Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsRisk FactorsSymptomsEar InfectionDiagnosisDurationTreatmentSummary
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Risk Factors
Symptoms
Ear Infection
Diagnosis
Duration
Treatment
Summary
Serous otitis media (SOM) is when liquid or mucus in the middle ear blocks theeustachian tube, a channel that would otherwise be able to drain fluid and equalize pressure in the ear. The fluid build-up can cause discomfort or hearing loss. If it doesn’t resolve, ear tubes may be needed.
SOM is also called otitis media with effusion (OME),fluid in the ear, middle ear effusion (MEE), or secretory otitis media.
This article discusses serous otitis media and its symptoms, risk factors, and treatment. You will also learn the difference between serous otitis media and an ear infection and how long your symptoms might last.
Risk Factors for Serous Otitis Media
The most common group of people atrisk of getting serous otitis mediaare children.SOM will usually resolve in a month in kids. If it is unresolved, however, your child’s healthcare provider may need to help remove the fluid.
Children often get fluid in the ear partly because their eustachian tube is shorter than adults. The tube is also more level in children, making it less likely to drain fluid. In adults, the tube has more of a sloped angle allowing gravity to assist in draining the middle ear.
Children are most likely to have fluid in the middle ear between three to seven years of age. Most children will have had at least one episode of fluid in the middle ear before they reach school-age.
There are also many common illnesses or environmental conditions that children face that can make them more prone to developing serous otitis media including:
Symptoms of Serous Otitis Media
You may not always experience symptoms with serous otitis media, which means that you may not ever know that you have it unless it is noticed during a healthcare provider’s physical exam.However, sometimes there is enough fluid in the middle ear space that you will notice one or more of the following symptoms:
If you notice a prolonged behavior change in your child, it is usually best to have a healthcare provider evaluate them for any problems with their ears like serous otitis media.
Serous Otitis Media vs. Ear Infection
Be aware that serous otitis media isnotanear infection, otherwise known as acute otitis media. While both have fluid in the middle ear space, fluid with acute otitis media is infected, whereas that is not the case with serous otitis media.
An ear infection will change the shape of the eardrum,making it bulgetoward the outside of the ear. With serous otitis media, the shape isn’t really changed. Your healthcare provider can look for this when making a diagnosis.
You will also notice a difference in symptoms. An ear infection will often have a fever associated with it. The level of pain noticed will also be different. While you can experience pain with serous otitis media, the level of pain is worse with an ear infection.
Diagnosing Serous Otitis Media
Tympanometry is a test that measures the eardrum’s response pressure waves. Since fluid behind the eardrum will affect the ability of the eardrum to move normally, tympanometry can be useful in determining fluid in the ear.
Serous otitis media usually will last for around two to 12 weeks. If the fluid in the middle ear persists longer than three months, your healthcare provider will usually want to treat the fluid more aggressively. Failure to correct prolonged fluid in the ear may result in:
Treatment of Serous Otitis Media
Prior to placing the ear tubes, your practitioner will also look in the back of your child’s throat to determine if the adenoids may be blocking the auditory tube. If the adenoids are enlarged, your healthcare provider may recommend anadenoidectomyto prevent blockage of the auditory tube from causing further fluid collecting in the middle ear.
Serous otitis media (SOM) is a condition in which liquid or mucus in the middle ear blocks the eustachian tube. When this happens, fluid can build up in the ear can cause pain or hearing loss.
SOM is most common in children, but it can also affect adults. The condition often resolves on its own over time, but in some cases, the placement of ear tubes may be necessary.
