- Physical Examination
- Surgical Examination
- Ophthalmology
- Clinical Skills
- Orthopedics
- Surgery Videos
- Laparoscopy
- Pediatrics
- Funny Videos
- Cardiothoracic Surgery
- Nursing Videos
- Plastic Surgery
- Otorhinolaryngology
- Histology and Histopathology
- Neurosurgery
- Dermatology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Urology
- Dentistry
- Oncology and Cancers
- Anatomy Videos
- Health and Fitness
- Radiology
- Anaesthesia
- Physical Therapy
- Pharmacology
- Interventional Radiology
- Cardiology
- Endocrinology
- Gynecology
- Emergency Medicine
- Psychiatry and Psychology
- Childbirth Videos
- General Medical Videos
- Nephrology
- Physiology
- Diet and Food Health
- Diabetes Mellitus
- Neurology
- Women Health
- Osteoporosis
- Gastroenterology
- Pulmonology
- Hematology
- Rheumatology
- Toxicology
- Nuclear Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Vascular Disease
- Reproductive Health
- Burns and Wound Healing
- Kidney Zone Podcast
- Other
Discharge from the ear
Category: Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat · All head & senses symptoms
What it can feel like
Discharge from the ear means fluid — wax-like, watery, creamy or blood-stained — coming out of the ear canal. It usually means infection or inflammation of the outer ear canal, or fluid escaping from the middle ear through a perforation in the eardrum.
Possible causes
A symptom can have many causes, and most are not serious. The lists below group conditions this symptom can be associated with — common causes first. They are possibilities to discuss with a clinician, not a diagnosis.
Common causes
Discharge can be associated with outer-ear infection (swimmer's ear), middle-ear infection that has perforated the eardrum (often with sudden relief of pain), eczema of the canal, and a foreign body in a child.
Other possible causes
Persistent discharge can be associated with chronic middle-ear disease including cholesteatoma (a skin cyst that erodes bone), infection spreading to the mastoid, and — watery discharge after a head injury — leakage of the fluid that bathes the brain.
Red flags — when to seek help promptly
- Discharge after a head injury, especially clear and watery — urgent
- Discharge with swelling or tenderness behind the ear, or high fever
- Discharge with severe headache, neck stiffness or dizziness
- Discharge in a baby under three months, or in someone with diabetes or a weakened immune system, with a swollen painful ear
What a clinician may do
A clinician will examine the canal and eardrum (often after gentle cleaning under a microscope), and may send a swab. Treatment targets the layer involved — drops for the outer ear, antibiotics and ENT referral for middle-ear disease — and water precautions protect the ear while it heals.
Related guides on MedicalVideos.com
Frequently asked questions
Why did my child's ear pain suddenly stop when discharge started?
A middle-ear infection builds pressure behind the eardrum; if the drum perforates, pressure releases, pain eases and infected fluid drains out. It usually heals, but the ear should still be checked and hearing reassessed after it settles.
Can I use cotton buds to clean a discharging ear?
No — buds push debris and discharge deeper, scratch inflamed skin and can damage the eardrum. Discharge is cleaned in clinic under vision, often with microsuction; at home, just wipe what reaches the outer ear.
Related symptoms — Head, Eyes, Ears, Nose & Throat
Browse the D section of the A–Z list or return to the Symptoms A–Z hub.