Deafness and hearing loss toolkit

Common symptoms table – How patient may present

Otitis Media and Otitis Media with Effusion:

Symptom	Otitis Media (OM)	Otitis Media with Effusion* (OME)
Ear Pain	Often present, can be severe	Usually absent or mild
Ear Discharge	May have pus or fluid draining from ear	Typically no discharge
Hearing Loss	Temporary due to fluid build-up	Mild to moderate, may persist. Muffled hearing (Most common).
Fever	Often present, especially in children	Rarely present
Ear Fullness or Pressure	Common	Common
Redness of the Eardrum	Possible	Uncommon
Bulging of the Eardrum	Possible	Uncommon
Tugging or pulling at the ear (in children)	Common	Uncommon
Upper Respiratory Infection Symptoms	May be present	Typically absent

*otitis media with effusion is also known as glue ear

It's important to note that these symptoms can vary in severity and presentation from person to person. With glue ear, children have difficulty understanding speech, especially in noisy environments and can lead to speech and language delays in children.

More information on Otitis Media and Otitis Media with Effusion.

Acute and chronic otitis externa:

Symptoms	Typical Symptoms of Acute Otitis Externa	Typical Symptoms of Chronic Otitis Externa
Ear Itch	Present	Constant itch in the ear
Ear Discharge	Present	N/A
Ear Pain	Present	Mild discomfort or pain
Tenderness of Tragus/Pinna	Present	Present
Jaw Pain	Possible	N/A

More information on Acute and chronic otitis externa

Tinnitus is a term to describe a symptom of the ear which can present as:

Buzzing
Roaring
Clicking
Hissing
Whistling
Whooshing

The sounds you hear can be constant or intermittent, and they can vary in volume from barely noticeable to quite loud. For some people, tinnitus can be very bothersome and can interfere with their ability to sleep, concentrate, or relax. For more information can refer to the tinnitus page.

More information on Tinnitus assessment and management

Dizziness vs Vertigo

Dizziness is a general term for various sensations of imbalance, unsteadiness, light-headedness or feeling faint, vertigo specifically refers to the sensation of spinning or movement (often described as “the room is spinning around”), often associated with problems in the inner ear or vestibular system.

Table differentiating the symptoms of BPPV, meniere’s disease, vestibular neuritis and vestibular labyrinthitis.

Sympton	Vestibular Neuritis	Vestibular Labyrinthitis	BPPV	Ménière's Disease
Vertigo	Sudden onset of vertigo	Sudden onset of vertigo	Brief episodes triggered by head movement	Severe and prolonged vertigo attacks
Duration of Vertigo Attacks	Usually resolves in days	Can last days to weeks	Typically brief (seconds to minutes)	Can last hours to days
Recurrence of Vertigo	Typically resolves after initial episode	May recur with future infections	Episodes may recur intermittently	Recurrent attacks with remissions
Speed/Onset/Timing of Vertigo	Sudden onset, usually resolves within days	Sudden onset, can last days to weeks	Sudden onset with specific head movements which can last seconds to minutes	Sudden onset or gradual worsening, can last hours to days
Trigger Factors	Viral infection, preceding illness	Viral infection, preceding illness	Head movements, changing position	Stress, dietary factors
Nausea	Variable; may accompany vertigo	Common during vertigo episodes	Common during vertigo episodes	Common during vertigo episodes
Vomiting	Less common	May occur during severe episodes	May occur during severe episodes	May occur during severe attacks
Hearing Loss	None or minimal	None or minimal	Typically none	Fluctuating, progressive
Tinnitus	May occur	May occur	Rarely present	Common, often with fluctuation
Ear Fullness or Pressure	May occur	Common	Rarely present	Common

More information on Balance differentials, BPPV or Meniere’s Disease.