Boils in the ears: how to get rid of them and what the consequences may be. Symptoms and treatment of boils in the ear in adults and children

What is a boil in the ear

This is an acute purulent inflammation concentrated in the area of the hair follicle or subcutaneous retina. The areas of the auricle and auditory canal become foci of pathology, which once again proves the seriousness of the prevailing clinical picture - deafness or a progressive ear abscess cannot be ruled out. The abscess itself is not dangerous; its accidental opening can lead to consequences. The disease is associated with weak immunity, and as a result of extensive infection in the body, many internal organs and systems can be involved in the pathological process.

Causes

A furuncle of the external auditory canal is dangerous due to its complications, so effective treatment should follow immediately after diagnosis. For intensive therapy to be successful, the first step is to identify the pathogenic factor and eliminate it from the life of the clinical patient. In addition to weak immunity, the causes of boils in the ear can be as follows:

painful inflammation of the outer ear;
acute pain in the earlobe;
a consequence of improper hygiene;
discomfort with swelling of the ear canal;
violation of the rules for cleaning the ear canal;
increased body temperature;
mechanical damage to the ear;
complication of colds;
addition of a secondary infection;
progressive otitis of the ear;
reduced immune response of the body.

What happens if you run it?

Inflammatory diseases of the outer ear are quite common in people of all ages. The course of furunculosis is influenced by the state of the body’s immune system, the presence of chronic diseases, diabetes, and iron deficiency anemia.

With an unfavorable combination of several factors, complications may develop:

erysipelas - the entire ear is affected, redness and swelling have clearly defined boundaries, look like flames, the temperature rises to 38-39 degrees. Treatment: penicillin antibiotics and extinguishing with a 5% alcohol solution of iodine;
perichondritis - inflammation of the cartilage of the auricle, characterized by pain, elevated or low-grade fever (from 37 to 38 degrees). Treatment: antibiotic therapy and surgical removal of subperichondral ulcers and necrotic areas of cartilage, physiotherapy (not always);
osteomyelitis of the bone at the temple - destruction of bone tissue, accompanied by severe pain and an increase in temperature to 37.5-38.5 degrees. Treatment: surgical removal of pathological areas, the wound is closed with an autograft. The prognosis is mostly favorable.

Symptoms of a boil in the ear

A characteristic disease at an early stage is accompanied by itching and discomfort in the area of the auricle and ear canal, however, it is difficult to differentiate furunculosis by this criterion. Unpleasant and even painful symptoms appear when a boil on the earlobe has completely formed. Eloquent manifestations of this disease, which require special attention, are presented in detail below:

a feeling of dryness and burning in the ear canal;
visible manifestation of swelling of the pathological focus;
the appearance of acute pain at the site of pathology;
hyperemia of the skin, ear;
enlarged parotid lymph nodes;
acute attacks of migraine, pain in the temples;
partial or complete deafness.

If the boil is concentrated directly in the ear canal, it is not visible, but the patient notices a sharp decrease in hearing acuity and more. As a result of inflammation of the hair follicles, the skin turns red, it hurts to touch the ear, and it’s even more painful to lie on the side of the pathology. Over time, the abscess in the ear turns into an abscess, which some patients squeeze out on their own. This is strictly forbidden. A boil behind the ear or on the lobe is visible to the naked eye, so conservative treatment should not be delayed.

Furuncle in the ear of a child

If a characteristic illness develops in childhood, the first thing that alarmed parents notice is increased nervousness and tearfulness of their own child. The baby constantly cries and touches his sore ear, sleeps poorly, and does not make contact with adults. In addition, other, no less eloquent symptoms of a boil in childhood cannot be ruled out:

visible abscess in the ear;
temperature violation;
visible purulent core;
the appearance of purulent masses that begin to flow moderately from the ear canal;
acute attack of boil pain.

What causes

If a boil has formed inside the ear canal, the affected person will feel it immediately. It is quite difficult to examine the inflammatory formation on your own, but its visual signs are characterized as follows:

the formation of a red nodule, which grows over time and becomes much denser;
formation of a purulent core in the center of formation;
yellowish color of the purulent core, acquiring clear boundaries;
the absence of clear boundaries in the boil, if we consider it as an integral structure.

Since it is almost impossible to examine a boil inside the ear canal without medical assistance, the affected person should focus on the sensations that he will experience under the guise of such symptoms:

the presence of severe pain;
increase in body temperature and slight compaction in the area of the lymph nodes;
general weakness throughout the body, a significant decrease in work capacity.

There are several reasons for this type of problem to occur inside the ear canal. The main factors contributing to the growth and development of boils can be called:

improper care of the hearing organ;
using any foreign objects to clean the ears;
hypothermia of the specified part of the body - if you walk without a hat in strong winds or in the cold;
the presence of any open wounds and scratches inside the auditory organ that were not properly treated using antiseptics.

