ear, nose, and throat disorders
External Otitis (Acute)
Symptoms and Signs of Acute External Otitis
Patients with external otitis have pain and drainage. Sometimes, a foul-smelling discharge and hearing loss occur if the canal becomes swollen or filled with purulent debris. Exquisite tenderness accompanies traction of the pinna or pressure over the tragus. Otoscopic examination is painful and difficult to conduct. It shows the ear canal to be red, swollen, and littered with moist, purulent debris and desquamated epithelium. Otomycosisis more pruritic than painful, and patients also complain of aural fullness. Otomycosis caused byA. nigerusually manifests with grayish black or yellow dots (fungal conidiophores) surrounded by a cottonlike material (fungal hyphae). Infection caused byC. albicansdoes not show any visible fungi but usually contains a thickened, creamy white exudate, which can be accompanied by spores that have a velvety appearance. Furunclescause severe pain and may drain sanguineous, purulent material. They appear as a focal, erythematous swelling (pimple). 