Are You Sick?

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.