A boil inside the auditory organ is a very painful, dangerous phenomenon that should be treated by a doctor.

Complications

An ear boil in itself is not dangerous to health. A serious threat to the body is provided by its pathogenic growth, which is accompanied by an increased risk of opening an abscess, and does not exclude blood poisoning. The patient may even need to be urgently hospitalized to further remove the pus. As the boil matures, the potential threat to health only grows, since among the potential complications doctors identify:

ear abscess;
meningitis;
transition of suppuration to the perichondrium, lymph nodes, salivary glands;
development of sepsis.

How to treat boils in ears

Treatment of boils at home is fraught with complications, especially if the abscess does not open in time.

Removing it yourself is extremely risky; let a doctor do it.

Self-medication is even more unacceptable if the abscess has formed in the child’s ear.

Drug treatment

It is wiser to treat a boil even at the initial stage under the supervision of a doctor.

An otolaryngologist may prescribe:

treating boils with boric or ethyl alcohol;
vodka compresses;
lubricating the affected area with iodine or its mixture with ethyl alcohol, Dimexide solution (the most gentle proportion is 1 to 10);
tampons with Vishnevsky ointment, Levomekol, Tar or Ichthyol ointment for the speedy maturation of the boil;
antibacterial ointments, for example, Erythromycin to combat the pathogen.

Ointments are applied in the form of turundas if the abscess has formed in the ear canal, or in the form of bandages if it is localized outside.

You can speed up the maturation of a boil in the ear by warming it up - pour hot water into a heating pad, wrap it in a thick towel and lie on it with the sore ear for 15 minutes.

Diagnosis of the disease

Until a boil bursts in the ear, timely examination of the source of pathology, resuscitation measures and conservative treatment are required. A correct diagnosis is half the success on the path to a speedy recovery. Mandatory laboratory tests and clinical examinations in a hospital setting are presented below:

examination of the auricle and canal with an otoscope;
urine test for glucose;
radiography and ultrasound for complicated clinical pictures.

Is it possible to open a boil?

Opening a boil in the ear yourself is a very reckless and dangerous step. Under no circumstances should you try to get rid of a purulent formation on your own. To avoid possible consequences, contact a medical facility. If necessary, the doctor will independently open the boil in a hospital setting.

Treatment at home

After diagnosis, you must immediately begin conservative treatment at home. Many patients actively use boric alcohol and instill it into blocked ear canals. The method is questionable, since it can provoke irritation and hyperemia of the pathological focus. It is better to treat the inflamed passage with peroxide, and then use other medications. However, before talking about conservative treatment, you need to study the general recommendations of specialists:

It is important to carefully observe the rules of personal hygiene, promptly clean the ear canals, and avoid injury.
If there is excessive accumulation of sulfur, it is necessary to rinse the ear canals in the hospital, and then use local antiseptics.
Iodine relieves inflammation, but it is important to make sure there is no allergy to this component.
Alternative medicine methods can only be implemented on the recommendation of the attending physician; home self-medication is completely excluded.

Drug therapy

The photo of a boil is scary, so when the first symptoms of the disease appear, patients immediately resort to drug therapy. The approach to a health problem is complex, and in the presence of a bacterial infection, otolaryngologists must prescribe antibiotics. For boils, it is appropriate to use representatives of the following pharmacological groups:

antibacterial drugs of the penicillin series: Amoxiclav, Dicloxacillin;
macrolide antibiotics: Erythromycin, Azithromycin;
cephalosporins: Ciprofloxacin, Cefaclor;
antibiotics of the rifamycin group: Rifabutin, Rifampin;
local antiseptics: boric alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, chloramphenicol and streptomycin emulsion;
vitamin therapy.

Separately, it is worth clarifying that a boil can be cured with the help of immunomodulatory therapy and autohemotherapy. In the first case, we are talking about oral administration of medications to increase the body's defenses. In the second: the patient is injected with his own venous blood in order to stimulate local immunity in the shortest possible time to fight the pathogenic infection.

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Antibacterial ointments

Representatives of this pharmacological group act externally. Patients place a portion of the medicinal ointment into the sore ear, thereby providing a local effect directly on the source of the pathology. It is necessary to complete the full course, otherwise the relief will be temporary, and you will still not be able to completely get rid of the boil. Here are effective antibiotics in ointment form with a brief description of the therapeutic effect:

Tetracycline. This medicine in ointment form must be used externally. Apply a small amount to the affected areas 1 – 2 times daily, but first rinse and dry the skin. Course – 10 – 14 days.
Levomycetin. It is presented not only as a solution of antibiotics, but also as a medicinal ointment intended for external use. Foci of pathology need to be lubricated in the morning and evening during a course of intensive therapy - 2 weeks. Additionally, you can use Vishnevsky ointment.

