Chico, CA
A 19-year-old female asked:
2nd day of sharp pain deep inside ear canal and it hurts to touch on outside by earlobe. what can this be?
1 doctor answer • 2 doctors weighed in

Dr. Sunil Ummatanswered
ENT - Head & Neck Surgery 36 years experience
Outer ear infection: The key to the diagnosis here is that the ear lobe hurts when you move it. I suspect that you have an ear infection within the outer ear canal. Pulling on the earlobe causes pain because it creates traction on the ear canal. An outer ear infection or inflammation is quite common in warm weather or with water exposure. If it gets worse, you will need antibiotic ear drops from a doctor or pharmacy.
5k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Feb 9, 2016
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