Swimming, humid climates and other factors leading to maceration of the external canal skin predispose to these infections.
Patients have severe pain which is exacerbated by moving the pinna or tragus.
The latter is not seen with isolated otitis media. The canal maybe obstructed by swelling and purulent drainage, and visualization of the tympanic membrane maybe very difficult. Prominent preauricular and cervical lymphadenopathy may be present. Usual therapy includes keeping the ear clean and dry and applying topical antibiotic drops with an acidic pH. Severe cases may require frequent suctioning by a physician or placement of a wick to permit the drops to reach the medial portion of an obstructed canal. Otomycosis is a fungal otitis externa which is pruritic and usually has less swelling, erythema, and drainage.