Introduction – What is ear cartilage?
There are many different types of tissue in the human body. One of these tissue forms is cartilage and its subform, the elastic cartilage. This is located in the ear, among other places.
The cartilage gives the outer ear its typical shape and ensures that sound is directed into the ear. The cartilage also protects the auditory canal. In children, the ear cartilage is still very soft, it only becomes firm in adolescence and takes on its characteristic shape. Inflammations or injuries can lead to a permanent change in shape, as the cartilage cannot renew (regenerate).
Function of the ear cartilage
Cartilage has a protective function throughout the entire body and is especially found in places with high mechanical stress. In the ear, too, the cartilage acts as a protector and shaper of the sound-conducting system. The cartilage parts are arranged in such a way that a funnel is formed and the sound is optimally conducted into the auditory canal.
This stabilization is particularly important inwardly, as the ear cartilage merges directly into the ear canal cartilage. The ear cartilage gives the ear its characteristic shape and thus gives the human face another individual factor. The process of hearing thus begins with the characteristic shape of our ear. If you are interested in how it then continues and finally comes to the perception of sounds and noises, we recommend our page on: Hearing
What can cause pain in ear cartilage?
Pain in the ear cartilage can have different causes. The first group of causes are mechanical injuries. These can be caused by external force against the ear.
These include accidental impacts against the cartilage as well as the pricking of piercings. The physical abuse of children by pulling on the ear should also be considered in case of childhood cartilage injuries. The second cause of ear cartilage pain is inflammation and boils of the surrounding tissue structures.
Boils, i.e. inflamed hair follicles filled with pus, can exert pressure on the ear cartilage and thus cause pain. Mastoiditis, a severe complication of middle ear inflammation with bone involvement, also pushes the ear cartilage forward and causes pain. In affected children, a protruding ear on one side is noticeable.
Another possible cause is neuralgia, i.e. nerve pain, after a herpes zoster infection in the facial area. Although there are no more centres of inflammation, the irritation of the nerves can remain for life. Like most types of tissue, ear cartilage can also become inflamed, but most inflammation originates from the cartilage skin.
A common cause is the stinging of piercings, as this creates an entry port for pathogens. Also injuries are possible. With mechanical irritation by cotton swabs it can also come to an inflammation.
An inflammation consists of several symptoms. The first symptom is dolor, the pain, which almost always occurs in inflammation. The second symptom is rubor, the reddening, as inflammation leads to increased blood circulation in the surrounding tissue.
Also the overheating, called calor, is due to the blood circulation. There can also be severe swelling in the surrounding tissue. The last main symptom is the Functio Laesa, i.e. the functional impairment.
In the case of ear cartilage, this is more likely to be caused by the swelling, since the auditory canal can be narrowed in this case. Inflammation of the ear cartilage should always be treated by a physician, since once the cartilage has disappeared, it is not renewed (regenerated) and permanent changes in shape can result. The treatment is carried out with disinfectants and a therapy with antibiotics and cortisone.
Ear cartilage is a very elastic cartilage. However, “fractures” or tears in the cartilage of the ear are a sudden yielding to external force with pointed or sharp objects. Since the cartilage cannot renew (regenerate), such injuries can permanently change the shape of the ear.
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