Dried blood in toddlers ear: Middle ear infection: babies, kids & teens

Ear Injury

Is this your child’s symptom?

• Injuries to the outer ear, ear canal or eardrum

Types of Ear Injuries

• Cut or Scratch. Most cuts of the outer ear do not need sutures.
• Bruise. Most bruises of the outer ear just leave a purple mark. They heal on their own.
• Blood Clot (Serious). Most of the outer ear is made of cartilage. A large blood clot (hematoma) can cut off the blood supply to the cartilage. It needs to be drained. If not, the ear may become deformed (boxer’s ear).
• Ear Canal Bleeding. Most are due to a scratch of ear canal. This can be caused by cotton swab, fingernail, or ear exam. Most stop bleeding on their own. Persistent bleeding needs to be seen.
• Cotton Swab Injuries: Cotton swabs cause more than 10,000 ear injuries each year in the US. More than 2,000 are punctured eardrums. Never let young children put cotton swabs in their ears.
• Punctured Eardrum. Most are due to long-pointed objects put in the ear canal. Examples are cotton swabs, pencils, sticks, straws, or wires.
• Loss of Hearing (Serious). Caused by blunt trauma, such as a slap to the ear. Also, caused by explosions.

When to Call for Ear Injury

Call Doctor or Seek Care Now

• Skin is split open or gaping and may need stitches
• Upper part of the ear is very swollen
• Pointed object was put into the ear canal (such as a pencil, stick, or wire)
• Clear fluid is draining from the ear canal
• Skin is cut and No past tetanus shots. Note: tetanus is the “T” in DTaP, TdaP, or Td vaccines.
• Severe pain and not better 2 hours after taking pain medicine
• Age less than 1 year old
• Outer ear injury looks infected (spreading redness)
• You think your child has a serious injury
• You think your child needs to be seen, and the problem is urgent

Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours

• Few drops of blood in the ear canal. Caused by a minor injury, cotton swab (Q-tip) or ear exam.
• Injury causes an earache or crying lasts more than 30 minutes
• Hearing is less on injured side
• Dirty cut or hard to clean and no tetanus shot in more than 5 years
• Clean cut and no tetanus shot in more than 10 years
• You think your child needs to be seen, but the problem is not urgent

Contact Doctor During Office Hours

• You have other questions or concerns

Self Care at Home

• Minor ear injury
• Pierced ear with minor injury

Seattle Children’s Urgent Care Locations

If your child’s illness or injury is life-threatening, call 911.

• 
  
  
  
  
  Bellevue
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  
  Everett
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  
  Federal Way
  
  
  
• 
  
  
  
  
  Seattle
  
  
  

Care Advice for Minor Ear Injuries

1. Bleeding – How to Stop:
   • For any bleeding, put direct pressure on the wound.
   • Use a gauze pad or clean cloth.
   • Press for 10 minutes or until the bleeding has stopped.
2. Clean the Wound:
   • Wash the wound with soap and water for 5 minutes.
3. Antibiotic Ointment:
   • For cuts and scrapes, use an antibiotic ointment (such as Polysporin). No prescription is needed.
   • Put it on the cut 3 times a day.
   • Do this for 3 days.
   • Cover large scrapes with a bandage (such as Band-Aid). Change daily.
4. Pain Medicine:
   • To help with the pain, give an acetaminophen product (such as Tylenol).
   • Another choice is an ibuprofen product (such as Advil).
   • Use as needed.
5. What to Expect:
   • Minor ear wounds heal quickly.
   • Most often, cuts and scrapes heal in 2 or 3 days.
6. Preventing Ear Injuries:
   • Careful adult supervision of young children.
   • Never let young children put cotton swabs in their ears.
7. Call Your Doctor If:
   • Pain gets severe
   • You think your child needs to be seen
   • Your child becomes worse

And remember, contact your doctor if your child develops any of the ‘Call Your Doctor’ symptoms.

Disclaimer: this health information is for educational purposes only. You, the reader, assume full responsibility for how you choose to use it.

Last Reviewed: 02/07/2023

Last Revised: 12/30/2022

Copyright 2000-2023. Schmitt Pediatric Guidelines LLC.

