Question:

Tubercular otitis media is characterized by all of the following EXCEPT?

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TB middle ear discharge is classically painless, so pick the feature that contradicts that.
Updated On: Jun 23, 2026
  • Painful otorrhea
  • Multiple perforations
  • Pale granulations
  • Foul-smelling ear discharge
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The Correct Option is A

Solution and Explanation

Answer: Painful otorrhea (this is the exception).
Step 1: Tuberculous otitis media is a rare middle ear infection, usually secondary to pulmonary tuberculosis, reaching the middle ear through the eustachian tube.
Step 2: Its hallmark is painless otorrhea (a thin, watery discharge) that does not respond to ordinary antibiotics. Because it is classically painless, painful otorrhea is the feature that does NOT fit, so it is the exception asked for.
Step 3: The other listed features are genuine: multiple tympanic membrane perforations, abundant pale granulation tissue, bone necrosis, and preauricular lymphadenopathy. The discharge can become foul smelling when there is associated bone necrosis.
Ref: Dhingra, Diseases of Ear, Nose and Throat.
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