Ear canal inflammation or infection

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Ear canal inflammation or infection

It is normal for your ear canal to itch from time to time. This mild discomfort often occurs when the ear canal becomes irritated because of:

• Scratching the ear canal with a cotton swab, bobby pin, fingernail, or a sharp object.
• Excessive cleaning of the ear canal. Do not use cotton swabs to clean the ear canal. The ear canal is self-cleaning.
• Use of earplugs or earphones that fit inside the ear canal.
• Bubble baths, soaps, and shampoos.
• Chronic skin conditions, such as eczema, psoriasis, or seborrhea.
• Allergies.

An irritated ear canal may be itchy, painful, or slightly red and swollen. Home treatment often brings relief. Symptoms should improve and then disappear over several days.

When the ear canal becomes infected, symptoms usually get worse. The ear canal becomes swollen, red, and very painful. Redness may extend to the outer ear. Drainage may come from the ear canal. You may develop a fever. Unlike a middle ear infection (acute otitis media), the pain of an ear canal inflammation or infection is worse when you chew, press on the "tag" in front of the ear, or wiggle your earlobe.

Earwax is a light to dark brown or orange discharge that has a distinctive odor. It is normal for earwax to drain from the ear, and it can sometimes look like fluid draining from the ear. After bathing, swimming, or inserting drops into the ear, fluid may drain from the ear. This is also normal. Draining earwax does not usually cause pain. A visit to a health professional is needed when drainage resembles pus or bloody fluid or has a bad odor.

Credits

Last updated:	February 13, 2008
Author:	Jan Nissl, RN, BS
Reviewed By:	William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine, Donald R. Mintz, MD - Otolaryngology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer