Ear Discharge
WHEN TO SEE YOUR DOCTOR
* You experience any ear discharge other than earwax.
* See your doctor immediately if you experience a discharge following a blow to the head.
What Your Symptom Is Telling You
Fluid oozing from inside your ear may seem scary, but there's no need to panic. In fact, if you take the right action, your ear could heal in just a few days. Respiratory infections often work their way into the tiny canals—called eustachian tubes—that run from the back of your nose to your ears, says John K. Niparko, M.D., associate professor in the Department of Otolaryngology at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Clogged eustachian tubes are the ideal environment for bacteria to grow and multiply, creating a buildup of mucus and pus that presses on the delicate skin of the eardrum, often causing an earache.
In a very small number of cases, the pressure from the infection is so great that the eardrum pops like a balloon. This sounds gruesome, but the opening allows fluid buildup to drain from your ear, relieving the pain. The eardrum almost always grows back, but it should be assessed by an ear specialist to rule out any complications.
Repeated ear discharge, like frequent sinus infections, is often a sign that your immune system is losing the battle with bacteria in your ear and needs help from an antibiotic, says C. Warren Bierman, M.D., clinical professor and pediatrics chief in the Division of Allergy at the University of Washington School of Medicine in Seattle.
Infection is not the only thing that can cause discharge, however. In addition, swimmer's ear sometimes results in a milky, watery discharge that can make you feel like giving up the backstroke. And a sudden brownish tan flow can be the harmless discharge of earwax that has been building up for a while in the inner ear, says Dr. Bierman.
A severe head injury like a skull fracture can result in an ear discharge of spinal fluid—a colorless liquid that usually looks like water but can sometimes be mixed with blood. And while extremely rare, a tumor of the ear canal could also cause a watery discharge, says Charles P. Kimmelman, M.D., professor of otolaryngology at Manhattan Eye, Ear and Throat Hospital.
Symptom Relief
If you have any kind of discharge from your ear—aside from earwax—it's important to see your doctor. Here's what your doctor might do as well as what you can do for yourself.
Opt for antibiotics. "The drainage is really a signal that you need to do something about an ear infection," says Dr. Niparko. "With the right antibiotics you could have it under control in 48 hours." Your doctor will prescribe the appropriate antibiotic.
Children need extra care. Ear infections in children sometimes are more stubborn to cure. Because children's eustachian tubes often don't ventilate or drain the ear properly until the children are six or seven, sometimes doctors must surgically insert what's called a tympanostomy tube in their eardrums, says Margaretha Casselbrant, M.D., Ph.D., associate professor of otolaryngology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and director of clinical research in the Department of Pediatric Otolaryngology at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. The tube prevents fluid buildup by allowing the ear to ventilate and thus enabling it to drain.
Pick some cotton. A cottonball placed just inside the ear will absorb discharge while allowing it to flow unrestricted from the ear canal, says Dr. Casselbrant. Don't use anything but cotton, and don't insert it deep into the ear.
A wipe or two will do. Using a washcloth or a cotton swab dipped in alcohol, you can wipe the outer ear to get rid of any discharge that's accumulated, says Dr. Niparko. Just don't venture inside the ear canal. "You run a significant risk of scratching the ear canal, which can then set you up for an ear canal infection," he says.
Wear a bathing cap. If you're plagued by swimmer's ear, it's a good idea to keep your ears covered while you're in the water.
See also Earache
