Staph Infections of the Ear (2024)

Staphylococcus aureus can cause a type of ear infection called otitis externa, also known as “swimmer’s ear.” The infection involves the ear canal, which has both a bony and a cartilaginous portion.

Auricular cellulitis is an infection of the outer ear, which is the cartilage portion of the ear that you can see and touch, including the lobe, helix, and ear canal.

Staph is not the only germ that can cause otitis externa, but it’s a common cause of the condition.

This article discusses the causes, symptoms, treatment, and prevention of staph infection in the ear.

Most staph infections are easily treated with antibiotics. Certain strains, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), are resistant to antibiotics and can be hard to treat.

Staph Infections of the Ear (1)

How Do You Get Staph Infection in the Ear?

Ear canal infection is caused by bacteria or, less commonly, fungi. Excess water in the ear creates a moist environment for staph (or other germs) to grow and lead to infection.

What Is Swimmer's Ear?

Other causes of otitis externa include:

  • Humidity and sweating: Some bacteria and other germs thrive in moist environments.
  • Trauma: This can occur when the skin of the outer ear is broken from a scratch, injured when using cotton swabs to clean the ear, or when something gets stuck in the ear.
  • Earbuds or hearing aids: If these devices are not kept clean, they can introduce bacteria into the outer ear.
  • Eczema or psoriasis: These skin conditions can affect the outer ear.
  • Contact dermatitis: This is a skin reaction that causes a rash that may occur in the outer ear.

MRSA

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a type of Staphylococcus aureus that is resistant to some antibiotics. It is common in the environment and is spread the same way as non-resistant strains of staph.

You can catch MRSA from someone who has it if you touch the infected area and do not wash your hands thoroughly.

What Is MRSA?

Symptoms

A staph infection of your ear may cause one or more of the following symptoms:

  • Ear pain
  • Redness
  • Itching
  • Swelling of the outer ear
  • Ear drainage
  • Dry flaky skin in the outer ear

Rarely, a staph infection of the outer ear can cause hearing loss.

When to Seek Immediate Medical Attention

Seek emergency care if you have:

  • Pain in an ear
  • Itching of the ear or ear canal
  • Loss of hearing or difficulty hearing in one or both ears
  • Pus or discharge from an ear, especially if it’s thick, yellow, bloody, or foul-smelling
  • Symptoms that get worse or continue despite treatment
  • New symptoms, such as fever or pain and redness of the skull behind the ear

Is Staph Infection in the Ear Dangerous?

How serious a staph infection is or may become depends on many factors, including the strain of the bacteria causing the infection and your underlying health.

Most staph infections can be cured, but some resist antibiotics, which allows the infection to spread and damage tissue or nerves. In severe cases, the infection enters the bloodstream and causes sepsis.

A serious complication of staph infections of the outer ear canal is malignant otitis externa, which occurs when the infection spreads from the external auditory canal to the base of the skull (the temporal bone).

Malignant otitis externa is more common in people who have diabetes or a compromised immune system, but it can also occur in people who do not have these conditions.

The condition can damage cranial nerves, bone tissue, and in extreme cases even result in death. To avoid malignant otitis externa, it’s important to treat otitis externa promptly.

Fortunately, malignant otitis externa is not a cancer and is very rare.

Diagnosis

Your healthcare provider can sometimes diagnose a staph infection in the ear just by looking at it with an otoscope, asking you about your symptoms, and testing any drainage for the presence of staph bacteria.

If your infection is severe, your doctor might need to rule out malignant otitis externa by performing a CT scan or MRI.

What to Do If Your Child Has Swimmer's Ear

Treatment

The best way to prevent a staph infection from becoming serious is to get treatment as soon as possible and to carefully follow the treatment your healthcare provider prescribes.

Antibiotic Ear Drops

Antibiotic ear drops are one of the most common treatments for otitis externa. Ear drops are preferred over systemic antibiotics because they typically have fewer side effects and get the medication directly to the site of the infection.

Swelling of the ear can make it hard to administer ear drops correctly. If you are having difficulty, your doctor can insert a wick (basically a long, thin piece of gauze) into your ear to help deliver the medication.

Use ear drops exactly as prescribed by your doctor to cure your infection and prevent the formation of resistant bacteria.

How to Use Ear Drops Correctly

Oral (Systemic) Antibiotics

Systemic antibiotics are medications that are given by mouth (orally) or delivered directly into the bloodstream (intravenously).

Oral antibiotics are not the preferred treatment for mild to moderate cases of otitis externa because the medications may have side effects.

However, in some cases, oral antibiotics are prescribed to treat a staph infection of the ear—such as when the ear is too swollen, the eardrum is ruptured, or the infection has spread beyond the outer ear.

Steroid Ear Drops

Steroids are medications that suppress the inflammatory response of the immune system, which reduces inflammation, swelling, itching, and redness. Steroid drops alone will not cure an otitis externa infection, but they can ease the symptoms.

Over-the-Counter Ear Drops for Ear Infections and More

Pain Relief

Your doctor may recommend a mild over-the-counter (OTC) pain reliever such as acetaminophen to relieve any discomfort that you are experiencing.

How Is MRSA Treated?

Prevention

Here are some steps you can take to prevent otitis externa:

  • Use a blow dryer on a cool setting to dry your ears out after swimming or bathing.
  • Get the water out of your ears after swimming or bathing by tilting your head to the side and gently pulling on your ear lobe to straighten out the ear canal to let the water run out.
  • Use earplugs or a good swimming cap to keep water out of your ears when swimming or bathing.
  • Do not stick anything in your ears (such as a cotton swab) in an attempt to remove earwax.
  • If you do not have a damaged eardrum or tympanostomy (ventilation) tubes in your ears, put a couple of drops of rubbing alcohol in your ears after bathing or swimming.

How to Prevent Ear Infections

Summary

Ear canal infection is most commonly caused by bacteria, especially staph. Excess water or moisture in the ear creates an environment for staph to grow, which can then lead to infection. Symptoms may include ear pain, itching, redness, and drainage. Getting treatment early will help to avoid any complications and use preventive measures to keep your ears clean and dry.

Photos of Different Skin Infections

7 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

  2. Merck Manual. Ear canal infection (swimmer's ear).

  3. MedlinePlus. Swimmer’s ear.

  4. Hui CP, Canadian Paediatric Society Infectious Diseases and Immunization Committee. Acute otitis externa.Paediatr Child Health. 2013;18(2):96-101. doi:10.1093/pch/18.2.96

  5. American College of Emergency Physicians. Ear aches and ear infections.

  6. Manso MC, Rodeia SC, Rodrigues S, et al. Malignant otitis externa and stroke.Eur J Case Rep Intern Med. 2016;3(4):000387. doi:10.12890/2016_000387

  7. Johns Hopkins Medicine. Swimmer’s ear.

Staph Infections of the Ear (2)

By Kristin Hayes, RN
Kristin Hayes, RN, is a registered nurse specializing in ear, nose, and throat disorders for both adults and children.

See Our Editorial Process

Meet Our Medical Expert Board

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?

Staph Infections of the Ear (2024)

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Corie Satterfield

Last Updated:

Views: 5683

Rating: 4.1 / 5 (62 voted)

Reviews: 85% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Corie Satterfield

Birthday: 1992-08-19

Address: 850 Benjamin Bridge, Dickinsonchester, CO 68572-0542

Phone: +26813599986666

Job: Sales Manager

Hobby: Table tennis, Soapmaking, Flower arranging, amateur radio, Rock climbing, scrapbook, Horseback riding

Introduction: My name is Corie Satterfield, I am a fancy, perfect, spotless, quaint, fantastic, funny, lucky person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.