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Otitis externa - Management
What advice should I give about preventing otitis externa?
- Advise the individual that they can reduce the risk of future episodes of otitis externa by:
- Avoiding damage to the external ear canal:
- If earwax is a problem, the person should seek professional advice about removing it without damaging the ear canal. (People with diabetes probably should not have their ears syringed to remove impacted earwax.)
- Cotton buds or other objects should not be used to clean the ear canal.
- Keeping the ears dry and clean by:
- Using ear plugs when swimming.
- Using a hair dryer (at the lowest heat setting) to dry the ear canal after hair washing.
- Keeping shampoo, soap, and water out of the ear when bathing and showering.
- Treating or avoiding more generalized skin conditions:
- If they are subject to allergies, the person may want to avoid ear drops containing neomycin.
- If allergic or sensitive to ear plugs, hearing aids, or earrings, the person should seek advice from a healthcare professional.
- If also suffering from another skin condition (e.g. eczema, psoriasis), the person should ensure that this is treated appropriately.
- Using acidifying ear drops or spray shortly before swimming, after swimming, at bedtime, or all of these. These ear drops are available over the counter.
Basis for recommendation
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