Ear Infections: Symptoms
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Symptoms
Symptoms of a middle ear infection (acute otitis media) often start 2 to 7 days after a cold or other upper respiratory infection. Symptoms of an ear infection may include:
- Ear pain (mild to severe). Babies often pull or tug at their ears when they have an earache.
- Fever.
- Drainage from the ear that is thick and yellow or bloody. If this occurs, the eardrum has probably burst (ruptured). The hole in the eardrum often heals by itself in a few weeks.
- Loss of appetite, vomiting, and grumpy behavior.
- Trouble sleeping.
- Trouble hearing.
Symptoms of fluid buildup may include:
- Popping, ringing, or a feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear. Children often have trouble describing this feeling. Children may rub their ears trying to relieve pressure.
- Loss of hearing. Children with hearing loss may seem dreamy or inattentive, or they may appear grumpy or cranky.
- Balance problems and dizziness.
Some children don't have any symptoms with this condition.
| Last updated: | February 28, 2007 |
|---|---|
| Author: | Debby Golonka, MPH |
| Reviewed By: | Michael J. Sexton, MD - Pediatrics, Charles M. Myer, III, MD - Otolaryngology |
| Editors: | Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Pat Truman |
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