Unpleasant sensations in the ear can occur in different ways, but more often than not, a sick person may notice a burning sensation. In no case should you leave such complaints unattended, since in the future this can lead to hearing loss. If there is a burning sensation in the ear, then you should consult a doctor as soon as possible so that he can prescribe the correct treatment. It is important not only to eliminate the symptoms, but also to conduct a complete diagnosis, which will help determine the further effective therapy.
Why does burning occur?
There is not a single person who would not agree with the opinion that the normal state of the hearing organs should not include any unpleasant sensations in this area. If a person finds pain, burning or congestion in himself, then he should consult a doctor as soon as possible to begin treatment. The fact is that all the symptoms that appear in a person indicate a pathology. Causes of burning in the ear can be a consequence of such diseases:
- The appearance of a boil.
- Otitis externa.
- Otomycosis can often develop.
- Cases of eczema are common.
- Burning may be due to an allergic reaction.
- It is impossible not to notice the symptoms with a burn or injury.
- Unpleasant sensations appear in the case of a tumor.
It should be noted that this is not all the reasons why these symptoms appear. For example, some systemic processes can also be provocateurs for the manifestation of burning in the ear. Such abnormalities include hormonal disorders that occur in the endocrine system. It can lead to the fact that a person experiences pain, burning in the ear, even a lack of vitamins in the body or intoxication with harmful substances. In order to accurately establish the diagnosis, it will be necessary to consult a doctor.
Examination and diagnosis
Talking about your feelings will not be enough, since a thorough diagnosis is still required. The fact is that each disease will be accompanied by its symptoms. It is on the basis of them and a complete diagnosis that a specialist will be able to diagnose and prescribe treatment.
The initial examination by a doctor is that the patient tells in detail what he feels and what worries him. A professional can palpate and collect anamnestic data. Each case has its own symptoms, so it is worth getting to know them in more detail.
Furuncle
If you carefully familiarize yourself with the structure of the ear, we can distinguish that in the very part of the auditory meatus there are follicles and sebaceous glands, which are often subjected to purulent-necrotic inflammation. In medicine, such a case is called a “boil”. Symptoms that a patient can highlight in themselves are as follows.
- There is a sharp pain.
- There is a constant burning sensation in the ear, especially it intensifies when a person begins to chew food.
- The patient may notice a fever, headaches and lymph nodes increase.
It is not difficult to determine the appearance of a boil, since a red elevation appears, in which a purulent exudate is collected in the center. It is important in this case to consult a doctor, since pus can cause the infection to spread to other tissues.
Otitis externa
External otitis media is associated with microbial inflammation, which can spread to the entire auditory canal. Symptoms of this disease depend on the form in which it occurs. For example, severe burning in the ear occurs in an acute form. If you click on the tragus, then the person also feels a sharp pain. When the doctor conducts an examination, he reveals a significant redness of the passage. The latter becomes swollen and becomes covered with exudate. Often the damage reaches the tympanic membrane, which adds tinnitus.
Otomycosis
Otomycosis is a fungal infection. Often such a disease is accompanied by permanent injuries, which lead to everything else also to dermatitis. As a rule, otomycosis can be detected not only in the ear canal, but also in the tympanic cavity. It is quite difficult to immediately identify the symptoms of the disease, because it develops gradually. And, only when it reaches a huge size, the patient begins to feel the following symptoms:
- First of all, one can note a strong burning sensation in the ear, which is still accompanied by severe soreness.
- There is a feeling of stuffiness and constant noise.
- From the ear, discharge begins.
Some patients go to the doctor because of severe headaches, which can occur precisely from the side on which the ear is damaged. As soon as the doctor conducts an examination, he will highlight that the contents of the passage have accumulated in yellow, and sometimes even black.
Eczema and an allergic reaction
Many people do not understand why burning in the neck and ear happens at the same time. Often, such symptoms may even indicate the development of eczema, which is localized in the ear canal. As a rule, the disease immediately begins to develop acutely, so it is almost impossible not to notice it. Eczema is a serious disease that is additionally accompanied by a violation of the bacterial flora, which increases inflammation and pus secretion. There are cases when unpleasant sensations in the ear arise due to allergies. For example, all the symptoms are local in nature, the reaction occurs in the place where the exposure was intolerable.
In this case, it cannot be said that allergy carries a potential danger or threat to life, especially if the person was provided with the necessary first aid in a timely manner.
Tumor, injury, burn
If a person is injured, then pain in the ear will be inevitable. It also allows you to determine the extent of damage. For example, if there is a burning sensation in the left ear, the causes are most likely hidden in damage to the left. There will be observed swelling of the soft tissues that completely block the ear canal. The situation with the right ear is also assessed if the injury was received on the right.
It should be noted that injuries and burns are very serious. And the doctor will not be able to carry out diagnostics using a routine examination, since during a visual examination you can see only abrasions and bruises, therefore, diagnostics using special devices is required.
The specialist will be able to detect the tumor much faster and easier. The patient himself will be able to isolate the presence of symptoms such as spotting from the ear. As the tumor begins to grow, other diseases, such as otitis media, mastoiditis, and meningitis, will develop in parallel. In order to start treatment in a timely manner, attention should be paid to such symptoms.
- Noise and significant hearing loss.
- Constant discharge begins from the ear.
- A person experiences frequent headaches.
- Lymph nodes increase.
- Added weakness and weight loss.
A tumor is a serious oncological process that can go to the bones of the skull, affect the salivary glands and lymph nodes.
Diagnostics
Only a doctor can establish the real causes of burning in the ear. It is not worth prescribing treatment on your own in any case, as this can lead to serious complications. Be sure to consult a doctor who, using laboratory-instrumental methods, will diagnose and be able to determine the correct treatment. The specialist can prescribe these types of diagnosis:
- General analysis.
- Analysis of discharge from the ear.
- Brushstrokes and prints.
- Allergy tests.
- Biopsy and histology.
For each person, examinations will be assigned individually, it all depends on the pathologies and symptoms that the person experiences.
Treatment
Everyone should clearly understand that it is completely possible to recover only with proper and complex therapy. Additional tests and studies may be needed if the patient begins to feel unpleasant sensations in order to determine the exact causes of burning in the ears. What disease they manifest, only ENT can determine. As a rule, medications of different groups are the most used for treatment.
- If the disease is caused by bacteria, then antibiotics are prescribed.
- Antiseptics are used to treat wounds.
- Fungal infections of the ears are treated with antifungal medications.
- To reduce the inflammatory process, anti-inflammatory drugs are useful.
- Also, doctors often prescribe antihistamines and cytostatics.
ENT determines what kind of disease his patient has. For example, drops, ointments, and rinsing solutions may be used locally. If the disease is systemic, then tablets and injections are required. An excellent addition to the complex for treatment can be electrophoresis, laser therapy and UHF.