Anatomy of an Ear Infection Slideshow Pictures

Medical Author:

Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Benjamin Wedro, MD, FACEP, FAAEM

Dr. Ben Wedro practices emergency medicine at Gundersen Clinic, a regional trauma center in La Crosse, Wisconsin. His background includes undergraduate and medical studies at the University of Alberta, a Family Practice internship at Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario and residency training in Emergency Medicine at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.

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Medical Editor:

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, Chief Medical Editor

Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD, is a U.S. board-certified Anatomic Pathologist with subspecialty training in the fields of Experimental and Molecular Pathology. Dr. Stöppler's educational background includes a BA with Highest Distinction from the University of Virginia and an MD from the University of North Carolina. She completed residency training in Anatomic Pathology at Georgetown University followed by subspecialty fellowship training in molecular diagnostics and experimental pathology.

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Earache Symptoms

Inflammation of any type will cause pain, swelling, and reddness.

Otitis Externa

Otitis externa symptoms include:

• gradual development of an earache;
  
  
• individuals with mild cases may describe an itch instead of pain;
  
  
• touching or pulling on the ear helix (upper rim) worsens the pain;
  
  
• hearing loss;
  
  
• ringing or buzzing sounds in the ear;
  
  
• blocked or full sensation in the ear;
  
  
• swelling of the ear; and
  
  
• thick drainage from the ear canal and helix.

Otitis Media

Pain in the ear (most common symptom), although infants and young children may not be able to localize the pain and may have be fussy and irritable.

Other symptoms of otitis media include:

• hearing loss;
  
  
• ringing or buzzing sounds in the ear;
  
  
• full or plugged sensation in the ear;
  
  
• fever; and
  
  
• occasionally, discharge from the ear (eardrum ruptures and the infected fluid drains out);
  
  

Other symptoms of otitis media in infants include:

• vomiting or diarrhea;
  
  
• irritability;
  
  
• poor feeding; and
  
  
• poor sleeping.

Bullous Myringitis

Symptoms of bullous myringitis include pain in the ear. The pain may be extreme but also may suddenly resolve if the bulla spontaneously ruptures, decreasing the pressure in the blister.

Other symptoms include:

• fever;
  
  
• hearing loss; and
  
  
• bloody drainage from the ear canal.