Otitis Media

A bacterial infection of the ear.  Usually treated by antibiotics or the use of ventilation tubes.  If left untreated, infection can spread to the inner ear or the membranes covering the brain and produce severe deafness.  An acute infection can also cause a rupture of the eardrum, causing hearing loss. Most perforations heal spontaneously, though some require surgery.   Repeated infection can also cause progressive destruction of the bones called the ossicles, causing deafness.