Yellow Discharge from Ear: Causes, Diagnosis and Treatment

Photo by Senior Airman Christopher Toon, U.S. Air Force, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Yellow discharge from the ear is most commonly earwax. However, ear discharge can also contain blood, pus or clear fluid, or a combination of these. Earwax is yellow to orange-brown and is usually not a medical problem.

According to MedlinePlus, most fluid leaking from an ear is earwax. A ruptured eardrum can cause a white, slightly bloody or yellow discharge.

Dry, crusted material on a child's pillow is often a sign of a ruptured eardrum. The eardrum may also bleed.

Ear wax is yellow to orange-brown in color and is usually not a medical problem. Other types of drainage may point to a condition that needs medical attention. This article is general information, not a diagnosis, so see a doctor if you are unsure what is causing the discharge.

Causes of yellow discharge from the ear

Some common causes of yellow discharge from ear may be:

• Ruptured Eardrum

A ruptured eardrum is also called a perforated eardrum. The eardrum (tympanic membrane) is a thin membrane that separates the ear canal from the middle ear.

The auditory tube (also called the eustachian tube) is a small tube that runs from the middle ear to the back of the nose and throat.

The auditory tube drains mucus from the middle ear and keeps air pressure in the middle ear equal to the pressure outside. When it does not work properly, pressure and fluid can build up behind the eardrum.

Common causes of a ruptured eardrum include a middle ear infection, a blow to the head or ear, very loud noises, sudden pressure changes (such as flying) and putting cotton swabs or other objects into the ear.

• Psoriasis

Skin conditions such as psoriasis and eczema can affect the skin of the ear canal. They can cause itching, flaking and irritation, and the irritated skin can weep fluid or become infected.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune condition, and genes play a role, but not everyone with a family history develops it. A doctor can treat ear canal skin problems with prescription drops or creams.

• Pus or cloudy fluid

Ear pus or cloudy fluid can be a sign of an infection in the ear canal or middle ear. The ear canal is the tube that runs from the outer ear to the eardrum.

An infection of the ear canal is called swimmer's ear (otitis externa). It often causes itching, a red or moist ear canal and pain that gets worse when you move the earlobe.

An infection of the middle ear, which doctors call otitis media, can cause fluid discharge from the ear if pressure ruptures the eardrum. Middle ear infections often follow a cold or flu.

How to diagnose yellow discharge from the ear?

A doctor will use an otoscope, a handheld lighted instrument, to examine the ear and try to identify the underlying cause of drainage. They can also use a pneumatic otoscope that produces a puff of air to show how the eardrum moves in response to pressure. Doing this shows whether fluid has built up behind the eardrum. The doctor may also send a sample of the discharge to a lab.

A test called tympanometry can help doctors test middle ear health. To perform this test, a doctor will insert a probe into the ear and evaluate how the middle ear reacts to different pressure levels. During an ear examination, doctors may also perform a hearing test or use a tuning fork to test hearing levels.

Treatment

Treatment depends on the cause, so get the discharge checked rather than treating it yourself. For pain, people can use a warm compress or take over-the-counter painkillers such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

The NHS says a perforated eardrum usually heals on its own within 2 months. While it heals, keep the ear dry, do not put anything in it (including eardrops unless a doctor recommends them) and avoid blowing your nose hard.

If an eardrum does not heal by itself, a surgeon can repair it (myringoplasty). A doctor may prescribe antibiotics if there is an infection.

Antibiotics for an ear infection may be given as ear drops or by mouth, depending on where the infection is. A doctor may also gently clean wax or infected material out of the ear canal with suction.

For repeated middle ear infections or fluid that will not clear, doctors may place a small tube in the eardrum so the middle ear can drain and stay ventilated.

Prevention

People can lower the risk of ear infections and a ruptured eardrum by:

• Using earplugs when swimming to help keep water out
• Gently drying the outer ears after swimming or bathing
• Not putting cotton swabs or other objects in the ear

See a doctor if the discharge is yellow, white, clear or bloody, follows an injury, lasts more than 5 days, or comes with severe pain, fever, hearing loss or facial weakness.

HP Thoughts: Ear infections vary, and they can affect more than just your ears. Here is an example of another ear ailment: Pus in Ear.

Conclusion

Most of the time, fluid coming out of the ear is earwax. A ruptured eardrum can cause a white, slightly bloody or yellow discharge from the ear.

Dry, crusted material on a child's pillow is often a sign of a ruptured eardrum. Blood can also come from the eardrum.

Earwax is yellow to orange-brown and is usually not a medical problem. For any other discharge, see a doctor, who may prescribe antibiotic ear drops or pills depending on where an infection is.

Sources

• Ear discharge, MedlinePlus (National Library of Medicine)
• Perforated eardrum, NHS