A patient is seen for hearing loss and odd popping noises in his left ear after "having a cold." This patient is demonstrating signs of which of the following?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The patient's symptoms of hearing loss and popping noises suggest serous otitis media, which is a build-up of fluid in the middle ear due to inflammation and can occur after a respiratory infection such as a cold. Otitis externa is an infection of the outer ear canal, acute otitis media is an infection of the middle ear with signs of inflammation and fluid accumulation, and otitis interna is an infection of the inner ear.

A Patient Is Seen for Hearing Loss and Odd Popping