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What Causes Blood-tinged Ear Discharge Along With Pain In The Ear?
Question: I've had fluid - sometimes a clear, off-white, sometimes with blood - oozing out of my right ear. There is no accompanying ongoing pain, just an occasional sharp pain that comes and goes in a few seconds. 5 pills of Levoquin didn't help. What could be causing this and do I need Ciprodex drops?
Brief Answer:
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
What is most likely causing this drainage is either an infection of the ear canal (otitis externa) or an infection of the middle ear (otitis media) with a ruptured ear drum.
If the infection is in the ear canal, then antibiotic ear drops would be the treatment, sometimes mixed with steroid drops in the same preparation if needed.
If the ear drum is ruptured and the drainage is from behind it, you don't want to put anything in the ear canal, and treatment would be oral antibiotic.
So I recommend going back in to see a doctor to see what is going on in your ear.
If you go to an urgent care clinic, request to see a doctor and decline to see a physician's assistant or nurse practitioner to evaluate this, as they have less training. You would make this request when you check in.
Information
Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,
What is most likely causing this drainage is either an infection of the ear canal (otitis externa) or an infection of the middle ear (otitis media) with a ruptured ear drum.
If the infection is in the ear canal, then antibiotic ear drops would be the treatment, sometimes mixed with steroid drops in the same preparation if needed.
If the ear drum is ruptured and the drainage is from behind it, you don't want to put anything in the ear canal, and treatment would be oral antibiotic.
So I recommend going back in to see a doctor to see what is going on in your ear.
If you go to an urgent care clinic, request to see a doctor and decline to see a physician's assistant or nurse practitioner to evaluate this, as they have less training. You would make this request when you check in.
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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