Ear fungus is a common problem that affects lifestyle. Such an infection can cause not only pain and redness, but also itching and hearing loss. It is believed that this pathology is not serious and does not pose any danger to human life. However, the problem itself is annoying. She is difficult to treat. There is a high chance that relapses may occur regularly.
Description of disease
18% of adults and 30% of children have ever been diagnosed with a fungus in the ears (photo presented in the article). If a person lives in a temperate climate zone, then about 10% of otitis externa diseases are accompanied by a fungal infection. Much more often this pathology occurs in patients who live in a tropical climate. Similar problems can appear regardless of the gender of the person. Most often, the infection is observed in the middle age category.
The risk group should includethose who swim or wear hearing aids. Fungal infection spreads only on one ear, bilateral involvement occurs in only 10% of all cases.
Classification and stages
This disease is classified according to the location of the inflammation. There are external, medium forms, fungal meningitis, as well as an infection that occurs after surgery. Most often, patients are diagnosed with an external disease. Of all cases, it occurs in 20-50%. Otitis media is a little less common - in 10-20%.
The clinical course of the disease has three stages. The first is characterized by the fact that a person has a blocked ear and a slight itching appears. The acute stage is accompanied by inflammation. There is pain, discharge, swelling and redness. The chronic stage is characterized by less unpleasant symptoms, but it is protracted and prolonged. The patient shows periods of improvement and exacerbation, due to which the pain recurs.
Reasons
Fungus in the ear affects the outer, middle and open cavity. This is because the ear canal has an environment that only encourages the spread of fungus. The disease is sporadic, that is, irregular. It is provoked by the vital activity of many types of fungi. Most often, this disease occurs due to the fact that the ear is warm and humid environment. There are also fungi that provoke the development of candidiasis, so you need to be as careful as possible.
Main reasons to mention visiting the swimming pool withdirty water, decreased immunity, use of medicines against bacteria, diabetes mellitus, ear injury, microflora disturbance, humidity, and an allergic reaction.
Symptomatics
The symptoms of fungus in the ear are varied. There may be pain, which often radiates to the head, itching, redness, black, white or yellow discharge. Some patients experience hearing loss, passage narrowing, wax build-up, blockage, and odor and dizziness.
Initial manifestations may resemble otitis media caused by bacteria. However, such a pathology is characterized by the appearance of crusts, as well as hyphae that grow on the surface of the skin.
When it comes to a later infection, the discomfort begins to intensify. Itching is able to dull, but over time it only becomes more frequent and does not stop. When the ear canal is stuffed up, a burning sensation can occur, as well as other unpleasant symptoms.
Manifestations of external inflammation
The general symptoms of this disease have been described above. However, there are also manifestations that are characteristic only for a certain type of pathology.
External infection is accompanied by the fact that the patient disappears fatty film that covers the ear canal. This is due to the fact that the patient has a too humid microclimate in the ear or the surface is slightly injured. It is because of this that a person may complain that the ear itches. There is a feeling of congestion. Oftenit is at this stage that the patient begins to clean the ear, since he believes that such symptoms are due to the accumulation of sulfur. In this case, the skin is injured, because it is very delicate and thin. As a result, a fungal infection gets inside.
In the acute stage of an external disease, discharge begins to appear, which eventually increase in volume. Sometimes the swelling is so great that the hearing aid almost completely overlaps. That is why there is a disease in the form of hearing loss. The external form manifests itself rather unpleasantly, since it is characterized by strong pain sensations. In patients with diabetes or leukemia, the infection may descend into the middle ear.
Diagnosis
In order to diagnose ear fungus in people, it is necessary to carry out certain procedures. It is advisable to choose a professional doctor who will accurately prescribe the right therapy. Antibacterial drugs are often prescribed, but it happens that they do not help much in the presence of such an infection, so such treatment is ineffective. It is also necessary to take into account some nuances in the form of diabetes or a weak immune system. In such a case, therapy should be strictly individualized.
