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Ear Infections
Summary
Ear infections are the most common reason parents bring their child to a doctor. Three out of four children will have at least one ear infection by their third birthday. Adults can also get ear infections, but they are less common.
The infection usually affects the middle ear and is called otitis media. The tubes inside the ears become clogged with fluid and mucus. This can affect hearing, because sound cannot get through all that fluid.
If your child isn’t old enough to say “My ear hurts,” here are a few things to look for:
- Tugging at ears
- Crying more than usual
- Fluid draining from the ear
- Trouble sleeping
- Balance difficulties
- Hearing problems
Your health care provider will diagnose an ear infection by looking inside the ear with an instrument called an otoscope.
Often, ear infections go away on their own. Your health care provider may recommend pain relievers. Severe infections and infections in young babies may require antibiotics.
Children who get infections often may need surgery to place small tubes inside their ears. The tubes relieve pressure in the ears so that the child can hear again.
NIH: National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Find an Expert
- American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
- Find an ENT American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
- National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Prevention and Risk Factors
- Can I Prevent Ear Infections When My Child Swims? (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
Related Issues
- Cholesteatoma American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
- Ototoxicity (Ear Poisoning) (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
- Ruptured Eardrum (Perforated Eardrum) Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
Patient Handouts
- Cholesteatoma Medical Encyclopedia
- Ear discharge Medical Encyclopedia
- Ear examination Medical Encyclopedia
- Ear infection – acute Medical Encyclopedia
- Ear infection – chronic Medical Encyclopedia
- Ear tube insertion Medical Encyclopedia
- Earache Medical Encyclopedia
- Otitis media with effusion Medical Encyclopedia
- Swimmer’s ear Medical Encyclopedia
Clinical Trials
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Otitis Externa National Institutes of Health
- ClinicalTrials.gov: Otitis Media National Institutes of Health
Start Here
- Ear Infection (Middle Ear) Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
- Ear Infection American Academy of Family Physicians
- Ear Infection (Otitis Media) Cleveland Clinic Foundation
- Ear Infections in Children National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
- Middle Ear Infections (Otitis Media) Nemours Foundation
Encyclopedia
- Ear drainage culture Medical Encyclopedia
- Ear tube surgery – what to ask your doctor Medical Encyclopedia
- Eardrum repair Medical Encyclopedia
- Infectious myringitis Medical Encyclopedia
- Labyrinthitis Medical Encyclopedia
- Labyrinthitis — aftercare Medical Encyclopedia
- Malignant otitis externa Medical Encyclopedia
- Mastoidectomy Medical Encyclopedia
- Mastoiditis Medical Encyclopedia
- Otitis Medical Encyclopedia
- Perichondritis Medical Encyclopedia
- Petrositis Medical Encyclopedia
- Ruptured eardrum Medical Encyclopedia
Treatments and Therapies
- Ear Infection Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- Ear tube insertion – series — Normal anatomy Medical Encyclopedia
- Ear Tubes American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery
- Eardrum repair – series — Normal anatomy Medical Encyclopedia
- How to Use Ear Drops American Society of Health-System Pharmacists
- Middle Ear Infections American Academy of Pediatrics
Statistics and Research
- Ear Infection Treatment Shouldn’t Be Shortened National Institutes of Health
- Statistics about Hearing, Balance, Ear Infections and Deafness National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Diagnosis and Tests
- Ear Problems American Academy of Family Physicians
Children
- Ear Tube Surgery (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
- Ear Tube Surgery (Myringotomy) (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
- Pain in the Ear: Fending off Ear Infections National Institutes of Health
- Swimmer’s Ear Nemours Foundation
- Tympanoplasty Nemours Foundation
- What Is an Ear Infection? Nemours Foundation
- Your Ears Nemours Foundation
Specifics
- Labyrinthitis and Vestibular Neuritis Vestibular Disorders Association
- Swimmer’s Ear (For Parents) Nemours Foundation
Reference Desk
- NIDCD Glossary National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders
Journal Articles
Teenagers
- Swimmer’s Ear (External Otitis) Nemours Foundation