Ear Infection-Outer

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Outer Ear Infection-Otitis externa

Otitis externa is a condition that causes inflammation of the external ear canal. This is the tube between the outer ear and eardrum

CAUSES—

  1. Fungi( yeast, aspergillus)
  2. Traumaor injury to the ear canal.
  3. Skin diseases( Eczema , Seborrhea, Neurodermatitis,)
  4. Allergic reactionsto medications
  5. Asthma
  6. Allergic rhinitis
  7. Reaction to some sprays( hair spray)
  8. Bacteria( Pseudomonas Aeruginosa , Staphylococcus Aureus, and Enterobacter species )
  9. This type of infection often happens when children spend a lot of time swimming (especially in dirty water).
  10. Water can get into the ear at other times, such as when a child’s hair is washed or during a bath.

Symptoms And Sign–

  • Drainage from the ear
    1. Yellow
    2. Yellow-green
    3. Foul smelling
    4. Persistent
  • Ear pain( worsen on moving head)
  • Hearing loss
  • Itching of the ear/ ear canal
  • Fever

Investigations—

  1. Neurological examination
  2. Culture of the drainage from ear
  3. CT scan of the head
  4. MRI scan of the head
  5. Radionuclide scan

Treatment–

  1. Medications
  2. Surgical removal of dead tissue (malignant otitis externa)

Complications–

  1. Abscesses
  2. Stenosis of ear canal
  3. Inflamed or perforated eardrum
  4. Cellulitis

Prevention—          

  1. Avoid damaging ears-
  2. Do not insert cotton wool buds or other objects into your ears
  3. If earwax build-up is a problem, get it removed from a doctor
  4. Keep ears dry and clean
  5. Do not let water, soap or shampoo get inside ears while washing
  6. Wear a shower cap while showering
  7. After washing, dry ears using a hairdryer on a low setting.
  8. Never push the corners of a towel into ears to dry them
  9. Wear a swimming hat covering ears 
  10. Use antiseptic ear drops whenever the water is trapped in the ears.

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