Otitis Externa
Definition
Otitis externa refers to an infection of the ear canal (outer ear), the tube leading from the outside opening of the ear in towards the ear drum. The infection usually develops in children and adolescents whose ears are exposed to persistent, excessive moisture.
Description
The external ear canal is a tube approximately 1 in (2.5 cm) in length that runs from the outside opening of the ear to the start of the middle ear, which is behind the tympanic membrane (ear drum). The canal is partly cartilage and partly bone. The lining of the ear canal is skin, which is attached directly to the covering of the bone. Glands within the skin of the canal produce a waxy substance called cerumen (popularly called earwax). Cerumen is designed to protect the ear canal, repel water, and keep the...
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