{"id":316,"date":"2021-01-04T15:21:09","date_gmt":"2021-01-04T22:21:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/neurotucson.fm1.dev\/ear-hearing\/otorrhea-ear-drainage\/"},"modified":"2021-02-02T17:36:24","modified_gmt":"2021-02-03T00:36:24","slug":"otorrhea-ear-drainage","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/neurotucson.com\/ear-hearing\/otology\/otorrhea-ear-drainage\/","title":{"rendered":"Otorrhea (Ear Drainage)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Ear drainage can have many medical causes such as acute\/chronic otitis externa,\u00a0middle ear infection<\/a>\u00a0where the eardrum has burst,\u00a0mastoiditis<\/a>\u00a0and spinal fluid leakage due to compromise of the ear\/brain separation. The appearance of the ear drainage varies depending on the cause. The drainage can be characterized as thin\/clear, mucoid, bloody or purulent (full of pus), and the otorrhea may or may not be foul smelling. Many patients with ear drainage also experience hearing loss, tinnitus (insert link), vertigo or unsteadiness, ear pain (otalgia), feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear or itchiness in the ear canal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because there are so many causes for otorrhea, it is critical that a qualified physician perform a thorough microscope examination and cleaning of the ear. A comprehensive hearing test (audiogram) and balance testing using videonystagmography as well as temporal bone imaging (CT or MRI scans) may be required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A suction device is typically used to clear the drainage in the affected ear so as to establish where the drainage is coming from. If there is an infection, antibiotics (oral or topical eardrops) may be prescribed. Since serious pathologies such as\u00a0cholesteatoma<\/a>\u00a0and encephalocele with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage are potential causes for otorrhea, failure to resolve the drainage after conservative management is an indication for temporal bone imaging and surgical intervention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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