Symptoms

Children and adults with an ear infection may show any of these symptoms in addition to the ache in one or both ears:

• dizziness
• ringing in the ears
• fullness in the ears
• hearing loss or muffled sounds
• fever
• headache
• nausea or vomiting

Infants and toddlers with an ear infection may show these symptoms:

• fever
• irritability (especially when lying down)
• tugging, pulling, or rubbing the ears
• runny nose
• tiredness or listlessness
• unresponsive to loud noises
• white or yellow discharge from the ear (not normal wax)