Antiseptic drugs

Such therapeutic agents have a drying, bactericidal and antiseptic effect, while they have a local effect directly on the site of pathology. The list of contraindications and side effects is minimal, limited to local and allergic reactions with increased sensitivity of the body to synthetic components. If there are none, here are effective medications for the appearance of boils:

Boric alcohol. With such a therapeutic composition, it is necessary to perform cotton turundas in the morning and evening for 10–14 days. As an alternative, you can use homemade compresses.
Hydrogen peroxide. Proven local antiseptic. The ear canal must be treated with peroxide until the hissing in the ear disappears. Only after this can the medicinal ointment be applied.

Self-dissection

Squeezing out an abscess at home is strictly prohibited. You need to wait until it ripens and opens on its own. In this case, it is important to exclude the addition of a secondary infection, and to do this, act in accordance with the following instructions:

Rinse the ear canal with hydrogen peroxide until the pus is completely released.
Apply cotton wool pads with a few drops of iodine at home.
Place a portion of Vishnevsky ointment into the dried ear canal.

Folk remedies

Alternative medicine methods for the appearance of boils are more auxiliary intensive care measures. Before choosing a proven recipe for further treatment, you must first consult with an otolaryngologist to rule out the occurrence of an allergic reaction. Here are proven folk remedies for the appearance of a boil in the ear:

Prepare a puree from the onion and garlic in the ratio of the indicated ingredients 1:1. Fry the prepared pulp in vegetable oil and use it as a compress directly on the site of pathology. It is advisable to perform the procedure before bedtime for 3 to 5 days.
You need to combine honey and rye flour to the consistency of thick sour cream, then make a flat cake. Apply warm to the pathology site and secure with bandages. Conduct the session at night for 5 days. The heated flatbread promotes the breakthrough of the abscess.

Which doctor should I contact if it doesn’t get better?

It is recommended to start treating a boil in the ear with local medications and remedies. Initially, there is no reason to use systemic antibiotic therapy.

First of all, the ear canal is cleaned mechanically; if there is discharge, it is necessary to rinse it with a solution of furatsilin (1:5000) or sterile saline solution and dry it.

Instillation of ear drops containing corticosteroids and a broad-spectrum antibiotic is often sufficient to achieve a rapid clinical effect.

It is important to do all this under the supervision of a medical specialist!!!

Keeping the external auditory canal clean and using special drops prescribed by your doctor will relieve inflammation and pain in the ear within a few days.

You should not delay if any of these symptoms appear:

Red stripes near the boil;
The pain intensifies;
The boil does not open;
Begins to feel feverish;
Lymph nodes enlarge.

To avoid further spread of infection, it is advisable to consult with an ENT doctor who is guided in his work by the international classification of diseases. According to ICD-10, a boil in the ear has code H 60.0 “Abscess of the external ear.”

When the above symptoms appear, the doctor must identify the bacterial or fungal pathogen by collecting anamnesis and taking the necessary tests, and therefore draw up a treatment regimen.

The possibility of a mixed infection must be considered. A good effect is achieved by local use of Levomekol ointment, a complex drug that acts on streptococci, staphylococci, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In addition to the antimicrobial effect, the ointment has regenerating and anti-inflammatory properties.

Drug treatment should be aimed at:

Destruction of the infectious agent;
Removing the inflammatory process;
Reduced pain and fever (if present).

If several boils appear or an abscess reappears in the ear after treatment, you should consult a dermatologist.

A surgeon is needed when a mature boil does not open on its own. Then, under local anesthesia, a small incision is made and the purulent-necrotic contents are removed.

In 2021, there is something to treat boils in the ear without medications. Physiotherapeutic procedures have a good effect:

tube-quartz;
irradiation of the inflamed area with a helium-neon laser;
UHF (ultra-high frequency therapy) is used at the healing stage.

During treatment, it is necessary to especially carefully monitor the cleanliness of the boil area. When it bursts, cover the wound with a sterile bandage or gauze to prevent the spread of infection during the healing period.

How to treat a boil in the ear using conservative methods

Remember, therapy at home using folk remedies perfectly relieves symptoms. However, it is not enough to eliminate the symptoms. If the cause is not identified, symptoms will appear periodically. Additionally, using home remedies may cause an allergic reaction. By visiting an otolaryngologist, you will not only receive recommendations for therapy, but you will also be able to find out which home recipes will not cause harm, but, on the contrary, will help make the treatment more effective.

The doctor will decide which therapeutic methods to use after examining the patient. Characteristic symptoms will help determine the stage of development of the infiltrate. Depending on it, therapeutic drugs are prescribed:

For example, if the first symptoms appear, ointments and solutions with an antibacterial effect are used.

