Ear Eczema
What Is Ear Eczema?
If you are suffering with itchy ears that are draining a clear fluid, you may have ear eczema. This sometimes painful condition starts out as an uncomfortable itch. After that, fluids will leak from the ear canal and the inner waxy lining in the ear becomes crusty and flaky. This can cause the ears to itch even more and the inner ear canal becomes swollen, inflamed and red. Ear eczema can be hard to heal.
To fully understand ear eczema, you will have to learn what eczema actually is. It is a disease that causes inflammation of the epidermis. It is a form of dermatitis and many skin conditions fall under this category. The symptoms are a rash followed by extreme itching. Scratching the rash can make these symptoms worse and bleeding can occur. The skin then becomes blistered, dry and crusty. Over time the skin can become hardened and scarred. Discoloration can also occur as well as inflammation.
A hypersensitivity reaction happens and this leads to ear eczema. This reaction is much like allergies but it causes an inflammation of the skin and this inflammation causes the extreme itch. Eczema can occur and be seen on several areas of the body. There are many different types of eczema.
The most common type is atopic eczema and this condition is thought to be hereditary. But other family members may not have the same kind of disease. For example, one member of the family might have asthma or hay fever while the other suffers with a rash on the scalp.
Contact dermatitis can either be an allergic reaction or from an irritant. Most cases of contact dermatitis are from irritants and they are usually caused by things like being in contact with a particular chemical everyday at work. This type of eczema is fully curable as long as the offending substance is removed. Sunlight over exposure is another condition that falls under this category and it is called phototoxic dermatitis.
Extremely dry skin can cause eczema and this is called xerotic eczema. The skin is so dry that rash patches can occur. The result is itchy, cracking painful skin. This type of eczema is mainly seen in elderly patients.
Seborrhoeic dermatitis or cradle cap is seen mainly in infants. A rash occurs on the scalp and small bumps can also appear. There can also be a yellow crusty surface over the rash. The scalp area can become greasy and dandruff can also be seen. Cradle cap can be cured with ointments and usually clears up rather fast.
There are a few things you can do to lessen the severity of ear eczema. The first thing is, to avoid scratching the infected area. This makes the symptoms worse and when the skin becomes broken and bloody, you are more likely to get an infection. Anyone who has these symptoms should be seen by a doctor. He can gently clean the inside of the ear and he can also prescribe ear drops to help with the symptoms. Steroid crème can be applied to the inner ear and cure the problem quickly but this treatment is not recommended for a long period of time. A mild pain killer can also help with this problem and it can ease the symptoms. Antihistamines can stop the irritating itch and it can also help to eliminate the rash on the skin. These types of drugs can benefit anyone that is having an allergic reaction and if a person also has an infection from over itching, the doctor might also prescribe antibiotics.
People with suffer with ear eczema should keep the ears dry at all times and they should never use a Q tip to clean the inner ear.