Otitis Externa

Otitis Externa – General Information

Otitis Externa – Symptoms

The most predominant symptom of Otitis Externa is pain, and is directly related to the severity of the otitis. When the external ear is touched or pulled the pain caused by the disorder, gets worse. Another symptom, that is considered the main sign of infection, is when the ear gets swollen and itchy. This symptom is often followed by ear drainage, and at this stage the pain is already present, especially when the external ear is moved. When the ear canal swells too much, a part of the face or neck can become also swollen, making the glands in the neck get enlarged, a provoking a difficulty or painfully action when you open the jaw. Also because the swollen ear canal, some people suffering with Otitis Externa can experience a decrease capacity for hearing in the affected ear.

Because the interconnection of the ear with the throat, irritation and inflammation of the throat in usually normal, but if the symptoms in the throat become excessive, the patient should consider the source of the discomfort the throat that causes the pain in the ear, not the ear causing the throat pain. The worsening of the ear skin appears, when people, discovering the symptoms of Otitis Externa, attempt to clean out or scratch the ear canal, with slim implements. This also appear when people continue swimming despite their symptoms of mild otitis. It is recommended to the patient to seek medical attention as soon as possible, when he noticed the first symptoms of the disorder.    

Otitis Externa – Treatment

The treatment applied in case of Otitits Externa, is to cure the infection and to return to a healthy condition the ear canal skin. If the otitis is in a mild stage, the refraining from washing your hair or swimming is usually effective and that’s why this disease is called a self limiting condition. But if the otitis is in a severe stage, or if the climate makes the skin of the ear moisten because of the humidity, the simply refraining doesn’t make an improvement. Some of the topical solutions in treating Otitis Externa are antibiotics, and here can include antibacterial, antifungal or simply to stop bacterial growth. Some doctors can also prescribe steroids, usually anti inflammatory, which can cure the swellings or itching, but they only reduce the time and the length of the treatment, and an overdose of steroids can provoke the apparition of otomycosis (fungal otitis).

In case of severe tissue swelling caused by Otitis Externa, when is extending into the face or neck, an oral anti pseudomonal antibiotic is applied and may hasten recovery. To remove the debris, like wax, shed skin or pus, from the ear canal, it is necessary a direct contact of the medication with the skin, which can lead to a shorter recovery time, and it is made by using a binocular microscope. Drops can not penetrate far enough into the ear because the canal swelling has progressed to the point where the ear canal is blocked, making them ineffective, that’s why it is needed to carefully insert a wick of cotton, or any absorbent material called an ear wick and then saturate that with the medication. To open the canal as much as the drops can penetrate, a wick is kept saturated with medication and can be removed easily.

Ear drop antibiotics are dosed and prescribed for 4 to 7 days, for allowing coating the most of the ear canal and the ear have to be left open. Using some medications which have a ruptured tympanic membrane can cause tinnitus, dizziness, vertigo and hearing loss in some cases. Some effective medications include ear drops , which contain antibiotics to treat infection, and corticosteroids to reduce the symptoms of itching and inflammation. In severe cases a topical solution of antibiotics such as aminoglycoside, polymyxin or fluoroquinolone is applied. Otitis Externa is almost always predominantly bacterial or sometimes maybe fungal, so that only one type of medication is indicated, and surely effective.

The pain provoked by acute Otitis Externa is usually severe enough to interfere with sleep. Most of the times, analgesic drops are prescribed by primary care providers for to relief the pain, but they are not really adequate and the patient should not rely on them. That’s why is recommended to follow a trial of oral narcotic pain medication, which is necessary to maintain comfort while the antibiotic drops are working. By using the related treatment, like cleaning the canal, wick insertion and antibiotic drops there will be a rapid improvement, and pain relieve in just one day, and resolution within 2 to 4 days. Heat application using a heating pad is also recommended, and it is considered a pain relief.