As a rule, the first procedure is performed in the hospital, and then the patient can do it at home:

The most commonly used solution is boric acid. The turunda is moistened in the solution and inserted into the ear canal. Cover everything from above with cotton wool and tie a warm towel or scarf around your head to provide warmth. The duration of such a compress is 15-20 minutes;
At home, you can use Dimexide diluted with warm water in a ratio of 1:5;
If the abscess is located on the lobe, it is treated with ointment and this area is covered with a band-aid;
At this stage, it is allowed to treat the boil with dry heat at home. Heat salt or sand in a frying pan, pour it into a linen bag and, in order not to burn the skin, wrap it in a towel or soft cloth. Place the bag on the ear canal and hold it until you feel warm. Such heating cannot be carried out if the boil begins to mature. In this case, the procedure may cause the infection to spread to nearby areas of the auricle or deep into the ear canal.

Symptoms can also be relieved through physiotherapeutic procedures. A positive result is obtained using UHF and ultraviolet irradiation. If the boil has popped up deep inside the passage, home treatment with drops is recommended.

Such therapy usually lasts up to 7 days, after which the boil should open on its own and release pus.

In case of severe inflammatory process, antibiotics are added to therapy in tablet form or in the form of injections. But to prescribe them, you need to know the type of infectious agent. If fever is present, antipyretic drugs are prescribed.

As soon as the boil breaks out, you need to treat the wound in the ear with hydrogen peroxide, Levomekol or Vishnevsky ointment to prevent re-infection.

When is surgery indicated?

If within 7 days the boil has not burst, but on the contrary, there is an increase in the symptoms of the inflammatory process, home therapeutic treatment does not give positive results, it is advisable to seek the help of a surgeon. The procedure is simple; after it is completed, in most cases the patient does not need hospital treatment, so he goes home.

After opening the infiltrate, the surgeon clears the cavity of pus and treats the area with an antibiotic and antiseptic. At home, you will have to perform this procedure yourself during the first days until the ear wound heals.

Prevention

The photo of a boil appearing in the ear frightens all potential patients. To avoid this disease, it is necessary to take timely preventive measures. Among these, doctors focus on the following recommendations:

exclude chronic diseases of the ENT organs;
follow a routine and eat right;
eliminate stress and overwork;
strengthen immunity;
avoid injury to the ear canal.

Preventive measures

Although ear lumps can be cured in a short period of time, it is better to take steps to prevent these nasty lumps from occurring. You should follow simple hygiene rules and avoid injury to your hearing. Any microdamage can cause pathogenic bacteria to enter the body.

The ear area should not be touched with dirty hands. It is necessary to ensure that shampoo, soap and water do not get into the ears when bathing. You need to carefully clean your ears with cotton swabs: hygiene products should not get into the ear canal area. Pierced earlobes should be periodically treated with hydrogen peroxide. To avoid irritation, it is recommended to choose earrings without nickel in the composition. Any damage to the ears must be immediately treated with antiseptics.

A healthy lifestyle will help prevent the appearance of ulcers:

Chronic pathologies cannot be neglected. It is necessary to undergo appropriate therapy in a timely manner.
It is necessary to treat infectious diseases caused by staphylococci.
Since various disorders can trigger the formation of abscesses, experts recommend regularly checking the immune system and hormonal levels.
It is necessary to avoid overexertion, stress and overwork.
To avoid unpleasant boils, you need to watch your diet and choose healthy foods.
Hardening will improve the body's defenses and prevent hypothermia during the winter season.
People should lead an active lifestyle and play sports so that there are no interruptions in the metabolic processes in the body.

Adults need to teach their children basic hygiene rules. They should teach them to wash their hands after using the toilet and going outside, not to scratch itchy areas of the skin, not to squeeze out pimples and other lumps, and not to pick off scabs from healed wounds. Preventive measures will help reduce the risk of developing infectious processes and the occurrence of boils.

Sources

https://uhoonline.ru/bolezni-uha/drugie/furunkul-v-uhe-prichiny-opasnost-pravilnoe-lechenie-u-vzroslyh-i-detej
https://www.KrasotaiMedicina.ru/diseases/zabolevanija_lor/ear-furuncle
https://dr-zaytsev.ru/lor_disease/zabolevaniya-naruzhnogo-ukha/Furunkul-naruzhnogo-slukhovogo-prokhoda.html
https://vetryanka.info/furunkul/lechenie-furunkula-v-uhe
https://tden.ru/health/v-uhe
https://netpryshi.ru/furunkuly/furunkul-v-uhe.html
https://allergology.ru/kozhnye/furunkul-v-uhe