BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuAural polypsOtic polypAn aural polyp is a growth in the outside (external) ear canal or middle ear. It may be attached to the eardrum (tympanic membrane), or it may grow from the middle ear space. Causes Aural polyps may be caused by:Cholesteatoma CholesteatomaCholesteatoma is a type of skin cyst that is located in the middle ear and mastoid bone in the skull.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Foreign object Inflammation Tumor Symptoms Bloody drainage from the ear is the most common symptom. Hearing loss can also occur.Drainage from the earEar discharge is drainage of blood, ear wax, pus, or fluid from the ear.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Exams and Tests An aural polyp is diagnosed through an exam of the ear canal and middle ear using an otoscope or microscope. Treatment Treatment depends on the underlying cause. Your health care provider may first recommend:Avoiding water in the ear Steroid medicines Antibiotic ear drops If a cholesteatoma is the underlying problem or the condition fails to clear, then surgery may be needed. When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider if you have severe pain, bleeding from an ear or a sharp decrease in hearing.Open ReferencesReferencesChi DH, Tobey A. Otolaryngology. In: Zitelli, BJ, McIntire SC, Nowalk AJ, Garrison J, eds. Zitelli and Davis' Atlas of Pediatric Physical Diagnosis. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 24.Chole RA, Sharon JD. Chronic otitis media, mastoiditis, and petrositis. In: Flint PW, Francis HW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 140.McHugh JB. Ear. In: Goldblum JR, Lamps LW, McKenney JK, Myers JL, eds. Rosai and Ackerman's Surgical Pathology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 7.AllVideoImagesTogEar anatomy - illustration The ear consists of external, middle, and inner structures. The eardrum and the 3 tiny bones conduct sound from the eardrum to the cochlea.Ear anatomyillustrationEar anatomy - illustration The ear consists of external, middle, and inner structures. The eardrum and the 3 tiny bones conduct sound from the eardrum to the cochlea.Ear anatomyillustrationRelated Information Review Date: 5/30/2022 Reviewed By: Josef Shargorodsky, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Aural polypsOtic polypAn aural polyp is a growth in the outside (external) ear canal or middle ear. It may be attached to the eardrum (tympanic membrane), or it may grow from the middle ear space. Causes Aural polyps may be caused by:Cholesteatoma CholesteatomaCholesteatoma is a type of skin cyst that is located in the middle ear and mastoid bone in the skull.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Foreign object Inflammation Tumor Symptoms Bloody drainage from the ear is the most common symptom. Hearing loss can also occur.Drainage from the earEar discharge is drainage of blood, ear wax, pus, or fluid from the ear.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Exams and Tests An aural polyp is diagnosed through an exam of the ear canal and middle ear using an otoscope or microscope. Treatment Treatment depends on the underlying cause. Your health care provider may first recommend:Avoiding water in the ear Steroid medicines Antibiotic ear drops If a cholesteatoma is the underlying problem or the condition fails to clear, then surgery may be needed. When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider if you have severe pain, bleeding from an ear or a sharp decrease in hearing.Open ReferencesReferencesChi DH, Tobey A. Otolaryngology. In: Zitelli, BJ, McIntire SC, Nowalk AJ, Garrison J, eds. Zitelli and Davis' Atlas of Pediatric Physical Diagnosis. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 24.Chole RA, Sharon JD. Chronic otitis media, mastoiditis, and petrositis. In: Flint PW, Francis HW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 140.McHugh JB. Ear. In: Goldblum JR, Lamps LW, McKenney JK, Myers JL, eds. Rosai and Ackerman's Surgical Pathology. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2018:chap 7.