Clear fluid leaking from left ear

[ed_the_librarian]

i have a headache and a sensation that there is fluid running down the side of my head. I am now getting a clear fluid leaking out of my left ear.. I have not had a loss of hearing and i went to dr to see if i had a infection and there was no indication of an infection.. what else could be causing this.. It is driving me nuts.. I am tugging on my ear all the time

[Vivek V Gurudutt, MD]

The most important thing to rule out is if you are draining cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) out of your ear.  CSF bathes the brain and is a system that should not get past the dura or layer surrounding it.  If you have a perforation of your ear drum, it is possible to have leakage out of your outer ear.  Collecting the fluid in a sterile container to be tested is critical in diagnosis.  A special marker found in CSF is used to verify the leakage (beta-2-transferrin).  Visit an ent and get a workup.  Further testing would include imaging.  Good luck.

[moni1952]

I too have had clear fluid leaking from my ear for the past several months. It came after an ear infection from which severe ear pain started as well. After 6 ENT specialists later I have no solution.
The last one told me after the CT scan showed nothing to have someone use a glass pipette with a rubber syringe top and draw as much of the fluid as possible and drop it into a sealed container that I was given.
I will be doing this as soon as he advises me of the culture tests that he is doing on that ear. The pain is unbearable and I can't stand loud sounds as well. This maybe a little different from your condition, however I thought that I would post about the collection of fluid via the pipette and placement in a container in the hopes that this might help if your dr. will co-operate.
Good luck.