Periauricular pit care (small hole above ear)?!
Question: Periauricular pit care (small hole above ear)!?
How do I care for my draining Periauricular pit (that tiny hole that some people are born with above their ear or both ears)!? It's been draining for a few weeks now, and at first the drainage was thick, looked like peanut butter, and smelled vinegar-like!. Now since I drained most of it out, it's more watery with a tan-ish color, and it smells salty!. How should I care for it!?Www@Answer-Health@Com
Answers:
Hello,
I'm sorry about this!. I imagine that it's this that you're describing, here's a picture from the internet!.!.!.!. http://www!.ghorayeb!.com/Preauricular_Sin!.!.!. I would have called it pre- auricular rather than peri- auricular, not that it matters!. Pre- means "in front of" the ear, and peri- means "somewhere near" the ear!.
The problem, as I think you see, is that anything which gets into the bottom of the pit, has trouble in getting out again!. This includes germs, which can cause infections deep in the pit!. The pus from an infection finds it difficult to get out, making it difficult to get the infection to subside!.
Also, all skin normally sheds tiny scales all the time, and also produces some grease to keep the skin water-proof!. Since your pit is going to be lined inside with skin, these scales and water-proofing grease are being produced all the time, but are finding it difficult to get out!.
This condition is very similar to another 'pit' problem people can get at the bottom of their spines, called a "pilonidal sinus," - - but this is produced in life by bumping up and down on your bottom, you aren't born with it!. Here is a pic of a pilonidal sinus at the bottom end of the crease between buttocks, http://dermis!.multimedica!.de/bilder/CD19!.!.!.
If you are content to treat it yourself, then you have to do your best to always keep it clean inside the pit!. Perhaps getting a small syringe to 'swish' it out with water, might help!.
You might want to consider letting your doctor look at it, when it gets infected, - - he or she might recommend antibiotic tablets to kill off the germs!.
There is the possibility of getting it surgically removed!. You might like to look at the American article about this, here!.!.!.http://www!.ghorayeb!.com/PreAuricularCyst!.!.!.
The thing about getting it removed surgically is that they have to be sure of getting the whole pit!. One way of doing this is to inject a bit of blue dye down into the hole, and then removing all the blue bits under the skin!. It would leave a small scar!.
I hope this is of some help!.
Best wishes,
Belliger (retired uk gp)Www@Answer-Health@Com
I'm sorry about this!. I imagine that it's this that you're describing, here's a picture from the internet!.!.!.!. http://www!.ghorayeb!.com/Preauricular_Sin!.!.!. I would have called it pre- auricular rather than peri- auricular, not that it matters!. Pre- means "in front of" the ear, and peri- means "somewhere near" the ear!.
The problem, as I think you see, is that anything which gets into the bottom of the pit, has trouble in getting out again!. This includes germs, which can cause infections deep in the pit!. The pus from an infection finds it difficult to get out, making it difficult to get the infection to subside!.
Also, all skin normally sheds tiny scales all the time, and also produces some grease to keep the skin water-proof!. Since your pit is going to be lined inside with skin, these scales and water-proofing grease are being produced all the time, but are finding it difficult to get out!.
This condition is very similar to another 'pit' problem people can get at the bottom of their spines, called a "pilonidal sinus," - - but this is produced in life by bumping up and down on your bottom, you aren't born with it!. Here is a pic of a pilonidal sinus at the bottom end of the crease between buttocks, http://dermis!.multimedica!.de/bilder/CD19!.!.!.
If you are content to treat it yourself, then you have to do your best to always keep it clean inside the pit!. Perhaps getting a small syringe to 'swish' it out with water, might help!.
You might want to consider letting your doctor look at it, when it gets infected, - - he or she might recommend antibiotic tablets to kill off the germs!.
There is the possibility of getting it surgically removed!. You might like to look at the American article about this, here!.!.!.http://www!.ghorayeb!.com/PreAuricularCyst!.!.!.
The thing about getting it removed surgically is that they have to be sure of getting the whole pit!. One way of doing this is to inject a bit of blue dye down into the hole, and then removing all the blue bits under the skin!. It would leave a small scar!.
I hope this is of some help!.
Best wishes,
Belliger (retired uk gp)Www@Answer-Health@Com