Ear infections can affect the inner, middle, or outer ears. Young children are incredibly prone to getting ear infections, with the majority of them encountering at least one episode before age three. Not everyone, however, is likely to get the ailment. Some of the most common risk factors are family history, frequent allergies, weak immune system, and exposure to second-hand smoke. Bottle-fed babies and infants who use a pacifier are also more likely to get ear infections.
The five most common ear infections are acute otitis media, otitis media with effusion, otitis externa (Swimmer's ear), ruptured eardrum, and mastoiditis.
Acute otitis media is the most common of the three types. Your health care provider can easily diagnose an acute ear infection with an otoscope. The hallmark signs of this condition are swollen and infected middle ear parts and trapped fluid behind the eardrum. Acute otitis media can be very painful, and it may be accompanied by fever, especially in children.
Once an ear infection has run its course, it might leave you with what's called otitis media with effusion. Interestingly, the only symptom may be the fluid behind the eardrum. Chronic otitis media with effusion happens when the fluid behind the eardrum either stays for a long time or repeatedly returns, despite no sign of infection. It is challenging for children to deal with this chronic condition because the presence of fluid creates a breeding ground for pathogens - such as viruses and bacteria - making it more difficult to ward off new infections.
A ruptured eardrum occurs when an injury or infection causes a tear or hole in the eardrum. Trapped fluid in the middle ear can create intense pressure, exacerbating the rupture by making it worse, even causing hearing loss.