Otitis media with effusion (OME) is characterized by the presence of fluid in the middle ear cavity behind an intact eardrum and is considered a multifactorial condition with Eustachian tube dysfunction as the underlying pathophysiologic condition. One of the most debated causes of OME is allergy, in particular allergic rhinitis. The aim of this paper is to review the role of rhinitis in the development of OME and in particular the role of both allergic (AR) and non-allergic rhinitis (NAR). Most of the recent literature confirms the role of AR in the development of OME, while there are few reports on the role of NAR. In non-allergic children affected by obstructive adenoid hypertrophy, the presence of mast cells in the nasal smear was associated with a high risk of developing a chronic OME.