Causes and when to see a doctor

Bleeding from the ear can be very alarming for a person. Many things can cause someone to bleed from the ear, including some emergency situations.

Unless a person is sure they have a superficial cut, they should make an appointment with a doctor to determine why their ear is bleeding and undergo proper treatment.

Share on PinterestBleeding from the outer part of the ear usually occurs because of a superficial injury.

The ear is the organ responsible for hearing and helping regulate balance. The anatomy of the ear is divided into the outer, middle, and inner ear.

The outer ear is composed of the pinna or auricle, which is the visible outside part of the ear. The external auditory canal connects the outer ear to the middle ear.

The eardrum separates the outer ear from the middle ear. The middle ear, known as the tympanic cavity, is composed of three connected bones called ossicles and a canal to the back of the nose known as the Eustachian tube.

The ossicles transmit sound waves to the inner ear. The Eustachian tube, which is lined with mucus, regulates the pressure in the middle ear so that sound can be properly transmitted.

The inner ear has three distinct parts. Two of the three parts, the vestibule, and the semicircular canals help with balance. The remaining part of the inner ear is the cochlea, which contains nerve endings that help with hearing.

Any of the following may cause a bleeding ear:

• superficial skin injuries
• head injury or trauma
• ear infection
• ruptured eardrum
• barotrauma, or pressure changes on an airplane or while diving
• ear cancer
• an object in the ear canal

Bleeding from the outer ear usually occurs due to a superficial skin wound, such as a cut or injury. Bleeding from deeper in the ear can be caused by other conditions.

Superficial skin injuries

Minor trauma to the skin, such as a cut or wound, may cause bleeding from the outer ear.

In this case, there will probably be no other symptoms other than minor pain at the site of the injury.

A skin injury may also occur if a person uses a Q-tip or tries to clean out earwax aggressively. An irritated or infected ear piercing may also cause bleeding.

Object in the ear

An object in the ear is often more noticeable to an adult than a child. It is not uncommon for small children to stick candy, toys, beads, and other small objects in their ears and not complain.

Any object in the ear, including small insects, may cause bleeding, infection or discomfort. Typically, ear pain will resolve when the object is no longer in the ear.

Head injury or trauma

Share on PinterestA head injury may lead bleeding from the ears.

More severe injuries or traumas to the head may cause bleeding from the ears. These types of injuries are often due to an accident, a fall, or a sports injury.

In cases when bleeding from the ears accompanies a head injury, the person may have a concussion.

Symptoms of a concussion can include:

• headache
• ringing in the ears
• dizziness
• nausea and vomiting
• confusion
• temporary loss of consciousness
• dazed appearance
• forgetfulness
• fatigue
• irritability
• sleeplessness

Bleeding from the ears after a head injury may be the result of a skull fracture, severe trauma, or other serious injury, so a person will need immediate medical attention.

Ear infection

Ear infections are more common in children than adults, but they can affect people of any age.

These infections can occur in any part of the ear. Infections of the middle and outer ear can cause bleeding from the ear in addition to the following symptoms:

• fever
• headache
• redness
• ear discharge
• swelling
• ear pain
• hearing changes
• neck pain

Ruptured eardrum

The eardrum is the thin membrane separating the middle ear from the outer ear. It can be torn or ruptured. People may tear or rupture their eardrum without realizing they have done so, but it may also cause pain. Infection and injury are common causes.

Other symptoms of a ruptured eardrum may include:

• ear pain
• ringing ear
• ear discharge
• fullness of the ear
• feeling of spinning, known as vertigo
• hearing loss or changes

Barotrauma

The sensation of ears popping is common as the altitude changes. Barotrauma is a more extreme injury to the ear as a result of rapid changes in pressure and altitude from activities such as diving or flying.

In addition to bleeding from the ear, symptoms of barotrauma may include the following:

• ear pain
• pressure in the ears
• hearing loss
• dizziness
• ringing in the ears

Symptoms of barotrauma start nearly immediately after a rapid change in altitude or pressure.

