Malignant External Otitis
Risks for this condition include:
- Chemotherapy
- Diabetes
- Weakened immune system
External otitis is often caused by difficult to control bacteria such as pseudomonas. The infection spreads from the floor of the canal into the tissues adjacent to the bone at the base of the skull. Infection and inflammation can damage or destroy the bone. The infection can spread further and affect the cranial nerves, brain and other body parts.
Symptoms associated with this condition are:
- Persistent ear drainage, yellow or yellowish green, foul smelling
- Ear pain is felt deep in and may get worse when moving head
- Hearing loss
- Itching in the ear or ear canal
- Fever
- Difficulty swallowing
- Weakness in face
- Loss of voice
The doctor will examine the ear for signs of an outer ear infection (external otitis). The area of the head around and behind the ear may be tender to the touch. An examination of the nervous system (neurological) may reveal that the cranial nerves are affected.
If there is any drainage, the doctor may send a sample to the laboratory for culture, in order to find fungi or bacteria, usually Pseudomonas.
To look for signs of an infection of bone adjacent to the ear canal, you can perform the following tests:
- CT scan of the head
- MRI of the head