What Is Acute Otitis Media?
3. Symptoms
If you are an adult with acute otitis media, you may experience ear pain that can range from mild to severe and usually occurs only on one side. Due to the presence of fluid in the middle ear, your hearing may become muffled. You may experience drainage of pus from the ear if, as sometimes happens, the eardrum bursts due to the buildup of fluid. This may cause relief of the pain, at least temporarily.
Children with AOM may experience the same symptoms as adults. However, a number of other symptoms may also be present, such as loss of appetite, headache, fever, trouble sleeping and loss of balance. If your child is too young to describe his or her symptoms to you, pay attention to signs such as increased fussiness, crying, or irritability and excessive pulling or tugging at the ear. Some children also experience symptoms of diarrhea or vomiting.
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