Swimmer's ear
Although complications associated with otitis externa are uncommon, there's a small risk of further problems developing.
Some of the main complications of otitis externa are described below.
Abscess are painful,pus-filled growths that can form in and aroundthe affected earafter aninfection.
They usually heal on their own, but in some cases your GP may need to drain the pus from them.
If you have long-term (chronic) otitis externa, thick and dry skin can build up inside your ear canal.
This causes the ear canal to narrow (stenosis), which may affect your hearing and, in rare cases, can even cause deafness. However, it can usually be treated with ear drops.
It's possible foranyinfection to spread to your eardrum. In some cases, the infection may cause pus to build up inside your inner ear and may rupture (tear) your eardrum. This is known as a perforated eardrum .
Symptoms include:
In many cases, a perforated eardrum heals without treatment in a couple of months. Surgery may be recommended if it shows no signs of healing after this time.
Cellulitis is a bacterial skin infection that can occur after otitis externa. It's what happens when bacteria thatnormally live harmlessly on the surface of your skin enter your skin's deeper layers through damaged areas, such as those caused by otitis externa.
Cellulitis causes affected areas of skin to become red, painful, hot and tender to the touch.
Other symptoms include:
Most cases of cellulitis can be treated with a seven-day course of antibiotics .
If cellulitis occurs in a person who was already very ill or who is very vulnerable to the effects of infection, they may need to be admitted to hospital as a precaution.
Malignant otitis externa is a serious, but rare, complication of otitis externa, wherethe infection spreads to the bone that surrounds your ear canal.
Itusuallyaffects adults more than children. Adults who have a weakened immune system are ataparticularlyincreased risk of developing it. This includes people:
There were442 cases of malignant otitis externa seen in hospitals in Englandover 2013 and 2014. Most cases were diagnosed in people aged 60 or older.
Signs and symptoms of malignant otitis externa can include:
Without treatment, malignant otitis externa can be fatal. However, it can be effectively treated using antibiotics and surgery to remove any damaged tissue.
Otitis externa is a condition that causes inflammation (redness and swelling) of the external ear canal, which is the tube between the outer ear and eardrum.
Otitis externa can cause a number of different symptoms affecting the ear and the surrounding area.
There are several different causes of otitis externa, such as a bacterial infection, a middle ear infection or an allergic reaction.
Otitis externa can usually be treated effectively with ear drops prescribed by your GP and some simple self-care techniques.
Although complications associated with otitis externa are uncommon, there's a small risk of further problems developing.
It's not always possible to prevent otitis externa, but you can reduce your risk of developing the condition.