Health

Grim video shows mushrooms growing inside woman’s ear after she complained it was sore and itchy


THIS grim video shows how a doc discovered dozens of mushrooms growing inside a woman’s ear.

The unnamed patient went to see medics in Dien Bien Province, Vietnam, after complaining her ears were itchy and painful.

 Docs were shocked to discover dozens of tiny mushroom-like growths inside a woman's ear

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Docs were shocked to discover dozens of tiny mushroom-like growths inside a woman’s earCredit: newsflare

Her doctor carried out an examination of her ear canal using an endoscope  – a long, flexible tube with a light and camera at one end.

It beams an image on to a screen for the medic to analyse and the doc was surprised to discover dozens of black spores.

The growths, which resembled tiny mushrooms, were quickly removed from the woman’s ear.

The doctor, who wasn’t named, said the woman may have had an infection in her ear which triggered the fungal infection.

Ear infections are very common, particularly in children, and they tend to clear up on their own after a few days.

A fungal ear infection is typically caused when the amount of earwax, which protects the lining of the ear from fungus, is reduced.

 Images from an endoscope show the tiny black spores deep inside her ear canal

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Images from an endoscope show the tiny black spores deep inside her ear canalCredit: newsflare

This can be from overusing cotton buds or sea water splashing in the ear canal, according to Patient.info.

The temperature can also have an effect as fungi grows faster in the heat, so they tend to be more common in warmer climates.

In the UK, they occur more often in summer than in winter.

It’s not clear what the exact cause of this woman’s ear infection was.

Fungal ear infections are usually treated with a clean-up, known as an ‘aural toilet’.

It is usually carried out by a doctor or nurse and involves gently clearing the ear of discharge using swabs, a suction tube or syringe.

This may need to be done several times a week in the first instance to ease discomfort and allow ear drops to get to the right place.

What are the symptoms of a fungal ear infection?

A fungal ear infection, known medically as otomycosis, is an infection of fungus usually involving the canal that runs from the ear hole to the eardrum.

Typically, the ear starts to look red and the skin on the outer part of the ear becomes scaly.

It may start to itch and become quite uncomfortable and you may notice discharge beginning to leak out of the ear.

The itching is often worse with fungal infections than with other types of ear infection.

Apart from this the symptoms of a fungal ear infection are often identical to ear infections caused by bacteria.

This means your doctor may prescribe antibiotic ear drops to start with and may only suspect a fungal infection when the treatment doesn’t work.

Fungal ear infections usually cause a fair amount of discomfort and discharge so most people want to see a doctor soon after the condition starts.

There are some eardrops available from pharmacies, but the best they can do is reduce the inflammation a bit. In fungal infections, they don’t usually have much effect.

See a doctor sooner rather than later if:

  • You are in a lot of pain
  • Your ear produces a lot of discharge
  • You feel generally unwell or develop unusual symptoms such as dizziness
  • You have a high temperature
  • The outer part of your ear looks very mucky
  • Your hearing becomes muffled
  • You’ve bought some treatment from the chemist which hasn’t worked

Source: Patient.info

For this with strong immune systems, the infection should respond quickly to antifungal treatment.

However, people with long-term conditions that make them more prone to repeated infections may find it to be a persistent problem.

Experts advise you shouldn’t poke around inside your ear with a cotton bud as that can only prolong the condition.


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