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Causes
"Middle
ear infections are usually a complication of upper respiratory
infection, such as a cold," Rice says. Bacteria travel up the
Eustachian tube, a tiny tunnel that connects the back of the
nose and throat to the middle ear.
When the
tube is blocked, fluid builds up in the middle ear, causing
the ear to ache and swell. In children, this tube is shorter
than in adults and allows germs to reach the ear more easily.
Another reason children are more prone to earaches than adults
is because their immune systems are not fully developed, Rice
adds.
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