Swimmer’s ear, technically known as acute external otitis or otitis externa, is an infection of the outer ear canal (the portion outside your eardrum). It is known as swimmer’s ear because it frequently occurs as the result of liquid remaining in the ears after swimmingwhich provides a moist environment which promotes the growth of bacteria. It can also be brought on by putting your fingers, cotton swabs, or other foreign objects into your ears, because these items can scuff or damage the sensitive ear canal lining, leaving it open to an opportunistic infection. Although swimmer’s ear can be very easily treated, it is important to know and recognize the symptoms of it, because left untreated it can cause serious complications.
If the ear’s innate defenses are overloaded, the result may be swimmer’s ear. Moisture in the ears, sensitivity reactions, and scrapes to the ear canal lining can all promote bacterial growth, and cause infection. Specific activities will increase your risk of getting swimmer’s ear. Swimming, use of inside-the-ear devices (including hearing aids or ear buds), overly aggressive cleaning of the ear canal and allergies all raise your likelihood of infection.
The most common symptoms of swimmer’s ear are itching in the ear canal, mild discomfort that is made worse by tugging on your ear, a slight redness inside the ear, and mild drainage of a clear, odorless liquid. Moderate symptoms include more severe itching and pain and discharge of pus-like fluids. Extreme symptoms include severe pain (sometimes radiating to other areas of the head, face, and neck), fever, swelling or redness of the outer ear or lymph nodes, and actual blockage of the ear canal. If untreated, complications from swimmer’s ear can be extremely serious. Complications may include short-term hearing loss, long-term ear infections, deep tissue infections which may spread to other areas of the body, and bone or cartilage loss. That is why, if you have any of these signs or symptoms, even if minor, see your health care provider.
During your appointment, the physician will look for indications of swimmer’s ear with an otoscope, which allows them to look deep into your ear canal. The doctor will examine the eardrum in both ears to ensure that there is not a rupture or other damage. Physicians generally treat swimmer’s ear first by cleaning the ears thoroughly, and then by prescribing eardrops to remove the infection. For extensive, serious infections a course of antibiotics taken orally may be prescribed.
Just remember these 3 tips to avoid getting swimmer’s ear.
- Dry your ears completely after showering or swimming.
- Don’t swim in untreated, open water.
- Don’t insert any foreign objects in your ears to try to clean them.
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