Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Otitis externa risk factors
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Risk factors for acute otitis externa include activities and conditions that predispose an individual to ear canal inflammation. Risk factors also include being a female between 65 and 74 years old. Risk factors for malignant necrotizing otitis externa include conditions predisposing an individual to immunocompromise including undergoing chemotherapy or suffering from diabetes mellitus.
Risk Factors
Risk Factors
- Risk factors for acute otitis externa include activities and conditions that predispose an individual to ear canal inflammation:[1]
- Scuba-diving increases the risk of trapped water in the ear canal.[2]
- Swimming in public pools or other unclean bodies of water increases the chance of bacterial or fungal infection.
- Living in a humid or tropical climate[3]
- Developing dermatoses such as eczema, seborrhea, and psoriasis[4]
- Loss of cerumen in the ear canal thins the ear canal protective coating
- Introduction of foreign objects in the ear canal such as hearing aids, or ear plugs can cause irritation and inflammation
- Ear canal obstruction such as sebaceous cysts
- Suppuration from other ear diseases such as otitis media
- Undergoing prolonged treatment with topical antibiotics raises the risk of otomycosis.[4]
- Trauma to the ear canal
- Repeated exposure to irritants such as soaps, shampoos, or related cosmetic chemicals
- Having a narrow ear canal more prone to retaining water
- Being a female between age 65 and 74[5]
- For malignant necrotizing otitis externa, contributors to immunocompromise include:[6]
References
References
- ↑ “Swimmer’s ear : MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia”.
- ↑ Azizi MH (2011). “Ear disorders in scuba divers”. Int J Occup Environ Med. 2 (1): 20–6. PMID 23022815.
- ↑ “Estimated Burden of Acute Otitis Externa — United States, 2003–2007”.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Schaefer P, Baugh RF (2012). “Acute otitis externa: an update”. Am Fam Physician. 86 (11): 1055–61. PMID 23198673.
- ↑ Rowlands S, Devalia H, Smith C, Hubbard R, Dean A (2001). “Otitis externa in UK general practice: a survey using the UK General Practice Research Database”. Br J Gen Pract. 51 (468): 533–8. PMC 1314044. PMID 11462312.
- ↑ “Malignant otitis externa: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia”.
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Luke Rusowicz-Orazem, B.S.; Tarek Nafee, M.D. [2]