Abnormal findings in the ear exam are a swollen or pus filled ear canal, red, tender ear canal, perforated eardrum, amber or liquid or bubbles behind your eardrum, red and bulging eardrum or a dull or absent light reflex.
A dull or absent light or reflex from your eardrum can be a sign of a middle ear infection or fluid.
A normal eardrum will reflect light and create a cone of light pattern and a dull or absent reflex can indicate fluid or inflammation in your middle ear.
A red and bulging eardrum is a classic sign of a middle ear infection and an amber liquid or bubbles behind your eardrum indicate fluid accumulation in the middle ear, and is often associated with an ear infection or fluid buildup.
A perforated eardrum is a hole in the eardrum which can occur due to infection, trauma or pressure changes.
Retracted eardrums can occur with Eustachian tube dysfunction, in which the eardrum pulls inward.
And Tympanosclerosis is a condition that involves scarring and thickening of your eardrum and often appears as chalky white patches.
Red, tender, swollen or pus filled ear canals can be signs that point to an external ear infection.
Granulation Tissue can be a sign of a cholesteatoma, which is an abnormal collection of skin cells in your middle ear.
Ear canal edema and Erythema are signs of inflammation and swelling in your ear canal.
And thick seropurulent Otorrhea refers to thick, yellowish or greenish discharge from your ear canal which can be malodorous.
When a doctor checks your ears it's called an otoscopy.
An ear exam by a doctor is called an otoscopy which is a medical term for a visual examination of your ear canal and your eardrum using a tool called an otoscope.
The otoscope is a handheld instrument that has a light and a magnifying lens which allows the doctor to see inside of your ear canal and your eardrum.
Ear exams by a doctor are done to check for various different ear problems like ear infections, hearing loss, ear pain or to check for any excessive earwax or foreign objects inside your ear canal.
The physical ear exam using an otoscope is not painful but if you have an ear infection then the otoscope being put into your ear may cause some mild pain.
The doctor checks you ears when sick to also check if there is a problem with your eustachian tube and opens dialog fluid behind the eardrum.
A normal eardrum will flex inward and outward in responses to changes in pressure.
A doctor using tools like an otoscope and curettes can identify infections, earwax impaction and more.
A doctor can also clean out your ears which is called a cerumenectomy which is the removal of earwax from your ears.
In most cases ear wax blockages respond to at home treatments that are designed to soften the earwax so it can be removed easily by yourself but sometimes you may need to or want a doctor to do a good cleaning of the ears.