Holiday Season is Here, Watch Out for External Ear Canal Infection!

In the formation of external ear canal infections, the structure of the person's external ear canal, the patient's systemic diseases, the presence of dirt or foreign objects in the external ear canal. The important factors are that the water coming into contact with the patient's ear is dirty and has a high level of germs. In this context, we can say that patients at high risk of external ear infection are those who have previously experienced external ear canal problems. Especially people who have had DHF more than once should prevent their ears from coming into direct contact with water while taking a shower, in the sea or in the pool. People who have never had an ear problem before and whose eardrums are healthy do not need to take these precautions when entering the sea or pool.

Those who need to be very careful against DKY inflammation;

·         Those with diabetes

·         Those with chronic heart disease

·         Those receiving chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy

·         Organ or bone marrow transplantation Patients suffering from it

·         Those with AIDS and other immunodeficiency-related diseases.

Causes of External Ear Canal Inflammation

The narrow and long structure of the external ear canal facilitates the growth of bacteria and fungi due to its warm and humid environment and can easily lead to disease. DHF, which is usually seen in the summer months but can be seen in any season of the year, is an inflammation of the skin lining the external ear canal and the outer surface of the eardrum. Although DHF infections can also be caused by allergic or dermatological reasons, the most common cause is bacterial or fungal infections. While severe itching is prominent in fungal infections, severe pain is more prominent in bacterial infections.

The outer ear canal is covered with a thin skin. There is a protective secretion secreted from the sweat and sebaceous glands in this skin. Frequently cleaning the ear canal with earwax or inserting a foreign object into the ear for purposes such as scratching or cleaning may remove this protective layer and damage the skin in this area, leading to easier infection. Similarly, excessive amounts of water entering the ear canal as a result of frequent showering, swimming in the pool or the sea, or going to the bath may cause the protective layer to be destroyed. Destroying this layer also prevents bacteria and fungi. It facilitates bee reproduction. In addition to these reasons, swimming in dirty water, accumulation of more than normal secretions in the ear, foreign objects in the ear, and allergic diseases can also cause inflammation in the external ear canal. Additionally, it is worth noting that patients with conditions such as hand-foot fungus should be specifically questioned and treated, if any. Because the number of patients who cause self-infection is not small. Although the number of ear cleaning procedures used to be performed in the past has decreased today, unconscious procedures still performed in some places also cause these infections.

Symptoms of External Ear Canal Inflammation

Severe throbbing earache, ear blockage, fullness and hearing loss, itching, discharge, and sometimes fever are symptoms of DHF. Earache may radiate to the area around the eyes, neck or head. The pain becomes worse when the ear moves, such as chewing. Touching the external ear canal or the protrusion just in front of the canal or moving the pinna increases the pain. If such symptoms are observed, it is necessary to consult a doctor without delay.

Treatment of External Ear Inflammation

For the treatment of external ear canal infections, unconsciously The medications used may cause the problem to become more severe, leading to hearing loss in the future and life-threatening co-morbidities in risky patients. Because; If there is wax or fungal mass in the ear, it should be known that the drugs applied without the necessary procedures in expert hands will not have a therapeutic effect, and it is clear that the follow-up and treatment of an ENT specialist should be followed.

In external ear canal inflammation, the ear canal is examined with an examination tool called an otoscope. It is often difficult to see. The patient may feel serious pain during this time. Even this finding is an important indicator in diagnosis. When seen, it looks edematous, bright red, swollen and discharged. A direct diagnosis of external ear canal inflammation can be made through otoscopic examination. Any discharge or inflammation that can be seen during the examination should be removed as much as the patient's pain threshold allows. DHF inflammation can be treated with ear drops and medications, depending on the person's condition. In some cases a� Oral antibiotics may also need to be added to the treatment. With treatment, complaints usually decrease within 3 days and complete recovery occurs within 10 days. Starting treatment at an early stage will ensure healing with a less painful process and will prevent the infection from spreading to other areas. During the treatment process, the ear must be protected from water. In this context, activities such as the pool or the sea should be stopped and the external ear canal should be closed during showering. Additionally, cotton or other foreign objects should not be inserted into the external ear canal for any purpose.

Preventing External Ear Infection. What Can Be Done?

The first precaution we can take individually to minimize the risk of DHF infections in the summer months is not to go on vacation while our ears are full of earwax. Especially people who have previously had an external ear canal infection can have their ear canal cleaned before the holiday. In addition, attention should be paid to the cleanliness of the swimming pools we enter and safe places should be preferred. I can recommend that people who have previously had ear problems should consult an ear, nose and throat doctor and get advice on whether to use earplugs or not. For patients with a hole in the eardrum and stenosis of the external auditory canal, entering the pool and/or the sea without earplugs will pose a significant health risk for them. On the other hand, if you have been exposed to any ear infection in the past or if damage to the ear itself has been detected, earplugs should be used to prevent DHF infections.

A few important questions

1-    How to Use Ear Drops?

Ear drops should be warmed in the palm before instillation. Warming prevents the medicine from causing dizziness after instillation. The earlobe should be moved back and forth to ensure that the medicine moves forward into the ear canal. Patients who have more than one drop treatment should use the drops in the order recommended by the doctor and wait at least one minute between drops. It is sufficient to wait 3-5 minutes so that the dripped ear remains on top.

2-    Ear Cotton Outer Cover Does it cause lacrimal tract inflammation?

The cotton bud itself is not a direct cause for this infection. However, with frequent use of cotton, the skin of the external ear canal loses its protective secretion and cleaning function, which paves the way for subsequent infections. It should also be noted that ear cleaning cotton removes the water from the earwax and pushes the main mass inside. In this case, it both prepares the environment for infection and makes the cleaning process to be done by the specialist difficult.

3-    Does dropping vinegar help?

In case of mild pain and itching that has just started in the outer ear canal, if you are sure that there is no hole in your eardrum, and if it is very difficult or you cannot reach a doctor, dropping a few drops of vinegar may be useful. If pain and itching gradually increase and additional complaints such as hearing loss are added, it is very important to consult a specialist as soon as possible.

4-    Can Treatment Begin at Home Without Consulting a Specialist?