It is important to conduct hematological studies, as this will help not only confirm the diagnosis, but also find out the state of the immune system. If a person has diabetes, then it is necessary to regulate blood sugar levels in the treatment of such an infection. This is exactly how it willavoid various complications when taking medications.
Diagnosis requires a sample of ear discharge. This is how you can check which microorganisms provoked the development of the disease.
If we are talking about diagnosing a fungus in the ear at home, then you need to examine the cotton swab after cleaning the ear. In the presence of gray plaque, most likely a person has a similar disease. You should not treat it yourself, it is better to consult a doctor.
Medication treatment
In order to clear the ear and get rid of the infection, some types of drugs are prescribed. They are completely dependent on the type of exciter.
- If we are talking about mold fungi in the ear, then use Nitrofungin drops or their analogues.
- When the causative agent is a yeast fungus, a remedy called "Pimafucin" is prescribed.
- Ear preparations in the form of "Candibiotic" act as a medicine that allows you to get rid of bacteria and fungi.
- Decamin ointment is a good remedy. It will help clear up an ear infection. "Fukortsin" also helps well against fungi. This product is considered an antiseptic.
- If we are talking about severe and advanced cases, then oral antifungal drugs are used.
Excessive moisture should be avoided, treatment should not be delayed, and frequent cleaning of the ear canal should be avoided during therapy. Otherwise, the medicines will not work well.
Folk methods
So manypatients are advised to use alternative methods for the manifestation of various symptoms of ear fungus in people. They will be most effective if combined with drug therapy. Before using folk remedies, you should definitely consult with your doctor.
- Hydrogen peroxide is a great option. Thanks to it, you can soften all hard formations in the ear canal. Accordingly, they will be easier to remove. It is necessary to drip a few drops into the sore ear. Then leave for 10 minutes. After that, you need to rinse the ear canal with warm water. If moisture remains, it is better to use a dry cotton swab. After applying hydrogen peroxide, walnut oil can be injected. This will relieve itching and irritation. This method helps no worse than specialized drops from the fungus in the ears.
- You can use table vinegar with an alcohol solution. It is necessary to mix both ingredients in equal amounts and drip into the ear. Vinegar will prevent the formation of fungus and, accordingly, eliminate the pathogen. Alcohol disinfects the ear.
- Should use dried onion or garlic. They need to grind and squeeze the juice out of them. It is necessary to bury at night. Although doctors do not recommend using this method.
In order not to aggravate the symptoms of the fungus in the ears, the photo of which is given in the article, you need to make sure that moisture does not get into the passage and there is no overheating.
Preventive measures
In order not to think about how to treat a fungus in the ear, it is necessaryfollow preventive measures. It is necessary to carefully clean the ears, using only high-quality devices. Do not eat foods that cause allergies. It is advisable to lead a he althy lifestyle and eat right. It is necessary to treat all the diseases that have arisen in time so that they do not cause complications. You need to build up your immunity. Accordingly, you need to walk in the fresh air, play sports, eat more vegetables and fruits. Limit your intake of sugary foods as much as possible. Be sure to observe personal hygiene. If a person has the first symptoms of otitis, then you need to contact a specialist. It is this solution that will allow you to eliminate the problem in time.
Forecast
Given the difficulties in the treatment of such a disease, as a rule, the prognosis is favorable. If you start treatment on time and have time to establish the cause of the infection, then you can choose a drug that will allow you to achieve recovery in the shortest possible time.
If we are talking about problems with the middle ear, as well as the development of complications of otitis, then most likely hearing loss is likely. In this case, the treatment of fungus in the ears, the photo of which is not pleasant, will be aimed at eliminating the symptoms, the primary cause and preventing complications.
If you start the treatment or completely ignore it, then this infection can cause sepsis and the spread of spores to the internal organs. When a person has someor postoperative cavity, the prognosis is poor. Approximately 15% of patients who have a postoperative form of infection suffer from permanent relapses.
Conclusions
Summing up, it must be said that such a disease is, although not very serious, but rather unpleasant. The infection itself does not pose any danger, except that hearing levels may decrease due to swelling. But if left untreated, the complications are quite detrimental, so the disease should not be ignored.
