Acute Otitis Media

Abstract

Acute otitis media is a sudden onset infection of the middle ear and is usually more common in children. This infection is caused by bacterial or viral agents that can occur after upper respiratory tract infections. Symptoms include severe ear pain, fever, hearing loss and sometimes discharge from the ear. Acute otitis media can cause restlessness, sleep problems and feeding difficulties in children. Antibiotics are commonly used to treat it, but in some cases the infection may resolve on its own. Early diagnosis and treatment is important to prevent complications.