Injuries and inflammations of the external ear

The auricle, the auditory canal or the eardrum can be concerned at injuries and inflammations of the external auditory canal.

Inflammations and injuries of the auricle Inflammations of the auricle can be very painful. You are called to come out by bacteria, mushrooms or allergies. But also a sunburn can be the cause (not forget or put on little caps the sensitive ears) when putting cream with sun protective substance!.

Your treating physician will order at first one locally effective preparation depending on cause, the intake of antibiotics is imperative in more difficult cases. Bruises or a hematoma of the auricle should always be provided medically since it can come to an infection of the auricular cartilage which holds the danger of the loss of parts of the auricle.

Inflammations and injuries of the external auditory canal Being able to be either a diffuse inflammation of the complete auditory canal skin or a locally restricted inflammation, like either an abscess or furunculus, the cause for an inflammation of the external auditory canal. Bacteria, viruses, mushrooms can or in rare cases the pathogenes of an otitis external be an allergy.

The external auditory canal usually cleans itself by motions of the topmost skin layer with which the earwax is transported to the outside together with skin shacks and hairs. The self cleaning mechanism of the ear is disturbed by the use of cotton tips. The skin can as well get more sensitive in the auditory canal opposite inflammations if the superficial pH value is impaired by hair shampoos.

The inflammation risk increases:

  • Moisture in the ear after the taking a bath, swim or plunge,
  • swimming frequently in a chlorinated water since the chlorine dries the auditory canal skin out,
  • Children with skin illnesses (eczema),
  • Injuries of the external auditory canal skin which arise from an improper cleaning with cotton tips, for example,
  • Foreign bodies in the ear, such as plasticine, peas or erasers.

The symptoms at the external auditory canal inflammation are the followings:

  • Pruritus (the children feel permanently their ear and scratch),
  • Reddening,
  • strong pains,
  • Hurt at pressure on the tragicuses (cartilaginous prominence in front of the auditory canal) or at which moving at the auricle,
  • a (purulent) discharge is restrictedly then ear, the hearing at a heavy infection from this, too,
  • Pains at the mastication at a furunculus even at the speaking.
You go to her physician , as soon as you have the suspicion that the external auditory canal is locked or has ignited.

The complications at an untreated otitis external may not be underestimated. The infection can spread to the cartilage and the surrounding bone or lead to an abscess of the parotid gland. The inflammation can as well expand on the middle ear.

The attending doctor will take up the following measures:

  • The auditory canal is (cleaned irrigation, siphon of secretion and skin shacks).
  • The physician will try to remove it or transfer to the ENT physician if necessary at foreign bodies.
  • Perhaps he will prescribe antibiotics to the oral intake and/or as an ear gutta.
  • A preparation containing paracetamol is most ordered against strong pains.
  • If the cause of the inflammation and the pains is an abscess, then this is cut open under a local anesthesia so that the pus can drain away. This usually immediately soothes the pains.

You can do the following in addition:

  • Prevent that your child does good at the Baden water into the ears until the infection has faded away.
  • Do nothing at the auditory canal. Wash only around the auricle. With cotton tips the earwax is pressed in to only unnecessarily far into the auditory canal.
  • Only put ear guttas into an express order of their pediatrician.

Injuries of the eardrum

The eardrum can be hurt directly with pointed objects, such as pencils, little branches, knitting needles, bobby pins or cotton wool sticks. Indirect injuries take place by abrupt air pressure changes. This can be a beat for example on the ear, explosions or diving accidents. Characteristic symptoms for an eardrum injury are earaches which are strong and appearing suddenly. Blood or fluid can leave. Further symptoms can be dizziness, hearing loss or ear noises. The auditory ossicles or the internal ear is perhaps concerned at a strong dizziness or hearing loss. An eardrum injury is usually within 14 days cured itself. If the injury doesn't heal, then the eardrum can be closed operatively.

Auditory canal closure by foreign body or earwax

Sometimes children or their playfellows tell themselves little objects (plasticine, peas, eraser, little toy) into the ears. In this case perhaps your child will complain about pains. The ear is pressure-sensitive. In this case go to an ear, nose and throat specialist immediately. He has the instruments to remove the objects safely.

A very harmless reason for hearing problems with your child can bung earwax (Cerumen) be. A little earwax in the external auditory canal is completely normal. Some children produce very much of this, however, caused hereditarily. Very much earwax which primarily stops the auditory canal up at the showers or Baden and can push against the auditory canal wall can form a bunging at an accumulation of. Hearing reduction, feeling of pressure or buzzing murmurs can be the consequence. This can your physician bung lard wash the dishes out or remove with the help of instruments (nipple). Don't use cotton tips since they can only still further often damage the earwax into the ear to impressions and the eardrum. Pay attention to possible constipations in future. After the next cold you can appear again.


These informations may be considered a substitute for a piece of medical advice in no case. The content of health-illness.com doesn't can and may be put into any case to make diagnoses or carry out self medical treatment independently.


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