• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Otitis

• Overview
• Symptoms
• Treatment

Alternative Names:

Ear infection; Infection - ear

Symptoms:

Any of the following symptoms may develop with otitis:

• Earache
• Itching or other discomfort in the ear or ear canal
• Drainage from the ear
• Hearing loss
• Ear noise or buzzing
• Fever
• Chills
• Irritability
• Malaise (feeling of general illness)
• Nausea , vomiting
• Diarrhea

Signs and tests:

Your health care provider will examine your ears and use an instrument called an otoscope to look inside them. Signs that may be seen during an exam include a red, painful outer ear or redness or swelling of the eardrum.

• Review Date: 10/17/2006
• Reviewed By: Benjamin W. Van Voorhees, MD, MPH, Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. 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 process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) 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 physician 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. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.