Learn About Aural Polyps
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
- Inflammation
- Tumor
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.
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Published Date: May 30, 2022
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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Chole RA, Sharon JD. Chronic otitis media, mastoiditis, and petrositis. In: Flint PW, Francis HW, Haughey BH, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology: Head & Neck Surgery. 6th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 140.
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