• Ear"Transmission" is Copyrighted by Flickr user: CarbonNYC (David Goehring) under the Creative Commons Attribution license.
  
  

Causes

• Middle ear infections typically begin with viral infections, usually simple colds. The viral infection makes the lining of the middle ear swell up, which causes fluids to build up behind the eardrum.
  
  

Symptoms in Children

• Most children with middle ear infections complain of ear pain, tug at the ears, run moderate to high fevers and cry more than normal. Some infected ears drip clear fluid, pus or blood.
  
  

Symptoms in Adults

• Adults often complain of earaches and suffer temporary hearing loss. Ear infections might also cause fevers and dizzy spells.
  
  

Treatment

• Most middle ear infections clear up on their own in two or three days. Doctors typically prescribe an antibiotic, usually amoxicillin, for the less common infections caused by bacteria.
  
  

Complications

• Recurrent or long-lasting middle ear infections can cause long-term hearing loss or a ruptured eardrum. Untreated infections can lead to mastoiditis, which is a serious kind of sinus infection.
  
  

Considerations

• Adults rarely suffer from middle ear infections. A majority of children stop getting these infections by the age of 5.