Ear lash

Ear lash is a condition that develops as a result of bacterial infection of the hair follicles and sebaceous glands, as a result of skin damage by scratching and too vigorous cleaning of the ear. Symptoms include strong, pulsing ear pain that radiates to the eye or teeth. Treatment begins after an otolaryngological examination.

Ear lash - definition

Ear lash is a condition that usually occurs at the beginning of the ear canal, in the vicinity of a large number of sebaceous and sweat glands. At this point, the pores of the hair follicles become polluted from the outside. Boils can be caused by dust pollution due to dust, wax or due to growing bacteria. Ear germs can cause redness and inflammation. A painful tank with pus or ulceration is rarely created. High temperature, itch around the ear or enlarged lymph nodes around the neck may occur in patients with boils.

Causes of ear boil

Boils are unfortunately a quite common ailment that can appear anywhere else on the skin. Generally, the occurrence of boils is closely related to staphylococcus and streptococcus bacteria, which appear unexpectedly in the form of red lesions in the area of ​​damaged skin, ingrown hairs or clogged pores. Do not you want to allow boils to develop? Avoid scratching around the ear and cleaning them with sharp objects that may hurt.

Factors that increase the risk of boils:

• significant decrease in immunity,
• deficiency in the body of vitamins,
• malnutrition,
• chronic ailments, e.g. diabetes,
• organ diseases.

After infection by the bacteria of the hair follicles there appears redness, which over time (usually during the week) turns into boils. The changes are filled with oil, which usually spontaneously exits outside and from then on the wound begins to heal.

Boil and its symptoms

Boil has it to itself that it causes severe pain in the ear. The skin within the boil becomes very delicate as opposed to the skin that covers other parts of the body. In addition, the amount of fat in this place is practically non-existent. Due to the cohesiveness of the structures that make up the outer ear, the growth of the boil is hindered, which manifests itself in the abovementioned earaches. They are unbearable especially at night, the patient is unable to sleep on the side that has been attacked by the disease process. For some, the pain is so annoying that it radiates up to the temporomandibular joint, then even opening the mouth brings pain.

In addition, patients with boils can be observed:

• enlarged lymph nodes (especially in the submandibular and subcutaneous region),
• irritation of the ear area,
• itchy ear,
• high fever,
• chills,
• general fatigue due to bacterial infection,
• temporary loss of hearing due to the clogging of the ear canal by a growing boil,

Important! You should always go to a doctor when abdominal pain is unbearable or accompanied by severe pain.

Diagnosis of ear boil

The basis of diagnostics is the medical history with the patient and physical examination. The changes occurring in this ailment are so characteristic that they can easily be distinguished from other dermatoses. As in any case, also here it is important to exclude other dangerous systemic diseases that could be the direct cause of the boil.

How to treat ear boils?

There are cases in which the ear boil reaches the size of a golf ball. The doctor should choose the treatment individually for each patient, taking into account the size of the changes and the type of accompanying symptoms. In the case of smaller changes of boils, medical consultation is not always necessary, because they can absorb and disappear within a short time. However, what if the changes do not go away?

1. You can use analgesics and anti-inflammatory preparations especially when the pain is very strong.

2. An antibiotic is also recommended, which counteracts the development of infection and relapse.

3. Sometimes a surgical incision of the boil is needed, which is carried out using a scalpel. The indication for this treatment is a big change. Usually, a few hours after the surgery, the pain subsides and antibiotics are taken to accelerate healing and prevent the relapse of changes in the same place.

4. People who have a small amount of boil and are not accompanied by severe pain - you can use moist and warm ichthyol compresses. They facilitate the release of residual secretion, which at the same time accelerates the healing process.

5. Under no circumstances may you squeeze boils! It can cause a completely opposite effect and cause the infection to develop.

Boil - are complications possible?

To avoid any complications, please go to the doctor, especially if the boil persists for a long period of time and carries a strong pain. This is important because the changes appear in these areas, where there are many organs important for our functioning.

Possible complications of boils are:

• sinusitis,
• brain infection,
• occurrence of abscess of the skin, kidneys, brain or spinal cord,
• osteomyelitis,
• endocarditis,
• sepsis,
• creation of permanent scars in places after boils.

Not everyone has to have complications. It is enough to properly care for body hygiene, especially around the external auditory canal. It is worth investing in soaps and antibacterial fluids. When washing hair and body, be careful that products do not get into the ear canal. You also need to remember to change your towels regularly and do not bury your eyes with sharp objects. Following these simple rules can save you from a potential boil.