Otitis Overview
Learn About Otitis
Otitis is a term for infection or inflammation of the ear.
Ear infection; Infection - ear
Otitis can affect the inner or outer parts of the ear. The condition can be:
- Acute ear infection -- Starts suddenly and lasts for a short period of time. It is often painful.
- Chronic ear infection -- Occurs when the ear infection does not go away or keeps coming back. It may cause long-term damage to the ear.
Based on location otitis can be:
- Otitis externa (swimmer's ear) -- Involves the outer ear and ear canal. A more severe form can spread into the bones and cartilage around the ear.
- Otitis media (ear infection) -- Involves the middle ear, which is located just behind the eardrum.
- Otitis media with effusion -- Occurs when there is thick or sticky fluid behind the eardrum in the middle ear, but there is no ear infection. Also called serous otitis media.
Noga Lavi-Givon practices in Beersheba, Israel. Ms. Lavi-Givon is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Otitis. Her top areas of expertise are Strep Throat, Otitis, Pneumonia, and Pneumococcal Meningitis.
Susanna Esposito practices in Parma, Italy. Ms. Esposito is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Otitis. Her top areas of expertise are Pneumonia, Flu, Otitis, Bone Marrow Aspiration, and Splenectomy.
Nicola Principi practices in Milan, Italy. Ms. Principi is rated as an Elite expert by MediFind in the treatment of Otitis. Her top areas of expertise are Otitis, Flu, Pneumonia, Myringotomy, and Septoplasty.
Summary: The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate whether the wSp vaccine can prevent nasopharyngeal colonization by pneumococcal bacteria in healthy young children who have received routine PCV20 vaccination. The main questions it aims to answer are: Does wSp vaccine reduce pneumococcal colonization in the nose? Does wSp vaccine safely stimulate the immune system to produce antibodies and protective...
Summary: The purpose of this project is to see if optical coherence tomography (OCT), a new technology acting as an ultrasound for the ear, facilitates accurately diagnosing acute otitis media (AOM) and otitis media with effusion (OME) in children. Clinical diagnoses made using solely otoscopy will be compared to those made with the addition of OCT.
Published Date: July 16, 2024
Published By: Neil K. Kaneshiro, MD, MHA, Clinical Professor of Pediatrics, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Chole RA, Sharon JD. Chronic otitis media, mastoiditis, and petrositis. In: Flint PW, Francis HW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head and Neck Surgery. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 140.
Matlock AG, Pfaff JA. Otolaryngology. In: Walls RM, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 58.
Pelton SI. Otitis externa, otitis media, and mastoiditis. In: Bennett JE, Dolin R, Blaser MJ, eds. Mandell, Douglas, and Bennett's Principles and Practice of Infectious Diseases. 9th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 61.


