OME and ear infections are connected in two ways: After most ear infections have been treated, fluid (an effusion) remains in the middle ear for a ...YouAreHere:Home→MedicalEncyclopedia→OtitismediawitheffusionURLofthispage://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007010.htmOtitismediawitheffusionOtitismediawitheffusion(OME) isthickorstickyfluidbehindtheeardruminthemiddleear.Itoccurswithoutanearinfection.CausesTheEustachiantubeconnectstheinsideoftheeartothebackofthethroat.Thistubehelpsdrainfluidtopreventitfrombuildingupintheear.Thefluiddrainsfromthetubeandisswallowed.OMEandearinfectionsareconnectedintwoways:Aftermostearinfectionshavebeentreated,fluid(aneffusion)remainsinthemiddleearforafewdaysorweeks.WhentheEustachiantubeispartiallyblocked,fluidbuildsupinthemiddleear.Bacteriainsidetheearbecometrappedandbegintogrow.Thismayleadtoanearinfection.ThefollowingcancauseswellingoftheEustachiantubeliningthatleadstoincreasedfluid:AllergiesIrritants(particularlycigarettesmoke)RespiratoryinfectionsThefollowingcancausetheEustachiantubetocloseorbecomeblocked:DrinkingwhilelyingonyourbackSuddenincreasesinairpressure(suchasdescendinginanairplaneoronamountainroad)Gettingwaterinababy'searswillnotleadtoablockedtube.OMEismostcommoninwinterorearlyspring,butitcanoccuratanytimeofyear.Itcanaffectpeopleofanyage.Itoccursmostofteninchildrenunderage2,butisrareinnewborns.YoungerchildrengetOMEmoreoftenthanolderchildrenoradultsforseveralreasons:Thetubeisshorter,morehorizontal,andstraighter,makingiteasierforbacteriatoenter.Thetubeisfloppier,withatinieropeningthat'seasytoblock.Youngchildrengetmorecoldsbecauseittakestimefortheimmunesystemtobeabletorecognizeandwardoffcoldviruses.ThefluidinOMEisoftenthinandwatery.Inthepast,itwasthoughtthatthefluidgotthickerthelongeritwaspresentintheear.("Glueear"isacommonnamegiventoOMEwiththickfluid.)However,fluidthicknessisnowthoughttobe relatedtotheearitself,ratherthantohowlongthefluidispresent.SymptomsUnlikechildrenwithanearinfection,childrenwithOMEdonotactsick.OMEoftendoesnoth