ear canal infections
What causes canal infections?
Ear canal infections, also known as otitis externa or swimmers ear is most commonly caused by inflammation of the skin in the outer ear and ear canal due to the following:
Infection – may be bacterial or fungal, sometimes both
Allergy – medication/jewelry/ear drops/materials from which ear moulds are made
Irritants – hairspray/soap/shampoo/earplugs/hearing aids/water
Triggers include:
Heat – hot humid climates, sweat, wearing earmuffs or hearing aids
Water – swimming especially lakes, rivers and spa pools, syringing which may cause water to get trapped in the ear
Injury –a foreign body in the ear canal, cotton buds may introduce bacteria or fungi and removes the protective layer of the ear canal, also scratching with a fingernail may introduce bacteria via the broken skin
Underlying issues – skin problems like psoriasis or dermatitis, narrow canals, a build up of earwax which may trap water in the canal
Previous infection - it does appear that once you’ve had an ear canal infection your are more susceptible to developing another episode
Symptoms:
Not all ear infections are painful, sometimes the signs can be very subtle like itching or irritation
Pain when moving or touching your ear
Weeping from the ear – you may notice a bad smell
Scaly skin at the entrance to the ear
Redness and swelling in or around the ear
Wax with a bad smell
A blocked feeling if the canal is full
Overproduction of ear wax
Treatment:
It is very important to clean the ear canal thoroughly to remove all infected wax and skin. This will ensure that your ear drops can reach the entire surface of your ear canal to treat and resolve the infection completely.
Make sure you see an ear nurse who specializes in ear infections as she will be able to recommend the best treatment for your ear infection.
Use your treatment as prescribed. In most cases this will involve ear drops only but if your infection is acute oral antibiotics may also be prescribed. There are various types of ear drops on the market and they all have their own specific function. Make sure that if you do not improve after 48 - 72 hours on your current treatment that you notify your doctor or ear nurse as your treatment may need to be changed.
It is very important that you keep your ears dry for the following 4 weeks to allow the protective skin layer in your ear canal to recover. If you get your ears wet to soon you may develop another infection.
We also recommend a follow up appointment 1 month after your treatment to ensure the ear canal has recovered completely. At this visit you may require further clearance of the ear and sometimes further treatment may be needed.
Examples of ear canal infections:
