Ear Injury
Definition
- Injuries to the outer ear, ear canal or eardrum
Call or Return If
- Pain becomes severe
- Wound looks infected
- You think your child needs to be seen
- Your child becomes worse
About This Topic
Types of Ear Injuries
- Bruises and scratches of outer ear
- Blood clot of outer ear
- Ear canal bleeding due to scratch of ear canal. This can be caused by cotton swab, fingernail, or ear exam.
- Punctured eardrum due to long-pointed objects. Examples are cotton swabs, pencils, sticks, straws, or wires.
- Cotton swabs cause over 10,000 ear injuries each year in the US. Over 2,000 are punctured eardrums.
Symptoms
- The main symptom is pain.
Prevention
- Careful adult supervision of young children
- Never let young children put Q-tips in their ears
- Education of older children about high risk behaviors
After Care Advice
Bleeding:
- For any bleeding, put direct pressure on the wound.
- Use a gauze pad or clean cloth.
- Press for 10 minutes or until the bleeding has stopped.
Cleansing:
- Wash the wound with soap and water for 5 minutes.
Antibiotic Ointment:
- For cuts and scrapes, use an antibiotic ointment such as Polysporin. No prescription is needed.
- Put it on the cut 3 times a day.
- Do this for 3 days.
- Cover large scrapes with a Band-Aid. Change daily.
Pain Medicine:
- To help with the pain, give acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or ibuprofen. Use as needed.
What to Expect:
- Minor ear wounds heal quickly.
- Most often, cuts and scrapes heal in 2 or 3 days.
Author: Barton Schmitt MD, FAAP Copyright
Disclaimer: This health information is for educational purposes only. You the reader assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.
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