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Ear Injury

Is this your symptom?

Injury to the outer ear, ear canal or eardrum

Types of Ear Injuries

Cut or Scratch. Most cuts of the outer ear do not need sutures.
Bruise. Most bruises of the outer ear just leave a purple mark. They heal on their own.
Blood Clot (serious). Most of the outer ear is made of cartilage. A large blood clot can cut off the blood supply to the cartilage. It needs to be drained. If not, the ear may become deformed (boxer's ear).
Ear Canal Bleeding. Most are due to a scratch of ear canal. This can be caused by cotton swab, fingernail, or ear exam. Most stop bleeding on their own. Persistent bleeding needs to be seen.
Cotton Swab Injuries. Cotton swabs cause thousands of ear injuries each year in the US. Be very careful using cotton swabs in your ears.
Punctured Eardrum. Most are due to long-pointed objects put in the ear canal. Examples are cotton swabs, pencils, sticks, straws, or wires.
Loss of Hearing (serious). Caused by blunt trauma, such as a slap to the ear. Also, caused by explosions.

When to Call for Ear Injury

Call Doctor or Seek Care Now

Upper part of the ear is very swollen
Pointed object was put into the ear canal (such as a pencil, stick, or wire)
Severe pain
Skin is cut and No past tetanus shots
You think you have a serious injury
You think you need to be seen, and the problem is urgent

Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours

Few drops of blood in the ear canal. Caused by a minor injury, cotton swab or ear exam.
Injury causes an earache
Dirty cut or hard to clean and no tetanus shot in more than 5 years
Clean cut and no tetanus shot for more than 10 years
Hearing is less on injured side
Outer ear looks infected
You think you need to be seen, but the problem is not urgent

Contact Doctor During Office Hours

You have other questions or concerns

Self Care at Home

Minor ear injury

Care Advice for Minor Ear Injuries

Bleeding - How to Stop:

For any bleeding, put direct pressure on the wound.
Use a gauze pad or clean cloth.
Press for 10 minutes or until the bleeding has stopped.

Clean the Wound:

Wash the wound with soap and water for 5 minutes.

Antibiotic Ointment:

For cuts and scrapes, use an antibiotic ointment (such as Polysporin). No prescription is needed.
Put it on the cut 3 times a day.
Do this for 3 days.
Cover large scrapes with a bandage. Change daily.

Pain Medicine:

To help with the pain, take an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil). Ibuprofen works well for this type of pain.
Use as needed but do not take more than the maximum recommended dosage as stated on the packet.
If you are not sure what to take, ask a pharmacist.

What to Expect:

Minor ear wounds heal quickly.
Most often, cuts and scrapes heal in 2 or 3 days.

Call Your Doctor If:

Pain gets severe
You think you need to be seen
Your symptoms get worse

Remember! Contact your doctor if you or your child develop any "Contact Your Doctor" symptoms.

Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.

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