Does your ear repeatedly drain with foul smelling fluid? Is your ear fluid drainage caused by recurring ear infections? If so, ask your health care provider to check your ear for the presence of a cholesteatoma.
Cholesteatoma is the medical term for a skin cyst that develops in the middle ear. Chronic ear infections are commonly associated with ear cyst development. And these infections are found to have a connection to why a cholesteatoma happens and then continue to occur even after the cyst takes shape.
Another contributing factor for the origination of this ear sac of material is mucus drainage flow problems through your eustachian tube. This typically occurs because of swelling caused by allergy, upper respiratory infection or sinusitis.
Cholesteatoma tend to grow and potentially cause damage to the tiny bones housed in your middle ear. Depending on your ear cyst’s size and location, you might experience some of these symptoms from your ear problem:
- ear ache
- dizziness
- hearing loss
- balance issues
- facial muscle paralysis
- foul smelling ear drainage
- feeling of fullness, pressure in ear
In some cases, a cholesteatoma causes no discomfort indicating it’s existence. Whereas for others, the symptoms stemming from a cyst in your ear are treated solely as ear infection.
Cyst removal surgery is the only method for curing a cholesteatoma. If ear drainage is occurring, then antibiotics are given to treat a potential bacteria ear infection ahead of surgery.
Cholesteatoma removal surgery requires use of a highly skilled surgeon because of the intricate nature and small space of the inner ear. After surgery you’ll likely experience some ear pain and possibly dizziness, taste changes or dry mouth. Some level of hearing loss, face paralysis or tinnitus can occur with this cyst removal surgery as well.
And for some their cholesteatoma crops up again requiring a surgical removal encore.