LOCALISATION

Puss in the ear hole often occurs after piercing an ear hole for earrings. Since the piercing of the ear tissue results in a “wound”, this can also be infected and fester due to the penetration of bacteria. These bacteria can enter the open tissue either through uncleaned material during piercing or afterwards.

In addition, there is usually pain, redness and swelling of the ear. The earring should be removed urgently when the ear hole is suppurated to prevent further irritation of the ear. Daily cleaning with disinfectant solutions should then be performed.

If fever occurs in addition to pus, antibiotics in the form of tablets should be taken. In harmless cases, pus behind the ear is a pus-filled or scratched pimple. However, it can also be an inflammation of the mastoid process behind the ear.

This is the noticeable protruding bone behind the ear. In addition to the formation of pus, there can be severe ear pain, swelling, redness and overheating of the mastoid. Since this is a dangerous clinical picture with complications such as hearing loss, meningitis or brain abscess, treatment should be carried out in hospital. In addition to pain therapy, an intravenous antibiotic (applied directly into the vein) should be administered. If the symptoms do not improve within the first two days or a large boil (abscess) becomes visible, surgical treatment with removal or removal of the mastoid should be performed.

DIAGNOSIS of a purulent ear

The doctor reaches the diagnosis by asking about symptoms and course of disease at the beginning. This is followed by a physical examination, which involves looking into the oral cavity and ears, palpating lymph nodes and listening to the lungs. The examination of the ear is done with an otoscope.

With the otoscope, the auditory canal and eardrum can be assessed to find out where the infection comes from. If it is an inflammation of the middle ear, a reddened, bulging eardrum is often seen. If the eardrum tears, pus drops may be visible on the eardrum. In the case of an external ear canal inflammation, pus can be found in the ear canal.