Painful inflammation of the middle ear, typically with fluid in the middle ear, behind a bulging eardrum or a perforated eardrum, often with drainage of pus. The customary treatment is antibiotics for 7 to 10 days. After antibiotic treat- ment, some children are left with fluid in the middle ear, which can cause temporary hearing loss. In most children, the fluid eventually disappears spon- taneously. If a child has a bulging eardrum and is experiencing severe pain, a myringotomy (surgical incision of the eardrum) to release the pus may be done. Tubes may be placed in the ear to drain fluid.