Ear Infections Health Video

Ear infections occur in three out of four children before age three. The medical term for middle ear infections is otitis media. "Otitis" refers to inflammation of the ear, and "media" means middle. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and treatments of ear infections in this video.

Take Action

Call your doctor if you experience fever & earache that don't improve
If there are signs of a cracked ear drum, see your doctor
See your doctor if repeated infections occur

About this Author

Dr. Susan McGladdery is a medical graduate from Oxford University in the UK and has a Master's Degree in Medical Sciences from Cambridge University. She has been a member of the Royal College of Physicians since 1991 and a member of the American Academy of Urgent Care since 2006. She trained as a Family Physician in the UK in Oxford and then in London. In a medical career that spans over 20 years, she has worked as a doctor in 5 countries on 3 continents and cared for patients from a multitude of different nationalities and backgrounds. Dr. McGladdery joined FirstMed Centers in mid 2002 and became Regional Medical Director in 2003.

Dr. SUSAN MCGLADERRY, BM, BCH, MRCP: Hello. My name is Dr. Sue McGladerry and I'm the medical director from FirstMed Centers in Budapest, Hungary. I'm going to talk briefly about ear infections. These are one of the most commonly diagnosed childhood illnesses in the U.S., and approximately three-quarters of children will have at least one ear infection diagnosed before they are three years old. There are number of conditions that can result in earaches including teething or even a foreign body in the ear but most commonly they are due to a viral infection. Infections of the outer ear canal are known as otitis externa, this is common after swimming at the beach or if you just scratch inside the ear and introduce infection. In that case typically, there is throbbing pain in one ear but otherwise there are no symptoms. In the case of middle ear infections or otitis media, it's a different situation. Fluids typically pus, builds up in the middle ear with symptoms of pain ranging from mild to severe and on examination of the ear, there will be redness of the eardrum. Often there are associated signs of fever and upper respiratory tract infection. Sometimes the eardrum may rupture resulting in discharge or pus draining from the ear, however, this does release the pressure behind the eardrum and often this brings relief from the pain. When should you call your doctor? Children with fever and earache that doesn't quickly improve should see a doctor. Rarely, unresolved ear infections or severe repeated middle infections can lead to complications including spread of the infection to nearby bones. Also, if there are signs suggesting of perforated eardrum or discharge from the ear, it's a good idea to see your doctor. Your doctor will want to make a careful evaluation and examine the ear using an otoscope. How does your doctor decide what treatment is best? Well, there is no single best approach for treating all middle ear infections. There are many factors to consider including the type and the severity of the ear infection, how often your child has ear infections, and how this particular infection has lasted. Treatment decisions also depends on the age of your child and any risks factors that your child may have. Generally, the treatment will include pain medication and support, and sometimes an antibiotic is needed.