Frequent digging of the ear with the fingers may lead to diseases such as external auditory canal boils, diffuse otitis externa and cerumen embolism.
1. External auditory canal boils: frequent digging of the ear with the fingers will easily cause damage and erosion of the skin of the external auditory canal, which will easily lead to infection and limited redness and swelling of the skin of the cartilage part of the external auditory canal, with obvious tenderness. When the boil matures, the localization becomes soft and the tip reveals a yellowish-white pus spot. When the abscess breaks down, the sticky pus with blood is discharged. The lymph nodes in front of the ear, behind the ear or under the ear may be enlarged and have pressure pain.
2. Diffuse otitis externa: when digging the ear with fingers, the skin of the external auditory canal is damaged accidentally, or the skin is scratched by foreign objects, which can cause the bacteria to enter the epidermis or even the dermis, and cause infection. When the infection is acute, the symptoms are similar to boils in the external auditory canal. When it becomes chronic, there is itching and discomfort in the ear, thickening of the skin of the external auditory canal and narrowing of the canal.
3. Cerumen embolism: Frequent digging of the ear with the fingers can cause local stimulation, resulting in excessive cerumen secretion. If the cerumen gradually coalesces into a mass and blocks the external auditory canal, it is called cerumen embolism. It can cause tinnitus and hearing loss. If the cerumen presses the skin at the back wall of the external auditory canal, it can stimulate the ear branch of the vagus nerve and cause reflex cough.
People who have the habit of digging their ears with their fingers are advised to quit this habit as much as possible, and can actively seek medical advice to find the causes of this action, in order to get active and standardized diagnosis and treatment.