Ear Infection: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments & How to Get Fast Relief
An ear infection (otitis media) occurs when bacteria or viruses infect the fluid trapped behind the eardrum. The most common ear infection symptoms include sharp ear pain, a feeling of fullness in the ear, muffled hearing, and fever. Most mild infections clear up within 2–3 days. Bacterial cases are treated with antibiotics; viral cases require symptom management and rest. Ear infections themselves are not contagious, but the viruses that trigger them are.