You will be advised to keep your ear dry and topical antibiotics will be prescribed. It may be necessary to obtain some ear discharge to culture for bacteria so that the species of bacteria can be identified and the most appropriate antibiotic prescribed.

Surgical treatment such as myringoplasty, tympanoplasty or ossiculoplasty may be needed to repair the eardrum and/or to reconstruct the ossicles if there is troublesome discharge or the hearing loss is significant.

Surgical treatment of cholesteatoma is necessary. The surgical procedure, tympanomastoidectomy, involves removal of the cholesteatoma, the affected bone and the middle ear structures.