The Special Sense Organs and Their Disorders
Walter F. Stanaszek, Mary J. Stanaszek, Robert J. Holt, Steven Strauss in Understanding Medical Terms, 2020
Problems with any of the structures involved in sound transmission from the body surface to the brain may impair hearing. External otitis is an inflammation of the outer ear and may block the progress of sound waves. Impacted cerumen is an accumulation of cerumen or earwax that blocks the ear canal and prevents sound waves from reaching the tympanic membrane. Inflammation of the tympanic membrane is known as myringitis or tympanitis and may prevent the tympanic membrane from vibrating appropriately. Eustachian tube dysfunction is a general term used to describe any condition in which the ability of the eustachian tube to equilibrate ambient and middle ear pressure is impeded.
Differential diagnoses of psoriasis
M. Alan Menter, Caitriona Ryan in Psoriasis, 2017
Otitis externa is characterized by inflammation of the external ear canal epithelium.91 It is usually multifactorial.91 Clinically, it presents as inflammation of the external ear with varying degrees of pain, erythema, edema, itch, hearing loss, and discharge.91 It may be acute or chronic and not unusually occurs in patients with coexisting eczema, psoriasis, or seborrheic dermatitis, or as a result of an infection with bacteria or fungi.91,92 Environmental factors such as humidity and moisture may be predisposing factors.91 Otitis externa is commonly observed in swimmers (Swimmer's ear).91,92 It can also be seen secondary to trauma from scratching and aggressive ear cleaning.91 Histopathology shows acanthosis, elongation of rete ridges, and an increase in orthokeratosis and parakeratosis.91 Spongiosis occurs in eczematous and seborrheic forms.91
Ear, nose and throat (ENT)
Fazal-I-Akbar Danish in Essential Lists of Differential Diagnoses for MRCP with diagnostic hints, 2017
Painful ear:1 Otitis externa.2 Furunculosis (boil in the meatus).3 Malignant necrotising otitis externa.4 Bullous myringitis.5 Barotrauma (aerotitis).6 Temporomandibular joint dysfunction.7 Referred pain (from neck – C3, C4 and C5); throat infection; tooth problem).
Otic drug delivery systems: formulation principles and recent developments
Published in Drug Development and Industrial Pharmacy, 2018
Xu Liu, Mingshuang Li, Hugh Smyth, Feng Zhang
Many diseases can affect any of the three main compartments of the human ear. The major diseases are summarized in Table 2. Otitis externa is the most common disorder of the outer ear [60]. It affects the ear canal, with or without infection. This inflammation is usually generalized throughout the ear canal and can affect the outer ear. It can be subdivided into acute (less than 6 weeks), recurrent acute, and chronic (more than 3 months) [16]. Acute otitis externa is a common clinical problem encountered in general practice. It results from either a bacterial infection (90% of cases) or fungal infection (10% of cases). In certain cases, it may also be associated with a variety of noninfectious dermatologic processes [61,62]. Symptoms include ear discomfort, itchiness, discharge, and impaired hearing.
Management of bilateral locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the external auditory canal
Published in Acta Oto-Laryngologica Case Reports, 2022
Naoki Nishio, Yuriko Okazaki, Akihisa Wada, Hidenori Tsuzuki, Miki Kambe, Yasushi Fujimoto, Michihiko Sone
In patients who underwent temporal bone resection for EAC cancer, commonly used air conduction hearing aids were not effective due to ear canal stenosis or closure. Bone conduction is an efficient pathway for sound transmission that can be harnessed to provide hearing amplification. Bone conduction hearing aids or bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHAs) may be indicated when ear canal pathology precludes the use of a conventional air conduction hearing aid [10]. Moreover, cartilage conduction hearing aids have also been developed, and adult patients with ear canal stenosis or closure are the best candidates for cartilage conduction hearing aids, regardless of their hearing thresholds [11]. This patient continued using an air conduction hearing aid in the contralateral ear and then presented with chronic inflammation of the otitis externa. Using alternatives to air-conducted hearing aids, such as bone conduction hearing aids, BAHAs, and cartilage conduction hearing aids, might be helpful in improving the hearing threshold in the surgical ear and in controlling chronic inflammation in the contralateral ear.
A novel approach to a recalcitrant case of psoriatic otitis externa
Published in Acta Oto-Laryngologica Case Reports, 2023
N. J. McInerney, M. Riglar, P. Casserly
Chronic otitis externa is a relapsing disease, that is often precipitated by a systemic dermatologic pathology, such as allergic contact dermatitis or psoriasis [3]. Dry, scaly skin with a lack of cerumen and an alkaline environment means that chronic otitis externa can be extremely treatment resistant, and over time progressive canal oedema and accumulation of granulation tissue can lead to stenosis, which ultimately induces more frequent infections and more severe disease [4]. Chronic otitis externa can be challenging to treat as common treatment options can be exhausted, and the underlying disease continues to precipitate infection. This case report discusses a further treatment option that can be added to our armamentarium in the treatment of chronic otitis externa.
Related Knowledge Centers
- Ear Canal
- Hearing Loss
- Inflammation
- Outer Ear
- Allergy
- Autoimmune Disease
- Psoriasis
- Ear Pain
- Pathogenic Bacteria
- Hearing Aid