brand-logo

Otitis externa

Low urgency
Very common-

It is defined as an inflammation of the skin of the external auditory canal also known as "swimmer's ear".

The cause is infectious, either bacterial or fungal.

It usually manifests with inflammation of the canal, ear pain (otalgia), deafness, discharge and fever.

Diagnosis is made by history taking, physical examination and examination of the ear with an otoscope.

The main goals of treatment are to control pain (analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs), cure the infection (topical antibiotics) and prevent recurrence (use of alcohol drops after swimming).

Bibliographic references
  1. Laura A Goguen. External otitis: Pathogenesis, clinical features, and diagnosis. UpToDate. Sep 19, 2014.
  2. Laura A Goguen. External otitis: Treatment. UpToDate. Sep 04, 2015.
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Estimated burden of acute otitis externa--United States, 2003-2007. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep 2011; 60:605.
  4. Rosenfeld RM, Schwartz SR, Cannon CR, et al. Clinical practice guideline: acute otitis externa. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2014; 150:S1.
  5. Llor C, McNulty CA, Butler CC. Ordering and interpreting ear swabs in otitis externa. BMJ 2014; 349:g5259.
  6. Rubin MA y cols. Infecciones de vías respiratorias superiores. Harrison. Manual de Medicina. 16º edición. 256-260.
Author
Dr. Elvira Moreno
Copyright
© TeckelMedical 2026

Symptoms

    Pain when the inner part of the ear is pressed

    Ear pain

    Pain gets worse when ear is moved

    Discharge of fluid from the ear

    Reddened / swollen ear

Symptoms to watch out for

High fever (39 ºC or more)
Reddening of the ear

Self-care

Consume over-the-counter pain relievers or anti-inflammatories.
Check with your general practitioner about the prescription for antibiotics.
Avoid using cotton swabs.
Maintain the ears dry.
Mediktor logo