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Ear Discharge After Grommets in Children: Is It Normal? | London & Essex ENT

  My Child Has Ear Discharge After Grommets — Is This Normal? A Parent’s Guide Your child had grommets inserted to help with glue ear or recurrent middle-ear problems. Their hearing may have improved. They returned to nursery or school. Everything seemed settled. Then one morning you notice: fluid coming from the ear. Perhaps there is a small mark on the pillow. Perhaps the ear looks wet. Sometimes the discharge is yellow or sticky; occasionally parents notice an unpleasant smell. The immediate question is usually: “Has something gone wrong with the grommet?” The reassuring answer is that ear discharge in a child with grommets is a recognised problem and is often treatable. A small amount of clear or lightly blood-stained fluid shortly after the operation can occur. University Hospitals Sussex's children's grommet guidance , reviewed 18 June 2026 , describes slight clear discharge during the first day or so as something that can happen after surgery. Discharge that persists, de...

Boil in the Ear canal can be very painful...



How do I know I have boil in the ear canal?
The ear canal is lined by skin up to the eardrum. Skin in the outer third of the ear canal has hair follicles. Hair follicles can get infected with bacteria and can form boil or furunculosis. It is challenging to look in our own ear canal. You can only feel a bump in the ear canal entrance which is tender to touch.

Why is so painful when we have boil in the ear?
Ear canal skin is very tightly attached to underlying cartilage. So any swelling in the skin stretches it and makes it very sore to touch.

How do we get boil in the ear canal? 
Most common causes of boil in the canal is dryness of the skin and trauma. Dry skin leads to cracks and these cracks can get infected. People who use dry earbuds, fingers, towel edges or pens and traumatise ear canal skin, which can get infected with bacteria.

How do I release the temptation of using earbuds?
Some people can get very dry skin due to sensitivity to soup, shampoo or dye they use. If you have dry skin, you should let ear canal dry out naturally rather than using earbuds or towel. You can use a hairdryer at low heat setting to take the moisture away.  If you wish to moisturise the ear canal, use E45 lotion in the outer ear canal. If you are sensitive to soup and shampoo, using cotton coated with petroleum jelly (vaseline) can help. Use earplugs while swimming and using a swimming cap or band can help keep earplugs tightly fit.


How do I treat ear boil infection?
In most cases, using painkillers ie Ibuprofen, hot fomentation using flannel soaked in warm water, taking rest and stop using earbud can help. In cases if it becomes excruciating, make an appointment to see an ENT surgeon to get ear examined and antibiotic prescription. In a few instances, if ear boil becomes large and painful, it needs to be drained under local anaesthetic.

Why can someone get recurrent boil in the ear canal?
Recurrent boil in the ear canal can be due to untreated, dry skin, constant irritation due to swimmers ear or low immunity.
Low immunity in patients with undiagnosed diabetes, autoimmune disorder or if you are having chemotherapy can lead to the recurrent boil in the ear canal.  Patients are advised not to try and rupture the boil as infection can spread to nearby skin.

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Consultant Ear Nose Throat Surgeon

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Disclaimer: For general information only, always seek medical advice from your treating consultant.

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