During the assessment of a client's external ear canal, the nurse identifies a painful pustule. The nurse realizes this assessment finding could be caused by:

Question

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A painful pustule in the external ear canal is a common sign of furunculosis, which is an infection of a hair follicle in the ear canal. Exostoses are bony growths in the ear canal, hemotympanum is blood in the middle ear, and acute otitis media is an infection of the middle ear. These conditions may cause different symptoms than a painful pustule in the external ear canal.

During the Assessment of a Client's External Ear Canal, the Nurse