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.
Martha's Vineyard Hospital Inc
John Lamb is an Internal Medicine provider in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts. Dr. Lamb has been practicing medicine for over 46 years and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Otitis. His top areas of expertise are Hypertension, Glucocorticoid-Remediable Aldosteronism, Familial Hypertension, and Vertigo.
Martha's Vineyard Hospital Inc
Beth Donnelly is an Internal Medicine provider in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts. Dr. Donnelly and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Otitis. Her top areas of expertise are Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia, Vertigo, Glucocorticoid-Remediable Aldosteronism, and Familial Hypertension.
Martha's Vineyard Hospital Inc
Ellen Mcmahon is a Family Medicine specialist and a Geriatrics provider in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts. Dr. Mcmahon and is rated as an Experienced provider by MediFind in the treatment of Otitis. Her top areas of expertise are Vertigo, Lyme Disease, Chronic Cough, and Fainting. Dr. Mcmahon is currently accepting new patients in some locations.
Summary: Otitis media is more common in young children and it is estimated that 75% of all children experience at least one episode before the age of three. Otitis media is one of the common pediatric diagnoses and recurrent episodes account for the most commonly performed surgical procedure. Despite this a high degree of inaccuracy exists in diagnosis of this condition which depends on subjective assessme...
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 28, 2022
Published By: Charles I. Schwartz, MD, FAAP, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, General Pediatrician at PennCare for Kids, Phoenixville, PA. 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.
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.
Pham LL, Bourayou R, Maghraoui-Slim V, Kone-Paut I. Otitis, sinusitis and related conditions. In: Cohen J, Powderly WG, Opal SM, eds. Infectious Diseases. 4th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2017:chap 26.