Happy Fungal Disease Awareness Week

 

Um, turns out I’m about a month off. I didn’t realize that Fungal Awareness Week was in September. That’s alright, we’ll be ready next year.

But the fact is, fungus is a problem year-round and something you might need my help to get rid of. I would like to take this opportunity, however, to remind you that I am an EAR, NOSE and THROAT doctor. I do not need to see any fungus that grows elsewhere. That’d be another doctor.

I digress. ENT’s deal with fungus all the time.  I could talk about fungus in the ears, nose, mouth, even larynx. 

Today I guess I’ll talk about fungal ear infections, or “otomycosis”. 

It is actually something I see pretty frequently.  So fungi like dark, moist places.  Our ear canals are already dark.  If they get wet, sometimes a fungal infection can occur.  It usually causes severe itching and irritation, but not severe pain (like a bacterial ear canal infection/”swimmer’s ear” can).  Often times fungal ear infections occur when patients have been on ear drops for “swimmer’s ear”.  

Fungal ear infections are treated by sucking out the fungal debris...its pretty gross, but don’t worry. I see it all the time. There’s no way your ear fungus will be the worst I’ve ever seen. I’ll treat it with a topical antifungal. I prefer a compounded powder that works really well, because most patients only need one (or maybe two) applications of it.  I call it “gold dust”, but it’s not made of gold, but it is yellow.

The main thing that patients have to do is to really focus on keeping their ears dry. 

One way to do this is to take a cotton ball, rip it in half and cover it with Vaseline, then use it as an ear plug when showering.  Then, use a blow dryer on low and blow a little air around your ear.  Don’t burn your ear, though!  Also, if you get dizzy, stop (duh). 

 

click below for everything you ever - and never - wanted to know about ENT

 
Daily Life, EarErin Shellenbergerfungus