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Otitis media
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The middle ear is the air-filled chamber behind the eardrum. Otitis media is an umbrella term for several diseases of that chamber. In the acute form there is effusion, meaning fluid that has built up inside, along with signs of illness: ear pain, fluid draining out of the ear canal, or fever.
Most of the time the process begins before that, with a viral infection of the upper airway, that is, of the nose and throat. That infection inflames the whole area. That inflammation narrows the eustachian tube, the thin channel that connects the middle ear with the throat. The eustachian tube is the middle ear's air vent; if it narrows, less air gets in.
From there one thing leads to another. The negative pressure inside rises, secretions stop draining and stagnate, and bacteria and viruses colonize the middle ear. Among the most common bacteria are Streptococcus pneumoniae, nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis.
In brief
Otitis media covers a group of middle ear diseases; in the acute form there is effusion with ear pain, drainage of fluid, or fever.
Most cases start with a viral upper respiratory infection whose inflammation blocks the eustachian tube and reduces ventilation of the middle ear.
The eustachian tube is the middle ear's air vent; if it narrows, less air gets in.
Negative pressure rises, secretions stagnate, and viruses and bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis colonize the middle ear.
Sources (1)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingAcute Otitis Media, StatPearlsPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated