A boil in the ear occurs due to purulent inflammation of the hair bulb. Over time, nearby tissues are involved in the pathological process. The disease is accompanied by severe pain, especially if suppuration is formed in the ear canal. In this case, tissue edema appears in a confined space. A strong irritation of nerve receptors occurs, which causes pain. Pathology requires immediate treatment. Due to the proximity of the lesion to the brain, there is a risk of serious complications.
How does suppuration occur?
The pathological process begins with the penetration of infection into the tissue. Staphylococcus aureus is usually caused by a boil in the ear. These bacteria cause purulent inflammation. First, an infiltrate forms, which looks like a seal. If you do not start treatment at this stage, then after 2-3 days, suppuration begins with tissue necrosis. This lasts about 3-5 days. Then the abscess erupts either on its own or in the process of treatment, and recovery comes. After this, a gradual healing of the skin occurs within a week.
Causes of pathology
Bacteria that cause boils of the outer ear are conditionally pathogenic. Staphylococcus aureus is part of the normal microflora. It is found on the skin and in healthy people, but under normal conditions does not cause any disease. In order for these microbes to become pathogenic, additional provoking factors are necessary:
- Skin damage. Bacteria penetrate the tissue through small wounds. Thus, boils often arise in the ear of a child. Children can comb their skin with dirty hands and cause infection. This is often observed with allergies and dermatitis, accompanied by itching.
- Decreased immunity. Microbes can be inactive under the epidermis. With a decrease in the body's defenses, bacteria become pathogenic and cause a purulent-inflammatory process.
- Poor hygiene. Accumulation of sulfur and impurities in the ear canal leads to inflammation.
- Incorrect ear cleansing. If sharp objects are used for hygiene of the auricles, this leads to the formation of wounds. Bacteria penetrate the skin through them.
- Hypothermia. In this case, immunity drops and bacteria become activated.
- Water entering the ear. A humid environment is favorable for microbial growth.
Symptoms of the disease
The first signs of boil ripening in the ear are a feeling of discomfort and itching. Then the affected area begins to redden, swell and fill with purulent contents. This is accompanied by severe shooting pain radiating to the head and jaw. Such manifestations are more pronounced if the abscess is located inside the ear canal. A boil on the earlobe is more leaking, as it is located in an open area.
A ripened abscess looks like a red inflamed tubercle with a white head on top. In the absence of treatment, the patient's general state of health worsens, weakness, malaise appears, and body temperature rises. There is a noise and a rumble in the ears. The pain intensifies at night.
ICD-10 code
According to the international classification of diseases of the tenth revision, boils in the ear region belong to the department H60 - H62. These ciphers indicate diseases of the outer ear.
The code for the ear boil according to ICD-10 is H60.0. Under this code is "Abscess of the outer ear." This group of diseases includes boils, carbuncles and abscesses of the auricle and ear canal.
Possible complications
A boil in the ear is dangerous with complications. Purulent-inflammatory process can spread to the area behind the eardrum. Otitis occurs - inflammation of the middle ear, this disease can lead to a significant decrease in hearing. The pathological process often goes to the temporal bone, which is located behind the ear. There is inflammation of the bone process - mastoiditis.
The most dangerous consequence of the disease is infection in the brain. This leads to meningitis. In advanced cases, blood poisoning occurs - sepsis. In addition, boils can begin to spread throughout the body.
Diagnostics
Most often, a boil can be detected during an external examination of the patient. The doctor palpates the ear and examines the ear canal using an otoscope. This allows you to distinguish furunculosis from otitis media.
Ultrasound and x-rays are rarely used, usually a visual examination of the hearing organ is sufficient to make a diagnosis. In some cases, a smear from the ear canal is taken for analysis. This is necessary if you want to determine the sensitivity of the pathogen to antibiotics.
Conservative treatment
How to treat a boil in the ear? Therapy should be carried out only by an otolaryngologist. Self-medication of an abscess is unacceptable, this can lead to dangerous complications.
First of all, it is necessary to achieve the maturation of the boil so that the abscess breaks through more quickly. For this purpose, the following agents are prescribed:
- compresses and turunds with ethyl or boric alcohol;
- warming the affected area with a heating pad;
- treatment of the affected area with iodine (at the initial stage);
- tampons with Vishnevsky ointment, ichthyol ointment or Levomekol.
