Acute Otitis Media Differential Diagnoses

  • Author: John D Donaldson, MD, FRCS(C), FAAP, FACS; Chief Editor: Arlen D Meyers, MD, MBA   more...
 
Updated: Dec 6, 2011
 
 

Diagnostic Considerations

In addition to the differential diagnosis, other problems to be considered include the following:

  • External otitis
  • Dental pain
  • Temporomandibular joint pain
  • Acute viral pharyngitis
  • Trauma to the ear

Differential Diagnoses

Proceed to Workup
 
 
Contributor Information and Disclosures
Author

John D Donaldson, MD, FRCS(C), FAAP, FACS  Pediatric Otolaryngologist, Lee Memorial Health System

John D Donaldson, MD, FRCS(C), FAAP, FACS is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Surgeons, and American Society of Pediatric Otolaryngology

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Chief Editor

Arlen D Meyers, MD, MBA  Professor, Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine

Arlen D Meyers, MD, MBA is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and American Head and Neck Society

Disclosure: Covidien Corp Consulting fee Consulting; US Tobacco Corporation Unrestricted gift Unknown; Axis Three Corporation Ownership interest Consulting; Omni Biosciences Ownership interest Consulting; Sentegra Ownership interest Board membership; Syndicom Ownership interest Consulting; Oxlo Consulting; Medvoy Ownership interest Management position; Cerescan Imaging Honoraria Consulting; GYRUS ACMI Honoraria Consulting

Additional Contributors

John C Li, MD Private Practice in Otology and Neurotology; Medical Director, Balance Center

John C Li, MD is a member of the following medical societies: American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, American College of Surgeons, American Medical Association, American Neurotology Society, American Tinnitus Association, Florida Medical Association, and North American Skull Base Society

Disclosure: Nothing to disclose.

Francisco Talavera, PharmD, PhD, Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Editor-in-Chief, Medscape Drug Reference

Disclosure: Medscape Reference Salary Employment

References

  1. Clements DA, Langdon L, Bland C, Walter E. Influenza A vaccine decreases the incidence of otitis media in 6- to 30- month-old children in day care. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. Oct 1995;149(10):1113-7. [Medline].

  2. Bernstein JM. The role of IgE-mediated hypersensitivity in the development of otitis media with effusion. Otolaryngol Clin North Am. Feb 1992;25(1):197-211. [Medline].

  3. American Academy of Pediatrics. Respiratory syncytial virus. In: Red Book: Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. 27th ed. Elk Grove Village, Ill: 2006:560-566.

  4. Arola M, Ruuskanen O, Ziegler T, et al. Clinical role of respiratory virus infection in acute otitis media. Pediatrics. Dec 1990;86(6):848-55. [Medline].

  5. Arola M, Ziegler T, Ruuskanen O. Respiratory virus infection as a cause of prolonged symptoms in acute otitis media. J Pediatr. May 1990;116(5):697-701. [Medline].

  6. Block SL. Causative pathogens, antibiotic resistance and therapeutic considerations in acute otitis media. Pediatr Infect Dis J. Apr 1997;16(4):449-56. [Medline].

  7. American Academy of Pediatrics. Pneumococcal infections. In: Red Book: Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. 27th ed. Elk Grove Village, Ill: 2006:525-537.

  8. American Academy of Pediatrics. Haemophilus influenzae infections. In: Red Book: Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. 27th ed. Elk Grove Village, Ill: 2006:310-3318.

  9. American Academy of Pediatrics. Group A streptococcal infections. In: Red Book: Report of the Committee on Infectious Diseases. 27th ed. Elk Grove Village, Ill: 2006:610-620.

  10. Paradise JL, Rockette HE, Colborn DK, et al. Otitis media in 2253 Pittsburgh-area infants: prevalence and risk factors during the first two years of life. Pediatrics. Mar 1997;99(3):318-33. [Medline].

  11. Fireman B, Black SB, Shinefield HR, et al. Impact of the pneumococcal conjugate vaccine on otitis media. Pediatr Infect Dis J. Jan 2003;22(1):10-6. [Medline].

  12. Hong W, Peng D, Rivera M, Gu XX. Protection against nontypeable. National Institutes of Health. Haemophilus influenzae. challenges by mucosal vaccination with a detoxified lipooligosaccharide conjugate in two chinchilla models. Microbes Infect. 2010 Jan;12(1):11-8..

  13. Azarpazhooh A, Limeback H, Lawrence HP, Shah PS. Xylitol for preventing acute otitis media in children up to 12 years of age. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. Nov 9 2011;11:CD007095. [Medline].

 
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Healthy tympanic membrane.
Tympanic membrane of a person with 12 hours of ear pain, slight tympanic membrane bulge, and slight meniscus of purulent effusion at bottom of tympanic membrane. Reproduced with permission from Isaacson G: The natural history of a treated episode of acute otitis media. Pediatrics. 1996; 98(5): 968-7.
Drawing of normal right tympanic membrane. Note outward curvature of pars tensa (*) of eardrum. Tympanic annulus is indicated anteriorly (a), inferiorly (i), and posteriorly (P). M = long process of malleus; I = incus; L = lateral (short) process of malleus.
 
 
 
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