Symptoms A-Z
Pus Leaking From The Ear Symptoms, Causes & Common Questions
Understand your pus leaking from the ear symptoms, including 6 causes and common questions.
Updated on
Reviewed by the Buoy Medical Review Team
Pus Leaking From The Ear Symptom Checker
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Contents
6 Possible Pus Leaking From The Ear Causes
The list below shows results from the use of our quiz by Buoy users who experienced pus leaking from the ear. This list does not constitute medical advice and may not accurately represent what you have.
Swimmer's ear (otitis externa)
Swimmer's ear, or otitis externa, is an infection of the canal which runs from the eardrum to the opening of the ear.
It is caused by anything that introduces bacteria, fungus, or a virus into the canal. Water that stays inside the ear after swimming is a common cause, as are cotton swabs used for cleaning or earpieces that create irritation.
Most susceptible are children, because they have narrower ear canals that do not drain well.
Early symptoms include redness, itching, and discomfort inside the ear canal, sometimes with drainage of clear fluid.
Even mild symptoms should be treated because they can quickly get worse. The infection can spread and intensify, becoming very painful with increased drainage, swelling, fever, and loss of hearing.
Diagnosis is made through patient history and physical examination of the ear canal. Lab tests may be done on a sample of the discharge from the ear.
Treatment includes having a medical provider clean the ear canal of debris and discharge, and a prescription for antibiotic and/or steroid eardrops.
Rarity: Common
Top Symptoms: fever, ear canal pain, ear fullness/pressure, jaw pain, ear pain that gets worse when moving
Urgency: Primary care doctor
Chronic ear infection (suppurative otitis media)
Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media is persistent drainage from the middle ear due to a damaged membrane. It is considered chronic when it lasts for more than 6 weeks.
Rarity: Rare
Top Symptoms: ear canal pain, pus leaking from the ear, hearing loss in one ear
Symptoms that always occur with chronic ear infection (suppurative otitis media): pus leaking from the ear
Urgency: Primary care doctor
Earwax blockage
Ear wax production is a normal process, as the body makes wax to protect the ear from infection. Sometimes ear wax can build up and cover the eardrum, which is a thin layer of skin that stretches across the end of the ear canal and picks up sound from outside. Ear wax buildup has nothing to do with poor hygiene, and it is not possible to prevent a build-up by washing.
Rarity: Uncommon
Top Symptoms: dizziness, dry cough, ear canal pain, ear fullness/pressure, ringing in the ears
Symptoms that never occur with earwax blockage: swollen ear, fever
Urgency: Phone call or in-person visit
Pus Leaking From The Ear Symptom Checker
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Foreign body in external ear
An ear foreign body is anything that gets stuck in the ear canal other than earwax. This may include food, toy pieces, beads, buttons, disk batteries, cotton swab, paper, or insects. Foreign bodies are usually trapped in the outer ear canal.
Rarity: Uncommon
Top Symptoms: ear fullness/pressure, ear discharge, pain in one ear canal, bleeding from the ear, pus leaking from the ear
Urgency: Primary care doctor
Cholesteatoma (a non-cancerous growth in the ear)
Cholesteatoma is a type of skin cyst that is located in the middle ear and mastoid bone in the skull. It can be a birth defect though more commonly occurs as a complication of chronic ear infection.
Rarity: Rare
Top Symptoms: ear fullness/pressure, ringing in the ears, pain in one ear canal, vertigo (extreme dizziness), hearing loss in one ear
Urgency: Primary care doctor
Malignant otitis externa
Malignant otitis externa is a disorder that involves infection and damage of the bones of the ear canal and at the base of the skull.
Rarity: Ultra rare
Top Symptoms: constant ear redness, pain in one ear canal, ear redness on one side
Symptoms that always occur with malignant otitis externa: ear redness on one side, constant ear redness
Urgency: In-person visit
Questions Your Doctor May Ask About Pus Leaking From The Ear
To diagnose this condition, your doctor would likely ask the following questions:
- Any fever today or during the last week?
- Do you use cotton-tipped swabs (q-tips) to clean your ears?
- Have you ever been diagnosed with diabetes?
- Do you often come into contact with hot tubs, swimming pools, or other sources of standing water?
The above questions are also covered by our A.I. Health Assistant.
If you've answered yes to one or more of these questions
Take a quiz to find out why you're having pus leaking from the ear
Pus Leaking From The Ear Symptom Checker Statistics
People who have experienced pus leaking from the ear have also experienced:
- 14% Ear Canal Pain
- 14% Pain In One Ear Canal
- 6% Ear Fullness/Pressure
People who have experienced pus leaking from the ear were most often matched with:
- 44% Swimmer'S Ear (Otitis Externa)
- 33% Chronic Ear Infection (Suppurative Otitis Media)
- 22% Earwax Blockage
People who have experienced pus leaking from the ear had symptoms persist for:
- 34% Less than a day
- 29% Less than a week
- 21% Over a month
Source: Aggregated and anonymized results from visits to the Buoy AI health assistant (check it out by clicking on “Take Quiz”).
Pus Leaking From The Ear Symptom Checker
Take a quiz to find out why you're having pus leaking from the ear