Otitis externa

Otitis externa (Latin for " outer ear " refers to animals as " Earache " ) is an inflammation of the external ear, especially the external auditory canal, in a broader sense also the auricle. In small animal medicine it is regarded as the most common disease.

One of cellulitis of the ear canal (otitis externa diffusa) the Gehörgangsfurunkel (otitis externa circumscripta ) is compared. A particularly severe form of external otitis is the malignant external otitis ( progressive necrotizing otitis ).

Inflammation of the external ear as the perichondritis the pinna or erysipelas are usually referred to with the above terms and not as otitis externa.

Causes

Causes of otitis externa are soaking ( maceration ) of the ear canal skin from liquids, minor injuries (eg cotton swab ) or foreign bodies with subsequent local bacterial infection. The most common bacterial pathogens of otitis externa of people are Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus. The pseudomonads are found in warm water and are also chlorine- tolerant, the otitis externa diffusa is therefore a common disease during beach holidays and is therefore ' bathing otitis ", or" pool - otitis " called. It is favored by Gehörgangsexostosen ( " surfers ear" ( surfer 's ear ), swimmers ear ( " swimmer 's ear " ) or " divers ear" ( diver's ear) ).

Otitis externa can also be a manifestation of a general skin condition that most strongly evident in the delicate skin of the ear canal. Here, allergies and autoimmune diseases can be used as trigger in question.

In animals, are often yeasts (eg Malassezia ) and mites ( Ohrräude ) trigger of otitis externa. The causes in dogs and cats come in a total of Question: ectoparasites, foreign body, hypersensitivity ( hypersensitivity ), dermatophytes, keratinisation and endocrinopathies, metabolic causes, immune disorders, traumatic causes. When foreign bodies are more play than even penetrated from the outside such foreign bodies from the ear itself a role that arise due to disturbances of the self-cleaning mechanism of the ear. These are often concluded by improper treatments.

Symptoms

The main symptoms are severe pain and itching. Particularly painful are pressure on the tragus and train at the auricle ( " externals points "). Depending on the severity and pathogen, the skin is red and swollen or you have any other lesions such as pustules, papules, ulcers or crusts. Also, lymph node swelling can occur. In more or less zugeschwollenen ear canal is found abgeschilfertes material ( detritus ), often wets the ear canal or even find purulent discharge. Because of zugeschwollenen ear canal can be also decreases the hearing.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the cause and considered predisposing and maintaining factors. A thorough cleaning or flushing of the ear canal is unavoidable, any debris must be removed ( " Thorough cleansing is half the therapy "). Inserting soaked in concentrated alcohol or special ear drops narrow Mullstreifens. The ear drops most often contain antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs, and alcohol for disinfection and dehydration. But you must be administered only if the eardrum is intact. Only in severe cases, systemic administration of an appropriate antibiotic is required. In a Gehörgangsfurunkel may be useful also an incision. Heat is not really recommendable, it often exacerbates the pain. Acaricides for mites to be used, this drug also usually locally (topically ) applied. In case of allergic or immune-mediated otitis anti-inflammatory drugs ( glucocorticoids ) are used.

Complications

Hazards in otitis externa, the infection spread into the surrounding soft tissue, spreading to the eardrum ( myringitis ) and in extreme cases, osteomyelitis of the skull base with multiple cranial nerve failures.