Mastoiditis

Infection spreading into the mastoid bone behind the ear

Overview

Mastoiditis is an infection of the air cells of the mastoid bone, the honeycombed bone behind the ear that connects to the middle ear. It usually arises as a complication of acute otitis media and is most often seen in children. Typical features are redness, swelling, and tenderness behind the ear, sometimes pushing the ear outward, along with fever. It became much less common after antibiotics became widely available. It is treated as a medical emergency because it can spread to the inner ear, facial nerve, or inside the skull, and may require surgery.