Inflammation of the middle ear is called?

• A. Otitis Media
• B. Presbycusis
• C. Tinnitus
• D. Aphakia

Answer: (A)

Otitis media is inflammation of the middle ear. The word otitis means inflammation of the ear, and media specifies the middle ear space behind the eardrum. This condition often follows a cold or upper respiratory infection when the Eustachian tube doesn’t vent properly, allowing fluid and bacteria to accumulate behind the tympanic membrane. Symptoms typically include earache, sometimes fever, and in children, irritability or pulling at the ear. It’s important to distinguish it from presbycusis (age-related hearing loss, which affects the inner ear), tinnitus (ringing in the ears), and aphakia (absence of the eye’s lens). Treatment varies with severity and may involve pain relief and, if a bacterial infection is suspected, antibiotics.