Otitis Externa refers to infection of which area?

• A. Inner ear infection
• B. Middle ear infection
• C. Infection of the ear canal; swimmers ear
• D. Eye infection

Answer: (C)

Otitis externa is an infection of the external auditory canal, the tube that runs from the opening of the ear to the eardrum. This region is exposed to water and microbes, which is why swimmers often develop it and it’s commonly referred to as swimmer’s ear. It differs from other ear infections that involve deeper parts of the ear: an inner ear infection (labyrinthitis) affects structures inside the temporal bone and can cause vertigo and hearing issues, a middle ear infection (otitis media) involves the space behind the eardrum and is often linked to a perforation or conductive hearing loss, and an eye infection involves the ocular surface. So the area affected in otitis externa is the ear canal.