Otitis media (secretory)

[Magaret]

Secretory otitis media is an accumulation of fluid in the middle ear.

Secretory otitis media occurs when acute otitis media has not completely resolved or allergies cause blockage of the eustachian tube.
People may have fullness and some temporary hearing loss in the affected ear.
Doctors examine the ear and use tympanometry to diagnose this disorder.
Doctors may need to make an opening in the eardrum to let fluid drain.

Secretory (serous) otitis media can develop from acute otitis media that has not completely cleared or from a blocked eustachian tube (which connects the middle ear and the back of the nose). Allergies and enlarged adenoids are common causes of eustachian tube blockage. Tumors are rare causes of blockage. Secretory otitis media can occur at any age but is particularly common among children (see Secretory Otitis Media in Children) and may persist for weeks to months.
Normally, pressure in the middle ear is equalized 3 or 4 times a minute as the eustachian tube opens during swallowing. If the eustachian tube is blocked, pressure in the middle ear tends to decrease as oxygen is absorbed into the bloodstream from the middle ear. As the pressure decreases, fluid accumulates in the middle ear, reducing the eardrum’s ability to move.