Why is green fluid leaking from the ear?

Question

Hello doctor,

I have had hearing loss since childhood. I had an infection in both ears four years before, but I got it treated with antibiotics and got well. But, within weeks, a fluid of light green and sometimes brown color started leaking from my ear often during the day, and it was itching. The doctors just gave me eardrops like Candibiotics (Beclometasone 0.025 %, Neomycin 0.5 %, and Clotrimazole 1 %) and said it was nothing. Until today, I have been unable to find a solution. Recently, I took Augmentin 625 (Amoxycillin 500 mg and Clavulanic Acid 125 mg), Omez 40 (Omeprazole 40 mg), an Allergen tablet, and Ciplox D (Ciprofloxacin (0.3 % and Dexamethasone 0.1 %) ear drops for one week. At that time, it stopped and started leaking again when I completed the medication. I again took the medicines after one month, and the same happened. I have vitamin B12 and vitamin D3 deficiency, and I am taking medicines for them. I have a slight thyroid. I always have giddiness. Kindly help.

Thank you.

Answer 1

Hello,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

You can have two of these conditions. I can diagnose this based on your history, which you have given very well. Either chronic ear problems with a perforated eardrum or a fungal infection of the ear canal and drum. Perforation of the drum explains most of your symptoms, like hearing loss, giddiness, repeated discharges from the ear, and itching inside the ear. Fungal infection of the ear can also produce similar symptoms, but it is mostly painfulness, ear discharge, and sometimes reduced hearing.

Among the two, considering you have been having this problem for a very long time, I would say it is perforation of the eardrum and a chronic discharging ear. For this problem, we need to check inside the ear using a camera or an otoscope. For the same, you must visit an ENT specialist rather than a physician. An otoendoscope is present in most ENT (ear, nose and throat) centers these days, which can also help you see the problem inside the ear.

Now, let us assume you have a perforation. The next step is keeping the ear dry. For the same, an acute infection is treated with special antibiotics (which are better for ear infections) and thereafter you may use a hearing aid or undergo a tympanoplasty operation. The relative benefits and side effects of hearing aids with perforation and tympanoplasty can be explained to you if you require them. First, let us stop the discharge. If you were to come to me for this issue and if I could diagnose it as chronic perforation syndrome, then I would put you on a course of Ofloxacin 200 mg, one tablet twice daily, with Lorfast 10 mg (Loratadine), one tablet once daily, Singulair 10 mg (Montelukast) one tablet once daily and Recofast (Phenylephrine and Triprolidine) tablet half tablet in the morning. Consult your specialist doctor, discuss with him or her, and start taking the medicines with their consent.

I would simultaneously rule out nose and throat problems as they can be the cause of recurrent ear problems. You would have to keep the ear dry, with special care during bathing, so that water does not enter the ear. Once the ear is dry, I would advise you to go for a hearing test called a pure tone audiogram. Any audiology center will be able to do this test. Based on the report of the test, we will have to tune our long-term management. Remember that the test should be done when there is no active disease.

I hope this helps.

Please revert so I can assist you further.

Thank you.