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Otitis externa
Make it clearer
Otitis externa is inflammation of the external auditory canal, the tunnel that runs from the outer ear to the eardrum. It can come from an infection or happen without one.
To understand why it happens, you have to understand what protects that tunnel. Its walls produce cerumen, or earwax. And that wax is not junk: it forms a barrier and maintains an acidic environment that stops bacteria and fungi from growing. Earwax is a raincoat with its own pH; without it, the canal is left damp and unprotected. That is the sequence: the epithelium lining the canal is damaged, the protective wax is lost, moisture builds up, the pH rises, and bacteria grow.
The ones found most often are Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. And swimming raises the risk fivefold compared with not swimming.
In brief
Otitis externa is inflammation of the external auditory canal, and it can be infectious or noninfectious.
Earwax in the canal forms a protective barrier and an acidic environment that holds bacteria and fungi in check; when the epithelium is damaged and that wax is lost, moisture builds up, the pH rises, and bacteria grow.
Earwax is a raincoat with its own pH; without it, the canal is left damp and unprotected.
The most common agents are Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, and swimming raises the risk fivefold.
Sources (1)
- National Center for Biotechnology Information, StatPearls PublishingOtitis Externa, StatPearlsPublished
This page explains the topic in general terms; it does not tell anyone what treatment to follow.
Updated