Ear Infections and Hearing Loss
What is Otitis Media and Ear Infection?
Otitis media refers to inflammation of the middle ear. When an abrupt infection occurs, the condition is called “acute otitis media”. Acute otitis media occurs when a cold, allergy, and the presence of bacteria or viruses lead to the accumulation of pus and mucus behind the eardrum, blocking the Eustachian tube. This can cause earache and fever.
When fluid sits in the middle ear for weeks, the condition is known as “otitis media with effusion.” This occurs in a recovering ear infection. Fluid can remain in the ear for weeks to months. If not treated, chronic ear infections have potentially serious consequences such as temporary hearing loss.
Untreated chronic ear infections can lead to conductive hearing loss. If fluid is filling the middle ear, hearing loss can be treated by draining the middle ear and inserting a tympanostomy tube.
Children can incur temporary hearing loss for other reasons other than chronic middle ear infection and Eustachian tube dysfunction. They include:
Cerumen impaction (compressed ear wax)
Otitis externa: Inflammation of the external auditory canal, also called “swimmer’s ear”.
Cholesteatoma: A mass of horn shaped squamous cell epithelium and cholesterol in the middle ear, usually resulting from chronic otitis media
Trauma: A trauma to the ear or head may cause temporary or permanent hearing loss.
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