Tissue Spearing to Remove Ear Drainage (Video)

When there is copious drainage from the ear due to infection or the ear canals are just wet, tissue spearing can be performed to remove as much of the drainage out of the ear canal as possible. Once as much of the drainage is removed as possible, antibiotic ear drops can be placed if needed. Please note, tissue spears should NOT be used to attempt earwax removal. Tissue spears may exacerbate earwax impaction. Tissue spearing as a formal maneuver appears to have originated in Australia…

10/20/2018 0

Continue Reading

New Video Showing When and How to Use Ear Drops

Given antibiotic ear drops are one of the more common prescriptions ENT doctors prescribe, this video explains how to properly use ear drops both in kids in adults in 5 steps to treat mild swimmer's ear infections (otitis externa) as well as middle ear infections with or without drainage (assuming hole or tube is present in the eardrum). Step 1: Lean the head over such that the affected ear is pointed straight up. Step 2: Pull the ear gently towards the top and back part of the…

6/23/2018 0

Continue Reading

Can Ear Drops Increase Risk of Eardrum Perforation?

With ear tube placement, there is a baseline 2-10% risk that a persistent hole in the eardrum will occur after the tubes come out. However, a study came out in April 2017 suggesting that commonly used antibiotic ear drops to treat ear infections when ear tubes are present may increase the risk of such persistent eardrum perforations after the tubes come out (post-TT TMP). Specifically, antibiotic ear drops belonging to the fluoroquinolone class is associated with an increased risk of per…

4/20/2017 0

Continue Reading

MRSA Ear Drainage or Ear Infection

It has been with increased frequency that I have been encountering children and even some adults with persistent ear drainage due to ear infections caused by MRSA . MRSA is basically a multi-drug resistant ear infection for which only a few antibiotics can kill the germ. (MRSA stands for M ethicillin R esistant S taphylococcus A ureus.) Typically this situation is encountered after ear tubes have been placed allowing for any pus from an ear infection to come out. Normally, antibiotic ear d…

9/08/2016 0

Continue Reading

Time Lapse Video of an Ear Infection with Ear Drainage

This is a nifty time-lapse video animation depicting a complicated  ear infection as it goes from being normal to becoming infected to the point that the eardrum ruptures with resulting drainage. Eventually, the ear infection resolves with a temporary period of hearing loss as well as a clogged/muffled ear sensation . You can also watch a time-lapse video of a simple  ear infection WITHOUT rupture/drainage .

1/13/2016 0

Continue Reading