How do you diagnose Otitis Media?

Diagnosing otitis media requires the presence of fluid behind the eardrum and redness or inflammation of the eardrum. Otitis media with effusion has fluid but no inflammation. In the office, looking at the eardrum of a child may be difficult. The view may be obscured by earwax, the child may not allow the physician to get a good look, or the outer ear canal may be too small. Crying also causes the eardrum to turn red and make the diagnosis even more confusing. Some cases of ear fluid are difficult to diagnose because the fluid behind the eardrum is similar to the color of the drum itself.

In most instances, Dr. Pasha will order a tympanogram. A Tympanogram measures the pressure of the middle ear by placing a probe in the ear canal. This test will confirm if fluid is present. An audiogram or hearing test may also be ordered to evaluate for hearing loss.