In addition, an erythromycin ointment is prescribed. This is a local antibacterial agent. The drug prevents the spread of infection to nearby tissues from the boil in the ear. Ointments are applied with turunda if the abscess is deep in the ear canal. If an abscess formed in the auricle or on the lobe, then the product is applied to a bandage and a bandage is made.
To accelerate the maturation of the abscess, the doctor can prescribe a UHF procedure or ultraviolet irradiation of the affected area.
After the boil erupted, the affected area is treated with antiseptic drugs: Miramistin, Chlorhexidine, Lysozyme. It is recommended that the patient sleep on the side of the affected ear so that the pus does not flow deeper into the ear canal.
In severe cases, topical treatment of a boil in the ear is supplemented by oral administration of the following antibiotics:
- Amoxiclav.
- Erythromycin.
- "Azithromycin".
- "Rifampicin."
- "Cefazolin."
Symptomatic treatment is also carried out:
- For severe pain, analgesics are prescribed: Analgin, Pentalgin, Baralgin.
- In children, Otinum or Sofradex ear drops are used for pain relief.
- If the patient has a fever, then antipyretic drugs are indicated: Paracetamol or Panadol.
- To make the body easier to fight infection, it is recommended to take immunomodulators and vitamins.
- To strengthen the body's defenses, autohemotherapy is performed: the patient is injected with his own venous blood.
If within a week conservative methods of treatment do not lead to a breakthrough of the boil, and the inflammation spreads to the surrounding tissues, then the abscess is opened surgically.
Surgical methods
An operation to open the boil in the ear is done in a hospital setting. For anesthesia, local anesthesia is used. The top of the abscess is incised. Then remove pus and necrotic tissue.
The boil cavity is washed with disinfectants, and then a bandage is applied to the affected area. If the operation is successful, the patient may go home the same day.
Treatment with folk remedies
Treatment of a boil in the ear at home should be agreed with the doctor. The use of folk remedies can not replace drug therapy. It can only complement and enhance the effect of those medicines that the doctor prescribed.
The following recipes can be recommended:
- Onion mixture. A groove is cut out in the onion head and flaxseed oil is poured there. The onion is baked in the oven, then the juice is squeezed. It is buried in a sore ear 3 drops per day. You can also moisten a cotton swab in the juice and insert it into the ear canal.
- Composition of potatoes. This tool is suitable for boils in the outer parts of the ear. Raw potatoes are ground on a grater. The resulting mixture is applied to a bandage and a compress is made on the sore spot.
- Aloe. With an external boil, a cut sheet of the plant is applied to the affected area. If the abscess is inside the ear, then juice is squeezed out of aloe, diluted with water in a 1: 1 ratio and buried in the ear canal. You can also apply this tool on turunda.
- A decoction of birch buds. 1 tablespoon of kidneys is boiled in 200 ml of boiling water. The composition is taken in a third of a glass 3 times a day.
- A remedy for onions and garlic. The same amount of garlic and onion is ground, and then fried in vegetable oil. The composition is applied to turunda and inserted into the ear.
- A mixture of Vishnevsky ointment and fir oil. Take 7 parts of oil and 3 parts of oil. The ingredients are mixed until smooth. With the external location of the boil, a compress is made, and with an abscess in the ear canal, a turunda or tampon is used.
Prevention
To prevent the disease, ear injury should be avoided. All hygiene procedures for cleaning the ears should be carried out carefully using cotton buds. It must be remembered that even small wounds can become a gateway for infection. If accidental ear injuries occur, the damage should be immediately treated with disinfectants.
It is necessary to observe hygiene of the organ of hearing. You need to regularly clean your ears from pollution and sulfur deposits. Avoid getting water, shampoo and detergents in the ear canal.
An abscess on the lobe often forms after piercing the ears. After such a procedure, it is important to observe good hygiene. You need to wipe the earlobes with hydrogen peroxide or boric alcohol, and wear earrings that do not cause an inflammatory or allergic reaction.
Diseases caused by staphylococci should be treated promptly. They can cause abscesses in the ear. It is also very important to strengthen the immune status of the body, this will help to avoid the activation of opportunistic bacteria.