Studied Homeopathic Remedies - Aconitum napellus - Ferrum
phosphoricum Acute otitis media (AOM) is a painful infection of
the middle ear, the portion of the ear behind the eardrum.
(Another form of ear infection, otitis externa or swimmer's ear,
is entirely different and is not covered here.) AOM often
follows a cold, sore throat, or other respiratory illness.
Although it can affect adults, AOM occurs primarily in infants
and young children. It's estimated that by age 7, up to 95% of
all U.S. children will have experienced at least one bout of
AOM—it's the most common reason parents take a child to the
doctor. When the Eustachian tube connecting the upper part of
the throat to the middle ear is blocked by a cold's mucus and
swelling, fluids pool behind the eardrum, providing an ideal
place for bacteria to grow. An infection may set in, generating
even more fluid. The pressure this exerts on the eardrum can be
intensely painful. The eardrum turns red and bulges. Children
too young to explain their discomfort c