An aural polyp is a growth in the outside (external) ear canal or middle ear. It may be attached to the eardrum (tympanic membrane), or it may grow from the middle ear space.

Otic polyp

Aural polyps may be caused by:

• Cholesteatoma
• Foreign object in the ear
• Inflammation of the ear canal or middle ear
• Tumor of the ear canal or middle ear

Bloody drainage from the ear is the most common symptom. Hearing loss can also occur.

Treatment depends on the underlying cause. Your health care provider may first recommend:

• Avoiding water in the ear
• Steroid medicines
• Antibiotic ear drops

If a cholesteatoma is the underlying problem or the condition fails to clear, then surgery may be needed.

Contact your health care provider if you have severe pain, bleeding from an ear or a sharp decrease in hearing.

Published Date: May 02, 2024
Published By: Josef Shargorodsky, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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