Op.Dr. stated that external ear canal infections are generally seen in the summer season when contact with water is more frequent. Ahmet Karaaslan said that the risk of infection increases because cleaning the external ear canal disrupts the natural process. Stating that especially hot, humid weather and allergies facilitate external ear infection, Ear, Nose and Throat and Head and Neck Surgery Specialist Op. Dr. Ahmet Karaaslan said, “The external auditory canal is not a straight pipe as it is thought. It has an increased curl in the area close to the eardrum. This is a protection feature. So it is 'S' shaped. At the same time, its outer part consists of cartilage and its inner part consists of bone structure. The junction of bone and cartilage is the narrowest part. The part leading to the eardrum becomes slightly wider. This feature prevents more water and foreign objects from getting inside in people with overly curved ears. The skin in the cartilage section, which is the entrance to the external ear canal, has hairs and sweat glands at the entrance. They also produce the secretion we call earwax. "This secretion and hairs also play a role in protecting the ear," he said.
Stating that the hairs try to remove dirt by constantly moving out, Karaaslan said, "When cleaning the ear, this area should not be traumatized by excessive cleaning. Because during this cleaning, the protective oily secretion is removed and the dirt passes to the hairless area, making it difficult to get out. It accumulates inside and causes solid earwax, which we call 'cushion'. The cleaning actions we perform in the outer ear canal actually disrupt this natural process. Just as the pH of the outer ear canal will change, the necessary bacterial environment, that is, its natural flora, will also be disrupted. Outer ear infections generally occur after the loss of these features. If adults and children overdo this cleaning, especially after bathing, swimming pools and the sea, the entrance to the external ear canal will be traumatized. Bacteria enter the crevices and a painful event called external ear canal infection occurs. Apart from this, dirty water (bathroom, sea, pool) can also cause this infection. Infection can cause redness and severe swelling at the entrance to the external ear canal. At the beginning of this infection, itching, pain, feeling of fullness in the ear, and then discharge and hearing loss can be added to the table. "If the underlying cartilage is also involved in the infection, this pain increases even more," he said. Stating that there may be a tendency for skin eczema and dermatitis in allergic children, Karaaslan said, "The skin lining the ear canal may also show the typical flaking of allergic eczema. In these cases, itching is very common. The use of pointed instruments, cotton-tipped or cotton-free swabs causes the onset or progression of external ear canal inflammation. This infection can be very painful and its treatment requires special care. The ENT specialist first determines the status of the infection. If the infection is limited to the outer ear, cleaning should be done first, and then, if there is excessive edema, the physician will place a temporary tampon in the outer ear canal and prescribe ear drops and analgesics, according to his/her preference. "In more serious cases, antibiotic use and frequent dressing changes may be necessary," he said.
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