5 Ways to Drain Fluid From the Middle Ear At Home
5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mârțu C, Cozma S, Cobzeanu B, et al.Serous otitis media: Clinical and therapeutic considerations, including dexamethasone (C22H29FO5) intratympanic injection.Exp Ther Med. 2021;23(2):125. doi:10.3892/etm.2021.11048Kocyigit M, Ortekin SG, Cakabay T, Ozkaya G, Bezgin SU, Adali MK.Frequency of serous otitis media in children without otolaryngological symptoms.Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2017;21(2):161–164. doi:10.1055/s-0036-1584362Harmes KM, Blackwood RA, Burrows HL, Cooke JM, Harrison RV, Passamani PP.Otitis media: Diagnosis and treatment.Am Fam Physician.2013;88(7):435-40.Rosenfeld RM, Shin JJ, Schwartz SR, et al.Clinical practice guideline: Otitis media with effusion.Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016;154(S1). doi:10.1177/0194599815623467Zulkiflee S, Siti Sabzah M, Philip R, Mohd Aminuddin M.Management of otitis media with effusion in children.Malays Fam Physician. 2013;8(2):32–35.
5 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mârțu C, Cozma S, Cobzeanu B, et al.Serous otitis media: Clinical and therapeutic considerations, including dexamethasone (C22H29FO5) intratympanic injection.Exp Ther Med. 2021;23(2):125. doi:10.3892/etm.2021.11048Kocyigit M, Ortekin SG, Cakabay T, Ozkaya G, Bezgin SU, Adali MK.Frequency of serous otitis media in children without otolaryngological symptoms.Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2017;21(2):161–164. doi:10.1055/s-0036-1584362Harmes KM, Blackwood RA, Burrows HL, Cooke JM, Harrison RV, Passamani PP.Otitis media: Diagnosis and treatment.Am Fam Physician.2013;88(7):435-40.Rosenfeld RM, Shin JJ, Schwartz SR, et al.Clinical practice guideline: Otitis media with effusion.Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016;154(S1). doi:10.1177/0194599815623467Zulkiflee S, Siti Sabzah M, Philip R, Mohd Aminuddin M.Management of otitis media with effusion in children.Malays Fam Physician. 2013;8(2):32–35.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Mârțu C, Cozma S, Cobzeanu B, et al.Serous otitis media: Clinical and therapeutic considerations, including dexamethasone (C22H29FO5) intratympanic injection.Exp Ther Med. 2021;23(2):125. doi:10.3892/etm.2021.11048Kocyigit M, Ortekin SG, Cakabay T, Ozkaya G, Bezgin SU, Adali MK.Frequency of serous otitis media in children without otolaryngological symptoms.Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2017;21(2):161–164. doi:10.1055/s-0036-1584362Harmes KM, Blackwood RA, Burrows HL, Cooke JM, Harrison RV, Passamani PP.Otitis media: Diagnosis and treatment.Am Fam Physician.2013;88(7):435-40.Rosenfeld RM, Shin JJ, Schwartz SR, et al.Clinical practice guideline: Otitis media with effusion.Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016;154(S1). doi:10.1177/0194599815623467Zulkiflee S, Siti Sabzah M, Philip R, Mohd Aminuddin M.Management of otitis media with effusion in children.Malays Fam Physician. 2013;8(2):32–35.
Mârțu C, Cozma S, Cobzeanu B, et al.Serous otitis media: Clinical and therapeutic considerations, including dexamethasone (C22H29FO5) intratympanic injection.Exp Ther Med. 2021;23(2):125. doi:10.3892/etm.2021.11048
Kocyigit M, Ortekin SG, Cakabay T, Ozkaya G, Bezgin SU, Adali MK.Frequency of serous otitis media in children without otolaryngological symptoms.Int Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2017;21(2):161–164. doi:10.1055/s-0036-1584362
Harmes KM, Blackwood RA, Burrows HL, Cooke JM, Harrison RV, Passamani PP.Otitis media: Diagnosis and treatment.Am Fam Physician.2013;88(7):435-40.
Rosenfeld RM, Shin JJ, Schwartz SR, et al.Clinical practice guideline: Otitis media with effusion.Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg. 2016;154(S1). doi:10.1177/0194599815623467
Zulkiflee S, Siti Sabzah M, Philip R, Mohd Aminuddin M.Management of otitis media with effusion in children.Malays Fam Physician. 2013;8(2):32–35.
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