The odor in the ear can be considered to be related to preauricular fistula, suppurative otitis media, cholesteatoma of the external auditory canal and other diseases.
1. Pre-auricular fistula: a congenital ear malformation disease, because the fistula mouth is mainly located in front of the foot of the auricle, so when the secretion of the fistula through the fistula mouth can be triggered by the auricle odor symptoms. In the stabilized stage, physical examination may reveal the presence of small concave holes in the skin in front of the foot of the auricle. After the combination of infection, there may be obvious redness, swelling and pain, as well as the phenomenon of pus.
2. Suppurative otitis media: most common in bacterial infection. Bacterial infection can cause more purulent secretions to accumulate in the middle ear canal, and when these purulent secretions are discharged through the external auditory canal, they can be retained around the external auditory canal and cause foul-smelling symptoms in the ear canal. During the onset of the disease, it may be accompanied by pain in the ear, ear canal pus, tinnitus, hearing loss and fever and other clinical manifestations.
3. Cholesteatoma of the external auditory canal: It is a mass of detached epithelium containing cholesterol crystals that obstructs the bone of the external auditory canal. When the cholesteatoma is large, there is a sense of blockage in the ear, tinnitus and hearing loss. Secondary infections may include earache, headache, and a discharge from the external ear canal with a foul odor.
Odor in the ear canal may also be due to poor local hygiene and malignant tumors of the external auditory canal. Consultation with an ENT doctor is needed to determine the cause of the problem and then follow the doctor’s instructions.