DISCHARGING EARS PART-I : Dr Amit Jha

Dr Amit Jha . An ENT surgeon deals with all the diseases of ear, nose, throat, head and neck and their treatment. Discharging ear is a very common problem which brings hundreds of thousands of patients to Nepalese Otorhinolaryngologists or ENT Surgeons each year. Ear symptoms include but are not limited to discharging ear, ear pain, dizziness, hearing loss etc.

Several ear diseases manifest with discharging ears as a symptom. Ear discharge can be watery, mucoid or purulent. It can be foul-smelling or odorless. These and other characteristics of the ear discharge based on its color, consistency, amount etc. help the treating doctor to make a working diagnosis. When you visit your ENT surgeon in his/her OPD with a discharging ear, you will be subjected to ear examination after being asked several questions regarding your symptom. You will undergo examination in the OPD by a handheld illuminated device called an otoscope or auriscope. If the discharge is obstructing the view, a suction canula will be inserted to clear the ear canal of any discharge or debris. This maybe uncomfortable but is not painful. Your other ear, nose and throat will be examined as well. Similarly, you will be subjected to otoendoscopy or EUM (Examination Under Microscope) where magnification of this tiny organ is achieved by the use of a microscope to aid otoscopic findings. A PTA (Pure Tone Audiogram) will always be done if there is hearing loss along with discharging ear. This is done by placing special headphones and another device just behind the pinna of the ear. Likewise, according to severity of the disease or to confirm the diagnosis, an XRay or a CT scan would be requested.
As mentioned earlier, ear discharge is not a disease but a symptom. There are several ear diseases where discharge can occur. Discharge occurring due to perforated ear drum (a hole in the ear drum) is a very common condition in Nepal. This disease is called Chronic Otitis Media (COM) and has various subtypes. The prevalence of COM varies around the world affecting 30% of the North American Eskimos, 4-6% of African population and less than 1% of individuals in the US and UK. In our country, it’s been reported to be 7.2%.

For treatment options of discharging ears, please stay tuned for Part II.