Diagnosis
In order to diagnose a furuncle in the ear, a doctor is often not needed. The patient notices a kind of pimple in the ear, which is painful and filled with pus. However, since the external auditory canal is difficult to see, the patient often finds it difficult to judge this.
Therefore, it is better to go to the doctor to have the pain checked if the cause is unclear. The doctor may first conduct a conversation with the patient, the medical history. Afterwards, an inspection of the external auditory canal is sufficient for the doctor to determine that it is a boil in the ear.
The treatment of ear boils
The therapy of a furuncle in the ear depends very much on how far the furuncle could spread. In case of a boil, which is quickly detected, it is often sufficient to have it opened by a doctor, i.e. to make a slight incision and then to clean the ear sufficiently. If the inflammation has not yet progressed far, it is partly sufficient to treat the affected area with the help of a disinfectant and then wait.
Often a boil in the ear is a very small infection, which can look similar to a pimple.It is important that this cleaning and disinfection is carried out by a doctor and not by the patient himself, as the patient does not have an adequate view into the ear and may therefore damage more than help. In some cases, it is possible that just cleaning the furuncle in the ear is not enough and the inflammation progresses further and further. In this case it may be important to administer antibiotics to the patient.
This is rarely needed, but should be taken regularly to kill the bacteria responsible for the furuncle and prevent the inflammation from spreading. In case of a particularly painful boil, the patient can receive painkillers, which he can take for a short period of time after the treatment. If the boil in the ear has to be surgically opened, it can sometimes be helpful if the patient is given a local anaesthetic, as this can be painful under certain circumstances.
In this case, the patient is given a mild local anesthetic, similar to the dentist when he has to drill a tooth. If the ear is severely swollen due to the boil in the ear, the patient may receive anti-inflammatory and thus decongestant ointments or ear drops. In any case, it is important to avoid moist areas in the ear as much as possible during the treatment of the furuncle. This means that the patient should try to let as little water run into the auricle as possible when showering and should also avoid visits to the swimming pool. If the ear boil does not get better despite the therapy, it is also necessary to go to the doctor so that he can take further measures.
