Again with continued pulsations of the brain, these openings can enlarge allowing herniation. Thirdly severe head injury can lead to a loss of this bony partition. A chronic middle ear and mastoid infection can also cause erosion of the bony partition. The watery discharge is spinal fluid that finds its way from the surrounding brain tissue into the mastoid bone. The fluid then enters the middle ear and drains out an inserted tympanostomy tube or drains down the eustachian tube and out the nose.
Headaches occur from temporary loss of spinal fluid.
In all instances this condition requires surgical intervention to prevent meningitis and brain abscess.