Medical Health Encyclopedia

The health care provider will perform a physical examination and ask

medical history questions, such as:

• Time pattern
  • When did it begin?
  • How long has the ear been draining?
  • Does it drain all the time or off-and-on?
• Quality
  • Is the drainage clear?
  • Is the drainage bloody?
  • Does the drainage look like pus?
• Other
  • What other symptoms are also present?
  • Is there a fever?
  • Is there an earache?
  • Is there a headache?

The physical examination will include a detailed examination of the ears. Diagnostic tests that may be performed include a culture (and cytology or cell studies) testing of drainage.

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TREATMENT

Corticosteroid and antibiotic preparations that are placed in the ear canal may be prescribed. Oral antibiotics will usually be given if a ruptured eardrum is causing the discharge.

If a diagnosis was made by your health care provider related to ear drainage, you may want to note that diagnosis in your personal medical record.