Any excess of fluid draining from the ear is known as otorrhea. It is not usual to experience ear discharge frequently. Several factors can cause ear discharge in individuals. It can be due to ear infection, any problem in the ear canal or middle car. Symptoms of otorrhea include, oozing out of fluid from the ear(s) with foul smell, pain or discomfort in the ear and feeling of ear pressure. Treatment for otorrhea depends on the root cause. Often antibiotics are prescribed in the drops for clearing off any bacterial infection.
Otorrhea Causes :
Ear infection is the main cause for ear discharge. People frequently coming in contact with water are prone to ear infection. Swimmer’s ear is one such case. Middle ear can develop swelling causing ear discharge in some people. This condition occurs commonly in children causing thick mucus discharge from the ears. If treatment is not given in the right time, it can cause rupturing of eardrum resulting in partial or permanent loss of hearing.
For some children and adults, outer ear infection can cause pus like discharge from the ear. This condition is called as otitis externa. Here infection occurs in the external segment of the ear causing inflammation and pus like drainage. Excess of water inside the ear and weather condition and swimmer’s ear can cause this problem. Thick pus yellow or greenish in color can come out of the affected ear in such cases.
Putting small objects into the ear can cause otorrhea and ear discharge. Many people use pointed objects like pen, safety pin etc for clearing off the mucus from the ear. This can affect the ear canal causing ear discharge. Pulling the wax like substance using sharp objects can lead to inflammation and pain of ear inviting more complications.