Most ear infections are of the external ear or the middle ear. Middle ear infections such as otitis media occur typically under five years of age. External ear infections, acute otitis externa or swimmer's ear, occur at any age and typically when there’s lots of exposure to water. Congestion or pain in the ear can become really painful. The simplest exam for diagnosing otitis externa is pain and swelling in the ear canal. Otitis media and otitis externa are very different types of infections.
