Overview
An ear infection occurs when a bacterial or viral infection affects the middle ear — the sections of your ear just behind the eardrum. Ear infections can be painful because of inflammation and fluid buildup in the middle ear.
Ear infections can be chronic or acute.
Acute ear infections are painful but short in duration.
Chronic ear infections either don’t clear up or recur many times. Chronic ear infections can cause permanent damage to the middle and inner ear.
What causes an ear infection?
An ear infection occurs when one of your eustachian tubes becomes swollen or blocked, causing fluid to build up in your middle ear. Eustachian tubes are small tubes that run from each ear directly to the back of the throat.
Causes of eustachian tube blockage include:
