Which condition often results from a severe cold or sinus infection affecting ear health?

Mastoiditis results from a severe cold or sinus infection that can lead to the spread of infection from the sinuses or middle ear into the adjacent mastoid bone, which is located just behind the ear. This condition occurs because the mastoid air cells, which are small cavities within the mastoid process of the temporal bone, can become infected as a complication of untreated or inadequately treated otitis media, often a result of upper respiratory infections like severe colds or sinusitis.

When the Eustachian tube, which helps to ventilate the middle ear, becomes blocked due to nasal congestion, it can lead to fluid accumulation and infection in the middle ear, thereby increasing the risk of infection spreading to the mastoid bone. Symptoms of mastoiditis can include ear pain, fever, swelling behind the ear, and potentially hearing loss.

Other options, while associated with ear or sinus health, do not typically stem directly from a severe cold or sinus infection in the same way as mastoiditis does. Otitis externa, for example, is generally associated with moisture in the ear canal or irritants, but does not usually develop from sinus infections. Barotrauma relates to pressure changes affecting the ear, which is unrelated to infections. Allergic