External ear canal infection, which causes severe pain, discharge and swelling in the ear, occurs especially in summer months due to humidity, ear mixing, using ear buds, swimming in the sea or pool...
Ear Canal Infection
The most important reason for the frequent occurrence of ear infections, which increase in summer and cause serious health problems if not treated, is unclean pool water. All kinds of factors that remove the protective oily layer covering the outer ear canal cause bacteria to enter the skin and the formation of outer ear infection. oily layer is damaged. When swimming in polluted seas and pools that are not regularly maintained are added to this, an outer ear infection becomes inevitable. Once it occurs, it tends to recur.
What Should We Pay Attention to in Ear Tract Infection?
Swimming-related external ear canal inflammation, itching itself, swelling in the ear, redness and earache within a few days after swimming shows the current. If you feel pain and discomfort when you move the pinna or press on the protrusion in front of the external ear canal, this is probably due to an external ear infection.
If you do not feel pain and discomfort, middle ear infection is usually the first thing that comes to mind. Try to keep your ears as dry as possible. Use bone, silicone, earplugs or earplugs specially produced for your ear while swimming. dry it. Be sure to use a dry cotton towel when drying your ear. Tilt your head to the same side so that the water in the outer ear canal comes out. For the water to drain out of your ear easily; Pull your earlobe in different directions while looking down on your ear. If you think there is water in your ear canal; We can continue the drying process using a hair dryer. However, the blow dryer should be used at the lowest heat and speed / fan settings, and should be kept at a certain distance from your ear. Never forget this to avoid damaging your ear. Do not try to remove earwax. ear that As long as the ear drops do not block the external ear canal, they form an important barrier against ear infections. Do not start using ear drops without examination and seeing a doctor.
In holiday areas or in cases where access to the health center is difficult, patients apply random drug treatments using drops bought from pharmacies. If you have an ear tube in your ear. If there is a hole in the eardrum or any other problem, using ear drops can have bad results.
Some ear drops, which are not taken under the supervision of a doctor, damage the inner ear and reduce hearing. The external ear infection, which is an extremely easy disease to diagnose, becomes chronic and recurs frequently if left untreated. Especially people with diabetes or immune system disorders should definitely not neglect the treatment of external ear infection. In the treatment of the disease, antibiotic and cortisone drops selected according to the patient are usually sufficient for treatment. In some cases, in addition to the treatment, ear care by a physician is also needed. Drops may not be used in patients with very swollen external ear canal.
For detailed information on Middle Ear Infections, you can read our article on Middle Ear Infections (Otitis).
What is an External Ear Tract Infection? What are the Symptoms?
Ear secretion produced by the glands in the external ear canal; It protects the ear against foreign substances and organisms such as dust, bacteria, fungi. In addition, the acidity of the external ear canal prevents many harmful organisms from settling in this area. br>
In outer ear infection, also called swimmer's ear; Symptoms begin with itching in the moist ear. Then there is a marked tenderness and severe pain in the ear. Ear fullness, hearing loss, pain with touch or jaw movements, redness, edema (swelling) in the external ear canal, swelling and pain in the lymph nodes around the ear are other symptoms that may occur.
Outer Ear. How to Treat a Tract Infection?
The external ear canal can be a very painful disease. Therefore, pain control is important in the treatment.
The treatment options can be listed as follows:
- Ear drops; Antibiotics, cortisone to relieve edema, acidic ones to make the external ear canal acidic are frequently used.
- Ear pad applications; If edema (swelling) is high in the external ear canal, small ear pads can be applied to facilitate the application of drops in the form of medication and to ensure the evacuation of the infection. The ear pads placed are kept for 48 to 72 hours.
- Systemic antibiotic use; Especially if swelling is observed in the lymph nodes around the ear and the infection spreads, systemic (affecting the whole body) antibiotic use may be in question.
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