-line treatment), or amoxicillin-clavulanate for resistant cases; analgesics such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain relief.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Common in children, affecting up to 75% by the age of 3 years; less common in adults.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Young age, daycare attendance, bottle-feeding, upper respiratory infections, exposure to tobacco smoke, family history.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Typically resolves with treatment; most children recover fully, though recurrent episodes are possible.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Hearing loss, tympanic membrane perforation, mastoiditis, meningitis (rare).
Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media (CSOM)
Specialty: Ear
Category: Infectious and Inflammatory Ear Conditions
Sub-category: Middle Ear Infections
Symptoms:
persistent ear discharge (otorrhea); hearing loss; fullness in the ear; occasional ear pain; foul-smelling ear drainage
Root Cause:
Chronic infection of the middle ear and mastoid with tympanic membrane perforation, often due to untreated or recurrent acute otitis media.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed by persistent ear discharge and tympanic membrane perforation.
Treatment:
Treated with topical antibiotics and sometimes surgical repair.
Medications:
Ciprofloxacin ear drops (antibiotic, for localized treatment), or systemic antibiotics in severe cases; corticosteroid ear drops for inflammation.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Higher prevalence in low-resource settings, affecting 1-5% of the global population, with a higher burden in children.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Recurrent or untreated AOM, poor hygiene, crowded living conditions, and inadequate medical care.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Variable; with proper treatment, the infection can be controlled, but untreated cases may lead to complications.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Hearing loss, mastoiditis, cholesteatoma, intracranial infections such as meningitis or brain abscess.
Otitis Media with Effusion (Glue Ear)
Specialty: Ear
Category: Infectious and Inflammatory Ear Conditions
Sub-category: Middle Ear Infections
Symptoms:
hearing loss; feeling of fullness in the ear; speech delay in children; balance problems
Root Cause:
Non-infectious fluid accumulation in the middle ear due to eustachian tube dysfunction, often following an upper respiratory infection or AOM.
How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed with pneumatic otoscopy and tympanometry.
Treatment:
Treated with watchful waiting, and tympanostomy tubes in persistent cases.
Medications:
No specific medications for the condition itself; antihistamines or decongestants may be used if related to allergies, though evidence for their efficacy is limited.
Prevalence:
How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects up to 80% of children by the age of 10; more common in children than adults.
Risk Factors:
Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Young age, daycare attendance, exposure to tobacco smoke, allergies, family history, and recurrent upper respiratory infections.
Prognosis:
The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Most cases resolve spontaneously; surgical intervention can restore normal hearing in chronic cases.
Complications:
Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Hearing loss, speech and language delays, recurrent infections, potential impact on academic and social development.