Abnormalities

Reddish blue discoloration and swelling of auricle after exposure to extreme cold. Vesicles may develop, pain tenderness, ear necrosis.

Swimmer's ear. Infection of outer ear, with severe painful movement, redness and swelling of pina and canal, purulent discharge, scaling, itching, fever, enlarged tender lymph nodes.

Small painless nodule at the helix, congenital variation. Small bumps at edges of ears.

Small, whitish-yellow, hard non tender nodules in or near helix or antihelix, contain greasy, chalky material of uric acid crystals. Sign of gout

Commonly behind lobule in post auricular fold. Nodule with central black punctum indicates blocked sebaceous gland. Filled with waxy sebaceous material and is painful if infected. Often multiple.

Overgrowth of scar tissue, invades original site of trauma. More common in colored ppl. Most common at site of pierced ear.

Ulcerated crusted nodule with indurated base that fails to heel. Bleeds intermittently. Usually occurs on superior pinna (most sun exposure). May occur in canal, and show chronic discharge that is either serosanguineous or bloody. Must refer for biopsy.

Produced/impacted b/c of poor cleaning method. May show round ball partially obscuring drum or totally occluding canal. Person has ear fullness and sudden hearing loss.

Children place a stone, beans, corn, cereal, beads.

Middle ear is fluid infected. Absent light reflex is early sign. Redness and bulging in superior part of drum, earache, fever. Then firey red bulging, deep throbbing, fever, transient hearing loss.

If otitis media is not treted, drum may rupture from increased pressure. Or may occur from trauma. Round or oval darkened area on drum.

Polyethylene tubes are inserted surgically to relieve middle ear pressure and promote drainage of chronic middle ear infections. Tubes extrude spontaneously in 12-18 months.

Dense white patches on eardrum are sequelae of repeated ear infections. Don't affect hearing.