BY GEORGE NAVA TRUE II
Something came out of my right ear that smelled bad. The yellow discharge happened for a few days and has stopped. I don’t have pain or fever but I can’t hear well. – Name and address withheld on request.
In the absence of other symptoms, your probably have no reason to worry about an ear discharge that has stopped. A yellow discharge from the ear usually comes from ear wax that has mixed with water before falling out. The wax protects the ear from dust, bacteria, and foreign bodies that find their way there.
But if water gets in your ear from bathing, showering, and swimming, it can mix with the wax and cause a yellowish discharge. Although unsightly, it is nothing serious. If you have plenty of ear wax that doesn’t fall out, this can affect your hearing, but a doctor can easily remove this.
However, if the discharge lasts more than a few days and there are other symptoms, you should see a physician to rule out the possibility of an injury or infection. Be wary of a white, yellowish or bloody discharge that persists for five days and is accompanied by other symptoms like fever, headaches, and pain.
Pain that increases when you move your earlobe is not normal. Also take note of hearing loss and redness or swelling in the ear. Among others, this can indicate a ruptured eardrum or a middle ear infection.
I have lumps in my armpit. What causes this and what can I do? Do I need to take medicines? – Name and address withheld on request.
Swollen lymph nodes, bacterial or viral infections, and cysts are possible causes of armpit or axillary lumps. Lymph nodes are part of the body’s immune system that filter out germs and grow in size when they do. In this case, the skin looks normal and the lump normally disappears in a few days.
If the lump is accompanied by redness, pain, or fever, that probably means you have an infection that has to be treated by a physician. Mount Sinai Hospital doctors in New York said this can be caused by AIDS, herpes, or even cancer. A cancerous lymph node is usually hard and round.
Shaving and the use of antiperspirants may also produce armpit lumps. This is usually an allergic reaction and nothing to worry about. In some, the lumps are only lipomas (harmless fatty tissue growths) or fibroadenomas (noncancerous fibrous tissue growths). They may be an adverse reaction to vaccination or due to fungal infections.
Most of these lumps are harmless, but it’s always best to consult a doctor to be sure. Treatment depends on the cause.
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National Press Club and Philippine Dental Association awardee George N. True II has written two bestsellers based on his popular column that has been running for almost 40 years. For questions about health, email georgenavatrue@yahoo.com./PN
