3 Common Myths About Middle Ear Fluid & Ear Infections

3 Myths Your Parents Told You About Middle Ear Infections 

As audiologists, we are trained to find and identify problems in the middle ear and  counsel patients on treating their specific hearing problems. During this time of the  year, we often encounter patients with misconceptions about ear function and infection  treatments. Believing these myths, some patients blame the wrong culprit for their ear  trouble or turn to the wrong remedies. Today’s article seeks to examine and debunk  these all-too-common myths!

Ear Anatomy 

Before we debunk the most common myths about ear function, we’ll briefly explain the  anatomy of the middle ear and ear drum. Most people do not understand that the ear  canal is shaped like a cylinder with one end closed and one end open. A normal  eustachian tube (the passageway connecting your throat to your middle ear) is a two way valve. It opens to equalize pressure and then closes when resting. When someone  is experiencing fluid trapped in their middle ear, the flow inside the eustachian tube has  malfunctioned or become obstructed, yikes! 

3 Myths About Middle Ear Infections 

• Myth 1: Fluid in the middle ear must always be treated with antibiotics. Antibiotics are  prescribed only when there is an active infection in the portion of the middle ear behind  the eardrum. Most often, the fluid will drain out and into the back of your throat within 6  weeks without intervention. Sometimes, however, your eustachian tube will not open  properly, trapping fluid inside. Even in this case, the middle ear does not always become  infected. Some children and adults have consistent middle ear fluid that never results in  pain. Their only complaint is that their ear feels "full" with a slight reduction in hearing. 

• Myth 2: Swimming can cause a middle ear infection. External liquids cannot enter the  middle ear space. Whenever you have an infection of the ear after swimming, your  infection is usually bacterial and is in the outer ear. Only fluid already inside the body  can enter the middle ears. For instance, when a baby drinks a bottle while laying on  his/her back, the liquid can wash bacteria from the throat right into the eustachian tube  and middle ear space. 

• Myth 3: If you lay on the side of an infected or "full" ear at night, the fluid will drain onto  your pillow. Absolutely not! Lying on the side of your infected ear will actually worsen  your pain! Even middle ear fluid that is not infected can cause mild pain when slept on  because sleeping on that side puts pressure on the ear drum. If one middle ear contains  fluid, we suggest lying on the good ear. This way, the fluid does not put pressure on the  eardrum and has a higher likelihood of draining down the eustachian tube and into your  throat. 

Uninfected fluid in the middle ear typically causes only mild hearing loss with slight  pain, if any. However, if your hearing is noticeably decreased don’t hesitate to call us.  We will evaluate your middle ear and, if needed, make the proper referrals. 

Sources: 

https://www.osmosis.org/notes/Ear_pathology 

https://www.nightlitepediatrics.com/truth-ear-infections-6-common-myths-every parent-know 

https://familydoctor.org/condition/otitis-media-with-effusion/ 

https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/17929-airplane-ear 

https://familydoctor.org/condition/eustachian-tube-dysfunction/