Otitis media is infection or inflammation located in the middle ear. About 75 percent of children have at least one episode of otitis media by the time they are three years of age. Nearly half of these children have three or more infections by the time they are age three.
Otitis media can also affect adults, although it is primarily a disease that occurs in children.
Inflammation usually begins when infections due to sore throats, colds, or other respiratory problems, spread through the eustachian tube, which becomes blocked causing fluid to build up in the middle ear. The following are the most common symptoms for otitis media, however, individuals may experience symptoms differently. The symptoms of otitis media may resemble other conditions or medical problems, such as ear ache caused by teething or blocked eustachian tubes from colds or allergies. Consult a child's physician for a diagnosis. There are certain factors that seem to increase the incidence of otitis media in some children.