Swimmer's Ear Glossary of Terms

1. Anatomy of an Ear Infection Slideshow Pictures
2. Take the Ear Infection Quiz
3. Tinnitus (Ringing of the Ears) Slideshow Pictures

Acetaminophen: A nonaspirin pain reliever or analgesic. Acetaminophen may be given alone t...

Acetate: A molecular ion derived from acetic acid. The formula of acetate is CH3COO-.

Acetic acid: The acid most commonly associated with vinegar. Acetic acid is a two-carbon c...

Adjacent: Lying nearby. Related terms include superjacent, subjacent, and circumjacent. Fr...

Antibacterial: Anything that destroys bacteria or suppresses their growth or their ability...

Antibiotic: A drug used to treat infections caused by bacteria and other microorganisms. ...

Antifungal: A medication that limits or prevents the growth of yeasts and other fungal org...

Antiseptic: Something that discourages the growth microorganisms. By contrast, aseptic ref...

Aspirin: Once the Bayer trademark for acetylsalicylic acid, now the common name for this a...

Bacteria: Single-celled microorganisms that can exist either as independent (free-living) ...

Bacterial: Of or pertaining to bacteria, as in a bacterial lung infection.

Cure: 1. To heal, to make well, to restore to good health. 2. A time withou...

Diabetes: Refers to diabetes mellitus or, less often, to diabetes insipidus. Diabetes mell...

Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease; the identification of an illness. 2 A ...

Dizziness: Painless head discomfort with many possible causes including disturbances of ...

Drain: A device for removing fluid from a cavity or wound. A drain is typically a tube or ...

Ear: The hearing organ. There are three sections of the ear, according to the anatomy tex...

Ear wax: A natural wax-like substance secreted by special glands in the skin on the outer ...

Earache: Pain in the ear. This can occur because of conditions within the ear itself, the ...

Eardrum: The tympanic membrane of the ear, or tympanum. The eardrum separates the middle e...

Emergency department: The department of a hospital responsible for the provision of medica...

External ear: There are three sections of the ear. They are the external ear, the middle ...

Exudate: A fluid rich in protein and cellular elements that oozes out of blood vessels due...

Fever: Although a fever technically is any body temperature above the normal of 98.6 degr...

Fungal: Pertaining to a fungus. For example, a fungal skin infection.

Fungi: Plural of fungus.

Fungus: A single-celled or multicellular organism. Fungi can be true pathogens (such as hi...

Ibuprofen: A nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) that is commonly used to treat pa...

Immune: Protected against infection, usually by the presence of antibodies.

Immune system: A complex system that is responsible for distinguishing a person from every...

Infection: The invasion and multiplication of microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, an...

Inflammation: A localized reaction that produces redness, warmth, swelling, and pain as a ...

Itching: An uncomfortable sensation in the skin that feels as if something is crawling on ...

Lobe: Part of an organ that appears to be separate in some way from the rest. A lobe may b...

Malignant: 1. Tending to be severe and become progressively worse, as in malignant ...

Membrane: A very thin layer of tissue that covers a 'surface.

Microscope: An optical instrument that augments the power of the eye to see small objects....

Middle ear: A part of the ear that consists of the eardrum (tympanic membrane) and, beyond...

Neck: The part of the body joining the head to the shoulders. Also, any narrow or constric...

Otitis: Inflammation of the ear. Depending upon which part of the ear is inflammed, there ...

Otitis externa: Infection of the skin covering the outer ear canal that leads in to the ea...

Otolaryngologist: A physician specialized in diagnosing and treating diseases of the head ...

Otoscope: An instrument for looking in the ear.

Outer ear: The part of the ear that is visible along the side of the head. The outer ear c...

Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pa...

Prescription: A physician's order for the preparation and administration of a drug or dev...

Prognosis: The forecast of the probable outcome or course of a disease; the patient's chan...

Pseudomonas aeruginosa: The versatile "blue-green pus bacteria" that opportunistically inf...

Recurrent: Appearing or occurring again. For example, a recurrent fever is a fever that ha...

Salicylic acid: A substance obtained from plants (white willow back and wintergreen leaves...

Staphylococcus: A group of bacteria that cause a multitude of diseases. Under a microscope...

Surgery: The branch of medicine that employs operations in the treatment of disease or inj...

Swimmer's ear: Infection of the skin covering the outer ear canal that leads in to the ear...

Symptom: Any subjective evidence of disease. In contrast, a sign is objective. Blood comin...

Therapy: The treatment of disease. Therapy is synonymous with treatment.

Thimerosal: A mercury-containing preservative used in some vaccines and other products sin...

Tinnitus: Ringing in the ears. Tinnitus has many causes, including some medications (inclu...

Topical: Pertaining to a particular surface area. For example, a topical agent is applied ...

Trauma: A physical or emotional injury.

Trigger: Something that either sets off a disease in people who are genetically predispose...

Tubes: The "tubes" are medically known as the Fallopian tubes. There are two Fallopian tub...

Tylenol: See: Acetaminophen.

Tympanic: 1. Pertaining to the tympanum (the eardrum).
2. Pertaining t...

Tympanic membrane: The eardrum, a thin membrane that serves as a partition between the ext...

Vertigo: Aside from being the name of a classic 1958 Alfred Hitchcock film (with Jimmy St...