Condition Lookup

Otitis Externa (Swimmer’s Ear)

Specialty: Ear

Category: Infectious and Inflammatory Ear Conditions

Symptoms:
ear pain; itchiness in the ear canal; redness or swelling of the ear canal; drainage of clear, yellow, or pus-like fluid; temporary hearing loss

Root Cause:
Inflammation and infection of the outer ear canal, often caused by trapped water facilitating bacterial growth (commonly Pseudomonas aeruginosa or Staphylococcus aureus).

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed clinically by ear pain, swelling, and discharge.

Treatment:
Treated with topical antibiotics (e.g., ciprofloxacin) and corticosteroids.

Medications:
Topical antibiotic eardrops (e.g., ciprofloxacin or ofloxacin ) are commonly prescribed. These are fluoroquinolone antibiotics that target the bacterial infection. Inflammatory symptoms can be managed with corticosteroid drops such as hydrocortisone .

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Estimated to affect 10% of people at some point in their lives, more common in swimmers and individuals in humid climates.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Frequent swimming or water exposure, use of hearing aids, narrow ear canals, skin conditions like eczema or psoriasis, aggressive ear cleaning causing trauma.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Excellent with timely treatment; symptoms typically resolve within a week with appropriate care.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Persistent infections, spread to nearby tissues (rare), or progression to malignant otitis externa in immunocompromised individuals.

Malignant Otitis Externa (Necrotizing Otitis Externa)

Specialty: Ear

Category: Infectious and Inflammatory Ear Conditions

Sub-category: Outer Ear Infections

Symptoms:
severe ear pain; persistent ear discharge; hearing loss; cranial nerve dysfunction (e.g., facial weakness); redness or swelling around the ear; fever

Root Cause:
Aggressive infection of the external auditory canal that spreads to the base of the skull, typically caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. More common in diabetic or immunocompromised patients.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed with imaging (CT/MRI) and clinical examination.

Treatment:
Treated with systemic antibiotics like ciprofloxacin and surgical debridement if necessary.

Medications:
Ciprofloxacin is the most commonly used antibiotic, administered orally or intravenously. It is a fluoroquinolone antibiotic targeting Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Other options include ceftazidime or piperacillin-tazobactam for resistant strains.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare, with higher incidence in older adults with poorly controlled diabetes.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Diabetes mellitus, immunosuppression (e.g., due to chemotherapy or HIV), chronic ear infections, advanced age.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Variable; with prompt treatment, prognosis is good, but delays in treatment can lead to high morbidity and mortality due to cranial nerve involvement and spread of the infection.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Cranial nerve palsies, meningitis, brain abscesses, and osteomyelitis of the skull base.

Fungal Otitis Externa (Otomycosis)

Specialty: Ear

Category: Infectious and Inflammatory Ear Conditions

Sub-category: Outer Ear Infections

Symptoms:
itching; discomfort or mild pain; ear fullness or blockage; white, gray, or black fungal debris in the ear canal; hearing loss due to blockage

Root Cause:
Fungal infection of the external ear canal, commonly caused by fungi such as Aspergillus or Candida species.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed by otoscopy revealing fungal debris.

Treatment:
Treated with antifungal ear drops (e.g., clotrimazole).

Medications:
Topical antifungals such as clotrimazole or miconazole are commonly prescribed. For resistant cases, oral antifungal agents like itraconazole may be used.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Relatively common in tropical and humid climates; accounts for up to 10% of otitis externa cases.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Frequent water exposure, prolonged use of topical antibiotics, use of hearing aids, underlying skin conditions like eczema, diabetes, or immunosuppression.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good with proper treatment; recurrences may occur if risk factors persist.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic inflammation, secondary bacterial infections, and rarely, invasive fungal infections in immunocompromised individuals.

Acute Otitis Media (AOM)

Specialty: Ear

Category: Infectious and Inflammatory Ear Conditions

Sub-category: Middle Ear Infections

Symptoms:
ear pain; fever; difficulty hearing; irritability in children; fluid drainage from the ear; fullness in the ear

Root Cause:
Infection and inflammation of the middle ear, often caused by bacteria (e.g., Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae) or viruses, leading to fluid buildup behind the eardrum.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed by otoscopic findings of a bulging tympanic membrane.

Treatment:
Treated with antibiotics (e.g., amoxicillin).

Medications:
Amoxicillin (antibiotic, first-line treatment), or amoxicillin-clavulanate for resistant cases; analgesics such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen for pain relief.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Common in children, affecting up to 75% by the age of 3 years; less common in adults.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Young age, daycare attendance, bottle-feeding, upper respiratory infections, exposure to tobacco smoke, family history.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Typically resolves with treatment; most children recover fully, though recurrent episodes are possible.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Hearing loss, tympanic membrane perforation, mastoiditis, meningitis (rare).

Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media (CSOM)

Specialty: Ear

Category: Infectious and Inflammatory Ear Conditions

Sub-category: Middle Ear Infections

Symptoms:
persistent ear discharge (otorrhea); hearing loss; fullness in the ear; occasional ear pain; foul-smelling ear drainage

Root Cause:
Chronic infection of the middle ear and mastoid with tympanic membrane perforation, often due to untreated or recurrent acute otitis media.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed by persistent ear discharge and tympanic membrane perforation.

Treatment:
Treated with topical antibiotics and sometimes surgical repair.

Medications:
Ciprofloxacin ear drops (antibiotic, for localized treatment), or systemic antibiotics in severe cases; corticosteroid ear drops for inflammation.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Higher prevalence in low-resource settings, affecting 1-5% of the global population, with a higher burden in children.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Recurrent or untreated AOM, poor hygiene, crowded living conditions, and inadequate medical care.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Variable; with proper treatment, the infection can be controlled, but untreated cases may lead to complications.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Hearing loss, mastoiditis, cholesteatoma, intracranial infections such as meningitis or brain abscess.

Otitis Media with Effusion (Glue Ear)

Specialty: Ear

Category: Infectious and Inflammatory Ear Conditions

Sub-category: Middle Ear Infections

Symptoms:
hearing loss; feeling of fullness in the ear; speech delay in children; balance problems

Root Cause:
Non-infectious fluid accumulation in the middle ear due to eustachian tube dysfunction, often following an upper respiratory infection or AOM.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Diagnosed with pneumatic otoscopy and tympanometry.

Treatment:
Treated with watchful waiting, and tympanostomy tubes in persistent cases.

Medications:
No specific medications for the condition itself; antihistamines or decongestants may be used if related to allergies, though evidence for their efficacy is limited.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Affects up to 80% of children by the age of 10; more common in children than adults.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Young age, daycare attendance, exposure to tobacco smoke, allergies, family history, and recurrent upper respiratory infections.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Most cases resolve spontaneously; surgical intervention can restore normal hearing in chronic cases.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Hearing loss, speech and language delays, recurrent infections, potential impact on academic and social development.

Labyrinthitis (Inner Ear Infection Affecting Hearing and Balance)

Specialty: Ear

Category: Infectious and Inflammatory Ear Conditions

Sub-category: Inner Ear Infections

Symptoms:
vertigo; dizziness; nausea; vomiting; loss of balance; hearing loss; tinnitus (ringing in the ears); difficulty focusing the eyes

Root Cause:
Inflammation or infection of the labyrinth (inner ear), typically due to a viral or bacterial cause, affecting both the vestibular and auditory systems.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical evaluation based on symptoms and history, physical examination, hearing tests (audiometry), and sometimes imaging studies (MRI or CT) to rule out other causes like stroke.

Treatment:
Rest, hydration, physical therapy for balance (vestibular rehabilitation therapy), and medications to alleviate symptoms. If bacterial, antibiotics may be prescribed.

Medications:
Antihistamines (e.g., meclizine ) for vertigo. Benzodiazepines (e.g., diazepam ) to suppress vestibular symptoms. Antiemetics (e.g., prochlorperazine ) for nausea and vomiting. Corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone ) to reduce inflammation in severe cases. Antibiotics (e.g., amoxicillin ) if a bacterial infection is confirmed.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Common, especially in adults aged 30–60; exact prevalence varies but is more frequent during viral outbreaks (e.g., flu season).

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Recent viral or bacterial infections, respiratory illnesses, weakened immune system, history of ear infections, and smoking.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good for most cases; symptoms usually improve within a few weeks to months. Persistent balance issues or hearing loss can occur in severe cases.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Chronic dizziness, permanent hearing loss, and secondary conditions like anxiety due to prolonged vertigo episodes.

Mastoiditis

Specialty: Ear

Category: Infectious and Inflammatory Ear Conditions

Sub-category: Other Inflammatory Conditions

Symptoms:
ear pain; swelling behind the ear; fever; hearing loss; ear discharge; redness and tenderness behind the ear; headache; irritability in children

Root Cause:
Bacterial infection of the mastoid air cells in the temporal bone, often due to untreated or poorly managed otitis media (middle ear infection).

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical examination (checking for swelling and redness behind the ear), imaging studies (CT scan of the temporal bone), and blood tests (to check for infection).

Treatment:
Intravenous antibiotics, drainage of abscess if present, and mastoidectomy in severe or refractory cases.

Medications:
Antibiotics such as ceftriaxone (a third-generation cephalosporin) or vancomycin (a glycopeptide antibiotic) may be prescribed. Antibiotic choice depends on culture results and bacterial resistance patterns.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Rare in developed countries due to effective treatment of otitis media; more common in regions with limited access to healthcare.

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Untreated or recurrent otitis media, immunosuppression, poor access to healthcare, and chronic ear infections.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Good with prompt treatment; complications are rare if treated early. Delay in treatment can lead to life-threatening complications.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Brain abscess, meningitis, hearing loss, venous sinus thrombosis, and facial nerve paralysis.