• Main Page • Risk Factors • Symptoms • Diagnosis • Treatment • Screening • Reducing Your Risk • Talking to Your Doctor • Resource Guide

Symptoms of Middle Ear Infection

by Alayne Ronnenberg, ScD

En Español (Spanish Version)

Ear infections frequently develop during or shortly after another infection, such as a cold or sore throat.

The Ear

Symptoms include:

Ear pain (Note: Children who can talk may tell you that their ear hurts. Babies may tug or rub at the ear or face or become irritable.)
Drainage from the ear (This may appear as blood, clearish fluid, pus, or as a dry crust on the outer portion of the ear after sleeping.)
Hearing loss, which resolves with appropriate treatment
Fever
Irritability
Decreased appetite or difficulty feeding
Disturbed sleep
Difficulty with balance, frequent falling, sensations of dizziness
Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
Malaise (feeling of general illness)
Chills
Inattentiveness

Some children with ear infection, particularly chronic otitis, have no symptoms. Their condition may be discovered on examination for some other problem.

REFERENCES:

American Medical Association website. Available at: http://www.ama-assn.org/ .

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/ .

National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders website. Available at: http://www.nidcd.nih.gov/ .

Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics . 16th edition. WB Saunders; 2000.

• Previous • Next

Last reviewed September 2012 by Kari Kassir, MD
Last Updated: 09/11/2012

Sponsored by iHerb.Com
Positively the best overall value for natural products!