A hearing test may be recommended if a pneumatic otoscopy finds evidence of fluid in the middle ear (otitis media with effusion), as this often affects a patient’s hearing capacity. A more precise test of middle ear function called tympanometry also may follow.

Antibiotics may be prescribed if a physician finds evidence of fluid or of an ear infection (otitis media), but often these conditions will clear by themselves with time.

If middle ear fluid or ear infections persist, a physician may suggest a procedure called myringotomy. Myringotomy is an outpatient surgical procedure to place tubes into the ears. It most often is recommended for children who have recurring ear infections (otitis media) or hearing problems due to fluid buildup in the middle ear space behind the eardrum (tympanic membrane). The tubes help fluid drain out of the middle ear and into the ear canal.