Primary Care Perspectives: Episode 130 - Swimmer’s Ear or Something Worse?: A Review of Otorrhea

Did you know that lack of canal swelling should be a red flag in physical exam of otorrhea? Ryan Ruiz, MD, MS, attending physician, Division of Otolaryngology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, provides a broad review, covering: key physical exam findings that indicate otitis externa; using antibiotic ear drops and/or oral antibiotics; when to culture; the role of cerumen; when to bring patients back to evaluate tympanic membrane closure; guidelines for water precautions, including for children with ear tubes; evaluating for acute mastoiditis; assessments after trauma; tools an ENT and audiologists have at their disposal that primary care doesn’t; and more.  Published August 2022. This podcast is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not to be considered as medical advice for any particular patient. Clinicians must rely on their own informed clinical judgment in making recommendations to their patients. ©2022 by Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, all rights reserved.