A Member of the University of Maryland Medical System   |   In Partnership with the University of Maryland School of Medicine

Share

Email PageEmail Print PagePrint

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

 

Ask the Expert

Growth and Nutrition Experts’s Bio Image

Get answers to your child's growth, nutrition, and feeding behavior questions.

Growth and Nutrition Experts’s Bio | Q&A Archive

Note: This is for informational purposes only. Doctors cannot provide a diagnosis or individual treatment advice via e-mail. Please consult your physician about your specific health care concerns.

Related Content


 

Ear infection - chronic - Symptom

Alternative Names

Middle ear infection - chronic; Otitis media - chronic; Chronic otitis media; Chronic ear infection

Symptoms:

A chronic, long-term infection in the ear may have less severe symptoms than an acute infection. It may go unnoticed and untreated for a long time.

Symptoms may include:

  • Ear pain or discomfort that is usually mild and feels like pressure in the ear
  • Fever, usually low-grade
  • Fussiness in young infants
  • Pus-like drainage from the ear
  • Hearing loss

Note: Symptoms may persists or come and go, and may occur in one or both ears.

Signs and tests:

The health care provider will examine the ears. This may reveal:

  • Dullness, redness in the middle ear
  • Air bubbles in the middle ear
  • Thick fluid in the middle ear
  • Eardrum may stick to the bones in the middle ear
  • Draining fluid from the eardrum
  • A hole (perforation) in the eardrum
  • The eardrum bulges out or pulls back inward (collapses)

Tests may include:

  • Cultures of the fluid may show bacteria, and these bacteria may be resistant or harder to treat than the bacteria commonly involved in an acute ear infection.
  • A CT scan of the head or mastoids may show that the infection has spread beyond the middle ear.
  • Hearing tests may be needed.
  • Reviewed last on: 5/1/2011
  • Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Chole RA, Sudhoff HH. Chronic otitis media, mastoiditis, and petrositis. In: Cummings CW, Flint PW, Haughey BH, Robbins KT, Thomas JR, eds. Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier;2005:chap 133.

Morris PS, Leach AJ. Acute and chronic otitis media. Pediatr Clin North Am. 2009 Dec;56(6):1383-99.

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
adam.com
 
Adam QualityA.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. © 1997- A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
adam.com
Connect with UMMC
Facebook Twitter YouTube Blog iPhone

Please rate the quality of this article.

Do you find this article to be helpful / informative?
              
Poor                                       Excellent

Do you have any brief comments on this page: (up to 255 characters)

© 2011 University of Maryland Medical Center (UMMC). All rights reserved.
UMMC is a member of the University of Maryland Medical System,
22 S. Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201. TDD: 1-800-735-2258 or 1.866.408.6885