Culture and Sensitivity - Ear Swab (Left) Test

Culture and sensitivity tests are done to find the infection causing germs (such as bacteria or a fungi) and to find out the suitable medication, such as antibiotic, which will be a remedy to the infection. Culture and Sensitivity Aerobic test, a.k.a Aerobic Ear swab test is performed to measure the level of culture of the pathogenic organism in the sample taken. It is done on an ear swab sample taken from your left ear by trained experts at a laboratory. Consultation with the doctor is recommended to instruct you regarding the food, antibiotics and other medications which you can take in that period of time. The lab report produced after the test will give you a detailed analysis and insight regarding the infection, if present.

No special preparation is needed to perform this test. If you are taking any medicines such as ear-drops or any antibiotics, it is better to inform the doctor or lab in prior. Also, it is better to inform your doctor if you have any allergies or underlying conditions as it might cause adverse effects or tamper with the output. The doctor or the lab ultimately will advise you to take certain measures for this process which will be quite simple.

As mentioned above, the test is done to check for infections in your left ear. This is considered to be one of the simplest and uncomplicated tests. The report generated towards the end will have a thorough analysis of your infection, if any, and certain conclusions can be drawn which are: Normal- The test will return normal if there are no infections in your left ear and the normal range varies in accordance with the lab. If there is clearing around the disc, then it generally means that your left ear is infection free for all genders and all age groups. Abnormal- If there is an infection in your left ear; the test results will be abnormal. The reports are detailed enough to mention the infection causing bacteria or fungi. This will provide the necessary insight to the doctor to treat you by prescribing the right medication.

A sample of your left ear swab is collected by the lab technician from inside the outer canal thoroughly and isolated. In some cases, when the test is done during a surgery, the sample is collected from the middle ear. The sample will be sent to a lab where it will be placed in a special container and observed. It will be checked periodically for some days to find the presence of bacteria, fungi, or viruses have grown. Also, the procedure might not make you feel any pain, unless there is an ear infection which will last for some days.