Ear cancer

Ear cancer is rare and can occur in any part of the ear. The majority of ear cancer cases are the result of skin cancer on the outer ear. About 5 percent of all skin cancer occurs on the ear.

However, people with chronic ear infections that persist or recur for 10 or more years do have a higher risk of developing cancer in the middle or inner ear. If a person has cancer of the middle or inner ear, they may experience bleeding as well as the following symptoms:

• hearing loss
• earache
• swollen lymph nodes
• partial facial paralysis
• ringing in ears
• headache

Share on PinterestAny instances of bleeding from the ear with no obvious cause should be addressed by a doctor.

A doctor should evaluate all cases of bleeding inside the ear to ensure appropriate treatment.

If a person experiences ear bleeding as a result of a head injury, trauma, or sports injury, they need immediate emergency medical attention. They may have a skull fracture, severe head trauma, other serious injuries to the ear, or a concussion.

In cases of ear bleeding caused by an outer ear infection or minor injury, a person should still see a doctor for diagnosis and proper treatment.

Ear bleeding caused by a superficial cut or an object removed from the ear may not require medical attention.

However, if someone has an object in their ear that they cannot easily see, they should seek a medical professional’s help to remove it safely.

Symptoms of infection such as pain, redness, swelling, discharge or fever also require medical attention.

A doctor will diagnose ear bleeding based on a visual examination and the accompanying symptoms.

A doctor may order imaging tests to confirm an injury or abnormality to the ear.

Treatment for ear bleeding depends on what caused it. Typical treatments include:

• antibiotics for ear infections
• protecting the ears from water and debris
• anti-inflammatory and pain medications
• warm compresses
• hospital observation or treatment for concussion and head injuries

If a person has a cut or injury causing bleeding to the outer ear, they should keep the area clean and avoid picking at the injury until it has healed.

In some cases of serious injuries, more involved treatments may be needed, including surgery and hospitalization.

If the underlying cause of the bleeding is minor and treated promptly, there may not be any lasting complications. However, some severe ear infections or injuries may have long-term complications.

These complications can include:

• lasting hearing loss
• changes in language processing
• permanent ringing in ears
• headaches
• balance problems
• lasting vertigo
• permanent hole in the eardrum

Outlook

In general, the outlook for ear bleeding is favorable. Most often, ear bleeding resolves without lasting complications as long as individuals receive prompt and proper treatment.

In cases of severe infections or injuries, a person may experience hearing loss and balance issues.

Bleeding from a superficial cut or small injury to the outer ear may not require medical attention. However, for any bleeding within the ear canal, it is best to see a doctor for diagnosis and treatment.

Blood from the ear of a child

Article rating

3.56 (Votes: 16)

Contents

• Causes of bleeding from the ear
  • Mechanical reasons:

  • Ear diseases:

• First aid for the appearance of blood from the ear of a child

• What will be the doctor’s actions?

The appearance of blood from the ear of a child usually frightens parents, because, unlike nosebleeds, it seems rare. Having found spotting, it is better to immediately consult a doctor. The only situation when you can not rush to the otolaryngologist is a slight mechanical damage to the skin of the auricle. In other cases, only an otolaryngologist can correctly determine the cause by examining the ear cavity, prescribing laboratory tests and diagnostic procedures.

Causes of bleeding from the ear

There are 2 main groups of sources of blood from the ear: mechanical causes and diseases of the ear.

Mechanical causes:

• Damage to the skin on the auricle or in the external auditory canal (scratch, abrasion). This is the only non-serious type of bleeding that does not pose a threat to the health of the child and does not require urgent medical attention. Minor bleeding stops on its own. Please note that in this case, the site of damage should be visible, or it is no longer possible to talk about a skin injury. Also, sometimes babies scratch their ears. The case may be in teething, which causes severe itching. In this case, it is better to consult a doctor to make sure that the cutting teeth are the cause of the scratching.
• Damage to the eardrum. They arise due to the inaccurate use of cotton swabs, objects that the child himself can put into his external auditory canal, as well as injury during games. For example, hitting the head hard with a ball can rupture the eardrum. In addition to blood in such cases, the symptoms are ear pain and hearing loss.
• Foreign body in the ear. The most important thing is not to try to remove the item yourself, even if it seems easy. This threatens to push the object deeper and cause more serious damage. Only an otolaryngologist can safely remove a foreign body and assess the extent of the damage it has caused.
• Traumatic brain injury. With a fracture of the base of the skull in the region of the temporal bone, blood from the ears often appears.

Ear diseases:

• Otitis. The inflammatory process in the ear also causes an increase in body temperature, severe pain in the ear, weakness and dizziness. Most often, with otitis media, blood departs along with pus when an abscess is opened. The doctor should control the course of the disease.
• Boils. Blood comes out with pus when opening a boil. The temperature also rises, redness and swelling appear in the ear area.
• Myringitis (an infection of the eardrum). It is characterized by severe pain in the ear and a rise in temperature.
• Ear candidiasis. It often occurs after taking a course of antibiotics, because weakened immunity and the absence of microflora form a beneficial environment for the reproduction of fungi. This causes fragility of the vessels and, as a result, the appearance of bleeding from the ear.
• Neoplasms (benign or malignant). Tumors of the ear, in addition to the appearance of blood, manifest themselves as pain and tinnitus, dizziness, headache, hearing loss.

First aid in case of bleeding from the ear of a child

First of all, it is necessary to clean all possible contamination of the auricle with warm boiled water. If the wound on the skin is superficial, after treatment with an antiseptic preparation (chlorhexidine solution, hydrogen peroxide), it can also be anointed with iodine and covered with a plaster so that the tissue segment covers the wound. If the bleeding is severe and the site of its occurrence is not visible, you need to close the external auditory canal with a swab of sterile cotton wool or a bandage, then apply a bandage. After that, you need to take the child to the hospital.

If you suspect a traumatic brain injury, do not touch the ear and wash it. The child must be laid on a flat surface and an ambulance called.

What will the doctor do?

After an external examination of the organ of hearing, if the cause of the bleeding could not be determined immediately, the doctor may order laboratory tests of blood, urine and swab from the ear. In some cases, hardware diagnostics can be performed. Further appointments of the doctor will depend on the cause of the formation of blood from the ear:

• in case of damage to the skin – the doctor will treat the place of damage with a disinfectant;
• if there is a foreign body in the ear – the doctor will remove it;
• In case of ear diseases, the child will be prescribed medicines: antibiotics, painkillers, antibacterial and antifungal drugs;
• for tympanic membrane rupture, treatment will depend on the severity of the injury; in some cases, surgery is necessary;
• if a neoplasm is detected, the child will be referred to an oncologist.

Our ENT doctors are always ready to help!

If you find blood from your child’s ear, please contact our Ear, Nose and Throat Clinic – experienced otolaryngologists are always happy to provide their patients with fast and professional assistance.

Seeing a doctor early can help keep you healthy.

Don’t delay treatment, call now. We work around the clock in Moscow.

tel.: 8 (499) 501-15-53 (24/7)

Blood from the ear of a child

11/24/2020

Bleeding from the ear – the reasons for their occurrence and recommendations for first aid.

Blood out of ear in a child is a common symptom caused by many reasons, the appearance of which must be understood in order to provide correct and timely first aid.

Self-control of bleeding from ear possible, but only for minor injuries affecting the external auditory canal or auricle.

Other pathologies of the described organ, accompanied by any type of bleeding, require immediate and emergency medical care.

Causes of ear bleeding and their features

Problems associated with the hearing organ in childhood are most often limited to inflammatory processes associated with anatomical specifics inherent in the structure of the middle ear and Eustachian tubes, as well as with viral diseases and colds.

But if blood appears in a child’s ear, it can only mean the following:

• bleeding is caused by some kind of mechanical damage: trauma, blows, foreign bodies getting into the ear, improper cleaning of the ear canal, damage to the eardrum;
• infection and inflammation of the ear organ occurred, often occurring, for example, in fungal infections, candidiasis, furunculosis, as well as in diseases in the form of otitis – external, middle and internal forms;
• bleeding caused by neoplasms in the ear .