This can be done as part of treatment for mastoiditis, chronic suppurative otitis media or cholesteatoma.

Chronic suppurative otitis media involves a perforation (hole) in the eardrum and active bacterial infection within the middle ear space for several weeks or more.

Sometimes complications, such as a condition called chronic suppurative otitis media (an ear infection with chronic drainage), can arise from repeat ear infections.

Among those children who do complain of tinnitus, there is an increased likelihood of associated otological or neurological pathology such as migraine, juvenile Meniere's disease or chronic suppurative otitis media.