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| Inflammation of the middle ear |
Middle ear inflammation occurs when fluid accumulates in the middle ear, behind the eardrum, causing ear pain, often due to cold or allergies that can block the ear and enter bacteria or viruses and cause inflammation, in a series of "check on yourself" we learn about ways to diagnose middle ear infections and tests that help diagnose the condition, according to verywellhealth.
How middle ear infections are diagnosed
Doctors can safely examine the ears for infection using an earoscopy, as this special tool contains a light and lens that helps them see all the way to the eardrum without risk of puncture, usually enough to make a diagnosis.
Visual examination
Between 5% and 10% of children suffer from a small rupture of the eardrum due to infection, resulting in cloudy pus coming out of the ear.
Your doctor will check to see if the eardrum looks cloudy, red, yellow or swollen, confirming signs of fluid behind the eardrum or in the diagnostic ear canal.
Your doctor may also use a small probe to pulse the sound waves gently on the eardrum, known as drum measurement, and show your doctor how well the eardrum moves in response to sound.
X-rays
In most cases, imaging is not necessary to check for ear infections, however, your doctor may request imaging tests if the ear infection persists despite treatment or if your doctor suspects other complications there are two types of images they may ask for:
- CT scan: CT scans can be used to check for cysts or other abnormalities in and around your ear.
-MRI:If your doctor suspects that your symptoms are related to the brain, an MRI may be required to take a detailed look at your brain.
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