In the presence of an upper respiratory infection, such as a cold, tonsillitis, or pharyngitis, fluid in the middle ear may become infected. This results in what is commonly called an abscessed ear or an infected middle ear.
This infected fluid (pus) in the middle ear may cause severe pain. If examination reveals that there is considerable ear pressure, a myringotomy (incision of the eardrum membrane) may be necessary to relieve the abscess, and the pain. In many instances antibiotic treatment will suffice.
Should a myringotomy be necessary, the ear may drain pus and blood for several days. The tympanic membrane then heals and the hearing usually returns to normal within three to four weeks.
Antibiotic treatment, with or without a myringotomy, usually results in normal middle ear function within three to four weeks. During this healing period there are varying degrees of ear pressure, popping, clicking and fluctuation of hearing, occasionally with shooting pains in the ear.
Resolution of the acute infection occasionally leaves the patient with uninfected fluid in the middle ear. This is called chronic serous otitis media.
Ikiwa kuna maambukizo ya njia za kupumua za juu, kama vile homa, tonsillitis, au pharyngitis, maji katika sikio la kati yanaweza kuambukizwa. Hilo husababisha kile kinachoitwa kwa kawaida sikio lenye uvimbe au sikio la kati lenye maambukizo. Kioevu hiki kilichoambukizwa (pus) katika sikio la kati chaweza kusababisha maumivu makali. Ikiwa uchunguzi unaonyesha kwamba kuna shinikizo kubwa la sikio, huenda ikawa lazima kufanyiwa upasuaji wa kupasua utando wa utando wa sikio (myringotomy) ili kupunguza uvimbe na maumivu. Katika visa vingi matibabu ya viuavijasumu yatatosha. Ikiwa upasuaji wa kuondoa utando wa sikio unahitajiwa, huenda sikio likavuja umajimaji na damu kwa siku kadhaa. Kisha utando wa tympanic hupona na kusikia kwa kawaida hurudi kwa kawaida ndani ya majuma matatu hadi manne. Matibabu ya viuavijasumu, pamoja na au bila upasuaji wa kuondoa mdomo, kwa kawaida husababisha utendaji wa kawaida wa sikio la kati ndani ya majuma matatu hadi manne. Katika kipindi hiki cha uponyaji kuna viwango tofauti vya shinikizo la sikio, popping, clicking na fluctuation ya kusikia, mara kwa mara na maumivu ya risasi katika sikio. Mara nyingi maambukizo makali yanapopungua, mgonjwa huwa na umajimaji usioambukizwa katika sikio la kati. Hali hiyo inaitwa ugonjwa wa sikio la kati wenye mtiririko wa damu.