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Otorrhea is a discharge from the ear caused by various conditions such as infections, foreign objects, or brain injury. Treatment depends on the cause, with antibiotics and manual drainage being common for infections, and removal of foreign objects or emergency treatment for brain injury.
Otorrhea is the medical term given to a discharge from the ear. Several different conditions can cause discharge from a person’s ear. Some of the more common causes include various types of infections, getting a foreign object into the ear, and injury to the brain. The different reasons for the drain will generally result in different types of drainage. Generally, treatment for otorrhea will depend on the cause of the discharge.
Commonly, a middle ear infection causes otorrhea. Also known as otitis media, this type of infection causes the middle ear to become inflamed, usually due to bacterial or a viral infection. It is very common in young children and usually causes a very thick, glue-like mucus to build up in the middle ear. Mucus buildup can lead to rupture of the eardrum. If this happens, ear drainage is likely as mucus drains from the damaged eardrum and out of the ear.
Another cause of otorrhea can be due to an external ear infection. The medical name for an external infection is otitis externa. This type of infection is commonly known as swimmer’s ear. With this type of infection, the outer part of the ear becomes inflamed. Some of the most common causes of this type of inflammation are too much water, a skin condition, and hot weather, which can irritate the skin of the outer ear.
Otorrhea, which can be experienced in any of these types of ear infections, can result in serous drainage or purulent drainage. A serous drain is usually a thin discharge that has a mostly clear appearance. Some people may also experience purulent drainage, which is often seen with otitis externa. This type of drainage can produce foul-smelling, thick, greenish or yellowish discharge. Other symptoms that may accompany an infection-induced discharge may include fever, severe ear pain, dizziness, fatigue, and nausea.
There are some additional circumstances that can cause otorrhea. An obstruction in the ear canal can cause this. This could be done by inserting any type of foreign object too far into the ear, where it could cause a significant amount of inflammation. In some cases, ear discharge can occur in cases of brain injury. If the brain is severely injured, brain fluid may drain through the ear and this will present a very urgent situation.
When otorrhea is due to an infection, antibiotics will typically be given to the patient. Your doctor may also need to manually drain your ears with a suction device. If the discharge becomes a chronic problem, the patient may need special tubes placed in the ears for proper drainage. When a foreign object is the cause of discharge, a doctor will take the necessary steps to remove it. If a serious injury, such as a brain injury, is causing you to be discharged, you will be given emergency treatment at the discretion of a specialist such as a neurologist.
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