What to do if the external auditory canal hurts and becomes inflamed

Many people's ears are prone to pain. This pain will have a great impact on us, such as ear soreness, tinnitus, and even inflammation inside the ear, and may be accompanied by otitis media. As a patient, you should pay attention to it and go to the hospital for examination first, and choose the treatment method according to the results of the examination.

Considered to be caused by otitis media.

The most common cause is an upper respiratory tract viral infection, such as a stuffy nose caused by a cold or flu, which can easily lead to otitis media. Blowing your nose too hard can also cause otitis media. Improper dilation of the Eustachian tube during swimming may allow bacteria to enter the middle ear, and trauma to the tympanic membrane may allow bacteria to enter the middle ear from the external auditory canal and cause otitis media.

Otitis media is a common cause of ear pain in children. It often occurs in children under 8 years old and is usually a painful complication of an upper respiratory tract infection such as the common cold or throat infection. Therefore, patients need to undergo careful examination by an ENT doctor and prescribe the right medicine for effective treatment.

What are the common types of otitis media?

1. Otitis media with bone ulcers: also known as necrotizing otitis media or granulomatous otitis media, which is mostly caused by the progression of acute necrotizing otitis media. Characteristics of this type: pus discharge from the ear is often continuous, with blood streaks in the pus and often a foul odor. Large perforations in the pars tensa of the tympanic membrane may involve the annulus or marginal perforations. There are granulations or polyps in the tympanic cavity, which may protrude into the external auditory canal through perforations.

2. Simple otitis media: It is the most common type of chronic otitis media. It is mostly caused by repeated upper respiratory tract infections, when pathogenic bacteria invade the tympanic cavity through the Eustachian tube. It is also called Eustachian tube chamber type. The clinical features are: pus discharge from the ear, which is mostly intermittent, mucous or mucopurulent, and generally not smelly. The amount varies. When the upper respiratory tract is infected, the amount of pus increases.

3. Catarrhal otitis media: It is a non-suppurative inflammation caused by Eustachian tube obstruction, ventilation and drainage dysfunction. It can occur in both children and adults and is one of the common causes of deafness in children. Also known as: exudative otitis media, serous otitis media, serous-mucous otitis media, non-suppurative otitis media, etc. Clinically, it is divided into acute and chronic types. The main symptoms of patients with catarrhal otitis media are stuffy ears, a feeling of ear blockage, tinnitus, and hearing loss. Hearing will temporarily improve after blowing the nose, changing the head position or pulling the auricle. "Self-auditory enhancement" means that the patient feels that his or her own voice is louder than usual.

4. Cholesteatoma otitis media: It is not a tumor as we usually say, but a cystic structure located in the middle ear and mastoid cavity. The characteristics of cholesteatoma are as follows: long-term continuous pus discharge from the ear with a peculiar foul odor, and marginal perforation at the posterior and superior part of the flaccid or tense part of the tympanic membrane. From the perforation, grayish white scaly or bean curd-like substances can be seen in the tympanic cavity.