Definition:
Acute otitis media (AOM) is an infection that involves the middle ear. The tympanic membrane becomes inflamed and opaque. Blood vessels to the area dilate. Fluid accumulates in the middle ear space. AOM is usually associated with infection by viruses or bacteria, although in some cases, an infecting pathogen cannot be identified.

Primary Goal:
The primary goal of this website is to promote the accurate diagnosis of acute otitis media. We present a method to differentiate the more severe cases from the mild ones.

Objectives:
The student and clinician will learn to:

1. Describe ways to perform the AOM-focused history and physical examination.
2. Interpret the features of a tympanogram that support the diagnosis.
3. Differentiate mild from severe AOM.
4. Develop an appropriate treatment plan.

For an overview of how to use this site, go to patient evaluation. For information on who was involved in creating this site, please see the Content Advisors and Web Developers page.

Our Bias:
Although in the United States today, the mainstay of treatment of AOM is a course of antibiotics, prior research (and clinical experience in other countries) indicates that many cases of mild AOM will heal without antibiotics. There are many reasons why our society needs to use antibiotics more judiciously.