Symptoms of a Yeast Infection in the Ear

A person's genital area may be the most common place to get a yeast infection, but it's not the only place. Another unusual place is a person's ears. Unlike when people have a genital yeast infection, they may not notice that they have it when it is located in their ear.

Discharge

• Similar to other forms of a yeast infection, those in the ear can produce a white discharge around the lobe. This is caused by the body's immune system reacting to the infection and attempting to fight and prevent it from invading the body.

Ear Ache

• One of the most painful symptoms of a yeast infection in the ear is an ear ache. This pain can be quite unbearable for the person and can cause serious damage to the ear if treatment is not sought quickly.

Treatment

• When someone with an yeast infection in the ear seeks treatment, the doctor may clean the ear and prescribe an antibiotic medicine. The medication will help kill the bacteria that is included with the infection of the ear. It is important to clean the ear at home regularly to avoid further infection.

Causes

• Ear yeast infections are caused by a bacteria that usually resides at the back of the mouth, moving up the tubes that go to the person's ears. This bacteria is looking for a warm home to survive and these tubes are the ideal location to grow.

Prevention/Solution

• Help prevent a yeast ear infection from happening by cleaning your ears out regularly. This includes drying the inside and outside of the ear. If moisture gets caught inside, it can help heat a warm home for bacteria to accumulate and grow.