Skip to main content

Otitis Externa

Christine Quartuccio-Carran, DO, FAAFP Reviewed 05/2023
 


BASICS

DESCRIPTION

Inflammation of the external auditory canal: 
  • Acute diffuse otitis externa (<6 weeks): most common form; infectious etiology most commonly bacterial (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Sta...

DIAGNOSIS

HISTORY

  • Associated symptoms: ear pain (70%), itching (60%), fullness (22%), +/- conductive hearing loss *32%) (1).

  • Onset: rapid (within 48 hours), within the past 3 weeks

  • Duration of symptoms:...

TREATMENT

GENERAL MEASURES

  • Clean the external canal (aural toilet)—helps to facilitate the delivery of otic drops and healing process

  • Analgesics as appropriate for pain.

MEDICATION

  • For diffuse, uncomplica...

ONGOING CARE

FOLLOW-UP RECOMMENDATIONS

Patient Monitoring

  • Reassess diagnosis and treatment adherence within 48 to 72 hours if the patient does not respond to the initial therapeutic option (1). For chr...

REFERENCES

1
Rosenfeld RM, Schwartz SR, Cannon CR, et al. American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation. Clinical practice guideline: acute otitis externa. Otolaryngol Head Neck S...

SEE ALSO

Algorithm: Ear Pain/Otalgia 

CODES

ICD10

  • H60.523 Acute chemical otitis externa, bilateral

  • H60.593 Other noninfective acute otitis externa, bilateral

  • B37.84 Candidal otitis externa

  • H60.6 Unspecified chronic otitis externa

  • H60.329 Hemor...

CLINICAL PEARLS

  • For diffuse, uncomplicated AOE, topical preparations with or without topical corticosteroids are recommended for initial therapy.

  • If there is a known or suspected perforation of the tym...

Subscribe to Access Full Content

Sign Up for a 10-Day Free Trial

Sign up for a 10-day FREE Trial now and receive full access to all content.

 
×