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Cholesteatoma

Cholesteatoma · Cholesteatom

What it is

Skin grows into the middle ear and erodes bone. It does not stop on its own.

Symptoms & signs

  • Smelly persistent ear discharge
  • hearing loss
  • earache
  • dizziness
  • facial weakness if late

🚩 Get help if…

  • call 112 / 911 now Weakness of one side of the face
  • call 112 / 911 now Severe headache, stiff neck, high fever or confusion with ear discharge
  • see a doctor soon Swelling, redness or pain behind the ear
  • see a doctor soon Spinning dizziness or sudden worse hearing with a smelly discharge

Where it strikes

Medical treatment

  • Surgical removal (mastoidectomy) — the only cure
  • regular follow-up for recurrence
  • hearing reconstruction

Natural & lifestyle

  • Keep the ear dry
  • treat ear infections promptly
  • attend follow-up scans

Emerging & experimental

  • Non-echo-planar diffusion MRI instead of second-look surgery

Alternative, off-label & anecdotal

Approaches used outside the guidelines, with what their supporters report and what testing has found so far.

  • Ear drops and natural remedies — cannot remove it; only surgery does anecdotal / traditional
  • Ear candling — burns and blockages; no benefit not confirmed in trials

ICD codes