Mastoiditis is the inflammation of the mastoid process behind the ear and of the air space (mastoid antrum) connecting it to the cavity of the middle ear. More briefly, it is the inflammation of the mastoid air cells. It is usually caused by bacterial infection that spreads from the middle ear, and the condition is associated with general pain in the ears with headache suppuration of the mastoid sinuses of the head which are situated just behind the ears. When traeatment is unsuccessful, or when the problem recurs frequently, the mastoid sinuses may be removed in an operation called a mastoidectomy. Mastoiditis may cause deafness. The following general terms are used under mastoid process:
 (1) Mastoid is nipple-shaped process or structure behind the ear (2) Mastoid air cells extend in a backward and downward direction from the antrum (a cavity in the bone). (3) Mastoid antrum is the air space within the mastoid process, lined by mucous membrane, continuous with that of the tympanum and mastoid cells. (4) Mastoid process : is a nipple-shaped process on the temporal bone that extends downward and forward behind the ear canal and is the point of attachment of several facial muscles. It contains many air spaces (mastoid cells) which communicate with cavity of the middle ear via an air-filled channel called mastoid antrum. This provides a possible route for the spread of infection from the middle ear to the whole mastoid process and petrous bone of the skull. (Petrous bone is the stony hard base of the temporal bone, one on either side of the cranium, and contains the middle and inner ears. Below the temporal bone, there is the mastoid process. The infection of the mastoid process may cause caries and suppuration of petrous bone, which then further attacks the brain and nervous system and develops other fatal diseases. See also mastoid process under Capsicum 30 under the heading Deafness.
Eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the pharynx in the throat cavity at the back of the mouth. It allows air to pass into the middle ear, so that the air pressure is kept even on both sides of the eardrum. There are two eustachian tubes attached with two eardrums. The natural function of these tubes is to safeguard the eardrum from the explosive sound of a bomb, so that it does not burst or break as the thrust passes to the throat cavity via these tubes.
 Due to some inflammation in throat and middle ear, after pimply or granular eruption, stiffy cold, cough and coryza, these tubes are affected and become swollen with stuffy feeling and deafness in the ear of the affected side. These tubes are also blocked due to enlargement of the tonsils.
Earache or otalgia means pain in ears. It is due to some damage, disease, wound or injury to the facial nerve, ear nerve or due to pain in the trigeminal nerve. Water drops or some particles getting into the ear may also cause earache. It has the following other causes :
 (1) Throat infection, (2) tonsillitis, (3) mumps, (4) otitis externa, (5) otitis media, (6) otitis interna, (7) otomycosis, (8) otorrhoea, (9) perforation of eardrum, (10) accumulation of cerumen (ear-wax), boil, pimple or pustule in the ear, (13) laryngitis, aphthous throat, toothache, mastoiditis etc.
 Earache is also felt when there is cough, cold and sneezing; when chewing the food; with a sense of fulness, stuffiness, blocking of the ear, swelling and redness of the ear. The pain in ears extends to larynx and temporal region of the head. Sometimes there are tearing, shooting, stabbing pains in the ear with fever.
infant ear infection homoeopathic medication : Chammomila,Puls, calc,calc sulph,Bell,Ferrum pic.