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Ear - Discharge

Definition

  • Drainage of substances/liquids with different colors and consistency from the ear canal
  • Drainage through an ear tube is included

Causes

  • Discharge that is normal: earwax or water. Earwax is light brown, dark brown, or orange brown in color.
  • Discharge that isn't normal: cloudy fluid or pus. Main cause is an ear infection. This can cause drainage from a torn eardrum or through a ventilation tube.

When to Call Us for Ear - Discharge

Call Us Now (night or day) If

  • Your child looks or acts very sick
  • Pink or red swelling behind the ear
  • Clear or bloody fluid after a head injury
  • Bleeding from the ear canal (Exception: few drops and after an ear exam)
  • Age under 12 weeks old with fever. (Caution: Do NOT give your baby any fever medicine before being seen.)
  • Fever over 104° F (40° C)
  • You think your child needs to be seen urgently

Call Us During Weekday Office Hours If

  • You have other questions or concerns

Parent Care at Home If

  • Normal earwax or other harmless discharge

CARE ADVICE FOR EAR DISCHARGE

Earwax:
  • Ear wax protects the lining of the ear canal and has germ-killing properties.
  • If the earwax is removed, the ear canals become itchy.
  • Do not use cotton swabs (Q-tips) in your child's ear.
  • Call Your Doctor If: Begins to look like pus (yellow or green discharge).
Clear Discharge (without head trauma):
  • Most likely, this is from tears or water that entered the ear canal. This can happen during a bath, shower, swimming or water fight.
  • Don't overlook eardrops your child or someone else used without telling you.
  • In children with ventilation tubes, some clear or slightly cloudy fluid can occur. This happens when a tube blockage opens up and drains.
  • Call Your Doctor If: Clear drainage lasts for more than 24 hours.
Blood After Ear Exam:
  • Sometimes, ear wax needs to be removed by your doctor to see the eardrum. If ear wax was removed, it can cause a small scratch inside the ear canal. This happens about 10% of the time. The scratch oozes 1 or 2 drops of blood and then clots.
  • This should heal up in a few days.
  • It shouldn't affect the hearing.
  • Don't put anything in the ear canal. This may start the bleeding again.
  • Call Your Doctor If: Bleeding starts again.
Ear Infection:
  • Cloudy fluid or pus draining from the ear canal usually means there's an ear infection.
  • The pus drains because there's a small tear in the eardrum.
  • To help with the pain, give acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) or ibuprofen. Use as needed. See Dose Table.
  • See EARACHE for more advice.
  • Call Your Doctor If: Your child becomes worse.

And remember, contact us if your child develops any of the "Call Us" symptoms.

Author and Senior Reviewer: Barton D. Schmitt, M.D.

Copyright 1994-2013 Barton D. Schmitt, M.D.