Your middle ear is a hollow space behind your eardrum. The middle ear contains 3 tiny bones that transmit your eardrum's vibrations to the nerves in your inner ear.
What is a chronic ear infection?
Different parts of your ear can get infected, but you're most likely to have an infection in your middle ear. "Media" means middle, and "otitis" means inflamed ear, so doctors call this infection otitis media. It's called acute otitis media Ear Infection (Acute Otitis Media) Your middle ear is a hollow space behind your eardrum. The middle ear contains 3 tiny bones that send your eardrum's vibrations to the nerves in your inner ear. Different parts of your ear can... read more 
when it happens quickly and gets better quickly. Doctors call it "chronic" when it lasts more than 3 months.
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Having an acute ear infection Ear Infection (Acute Otitis Media) Your middle ear is a hollow space behind your eardrum. The middle ear contains 3 tiny bones that send your eardrum's vibrations to the nerves in your inner ear. Different parts of your ear can... read more
that doesn't go away can turn into a chronic ear infection -
Your ear doesn't hurt, but you have thick fluid or pus coming out of your ear
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You have hearing loss, which can be permanent
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Doctors clean your ear canal and give you antibiotic eardrops
What causes chronic ear infections?
What are the symptoms of a chronic ear infection?
The most common symptoms are:
What are the complications of chronic ear infection?
The hole in the eardrum may let in dangerous bacteria that cause a worse infection. That infection may destroy the tiny bones in your middle ear or spread to nearby skull bones.
Some people with chronic ear infections develop a cholesteatoma in the middle ear. A cholesteatoma is a growth that looks like skin and isn't cancerous. A cholesteatoma increases your risk of having serious complications, including:
How can doctors tell if I have a chronic ear infection?
Doctors will do a hearing test and use a handheld light to check in your ear for:
If doctors think you have a cholesteatoma, they may do a CT scan Computed Tomography A CT scan uses a large machine shaped like a large donut to take x-rays from many angles. A computer then takes the x-rays and creates many detailed pictures of the inside of your body. Each... read more 
or MRI Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) MRI is a test that uses a machine with a powerful magnet to make pictures of the inside of your body. A computer records changes in the magnetic field around your body. The computer then uses... read more 
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