Otitis media

Definition
Otitis media is an infection or inflammation of the middle ear. Otitis media can be classified as acute or chronic.
Acute otitis media is characterized by the rapid appearance of symptoms (such as earache, fever, irritability and hearing loss), often following a cold, sore throat or respiratory infection.

Chronic otitis media is characterized by persistent otorrhea (ear inflammation with pus discharge) for more than six weeks. Otorrhea is most common in children who have ear tubes or otherwise punctured eardrums.

Otitis media with effusion is characterized by the persistent collection of fluid in the middle ear space. It usually develops after an episode of acute otitis media.

Causes/associated factors
Otitis media is nearly always caused by a bacterial or viral infection that settles in the middle ear. Children are affected by ear infections more often than adults. Here's why:
Children have shorter, more horizontal eustachian tubes (the tubes connecting the middle ear to the back of the nose and throat). This may predispose them to infections settling in the middle ear.

Children have larger adenoids (lymph node tissues in the back of the throat, close to the eustachian tubes, that help filter infections from the body). Large or infected adenoids can interfere with the natural ventilation provided by the eustachian tubes, creating a suitable environment for infection.

Children simply tend to get more colds. Also, due to their young immune systems, they may have worse cold symptoms and longer-lasting colds.