What is Swimmers Ear and How to Get Rid of Swimmers Ear

Swimmers ear is actually a bacterial or fungal infection of the ear, or simply put, an ear infection. The difference between swimmers ear and an ear infection is how and why the infection occurs. The chance of getting swimmers ear are less when swimming in a well chlorinated pool with a good pH balance. However, if the pH balance of the pool is not in a good range, if you have been swimming in a lake, river, or the ocean your chances of getting swimmers ear are increased.

How Did I Get Swimmers Ear

Simply put, the reason you or your child got swimmers ear is because water built up in the ear canal and probably contained some form of bacteria or fungus. This bacteria or fungus had a perfect breeding ground in your ear because it had moisture and was in a darkened area. Generally infections are able to spread easily when they are left to their own devices in a dark, warm, and moist area-such as the ear after a nice swim.

What are the Signs and Symptoms of Swimmers Ear

If you or your children are experiencing such signs and symptoms of swimmers ear such as:

-itchy ear canals

-redness of the outer and inner part of the ear

-slight tugging of the ear lobe causes a shock of pain

-mild hearing loss

-discharge from the ear, often in the form of a milky substance or an odd colored discharge

-inflammation of the outer or inner ear

The above are just a sampling of some of the symptoms you may experience when having swimmers ear. Below we will cover some treatments for Swimmers ear.

Treatment for Swimmers Ear

You can purchase over the counter anti-septic ear drops or you can try home remedies for swimmers ear. Each are effective in their own right but the home remedies are cheaper and generally contain the same active ingredients found in over the counter treatments for swimmers ear. A popular and effective natural home remedy for swimmers ear is:

-Use 3 parts alcohol to one part vinegar. Use a dropper and drop one to two drops of the at home treatment for swimmers ear into the effected ear canal three times a day for two to five days. It is also extremely important to stay out of the water while experiencing swimmers ear. A good rule of thumb is to not swim for at least 10 days from the start of the signs and symptoms of Swimmers Ear. If the signs and symptoms of swimmers ear are severe and/or do not respond to home treatment, you may need to see your family doctor. Your family doctor can prescribe an antibiotic ear drop treatment and possibly an oral antibiotic treatment. If the symptoms are severe and left untreated, then permanent damage to the ear could occur.

-to help ease the pain associated with swimmers hear, use a pain relieve such as Tylenol or Advil. The anti-inflammatory agents in Advil, Aleve, etc will help with the pain as well as help to decrease the inflammation of the ear. You can also use warm compresses to the effected ear to help with the pain and inflammation as well.

-the rubbing alcohol drops will help to dry up excess water in the ear.

How to Prevent Swimmers Ear

Generally swimmers ear is not a big risk if you are swimming in a well chlorinated pool with a good pH balance. But, it is still possible to get swimmers ear from a pool even when the pH balance is good. A good idea would be to use ear plugs or wear a swimmers cap. This is a great precautionary method to use if you are swimming in a lake, river, stream, or other body of water that likely has bacteria or fungi in it; which most bodies of water have.

When you get out of the water from swimming, bend your body forward and turn your head to the side and shake, then turn your head the other way and shake your head. This will get some of the water out, but not all. You may also want to put a drop of rubbing alcohol in each ear after swimming to dry up excess water. This is a good prevention. Also, swimmers ear is more likely if your ear are 'too clean'. Believe it or not, ear wax help to block the water from getting into your inner ear.

Swimmers ear, otitis externa, isn't caused just from swimming. Showering and excess sweating can also lead to swimmers ear if you do not get excess water out of your ear before it enters your inner ear and becomes infected.

The signs and symptoms of swimmers ear may not occur until up to two days after your last swim. Ear pain, drainage from the ear, loss of appetite, dizziness, and difficulty hearing are signs and symptoms of swimmers ear in young children you should watch for. If you gently tug down the ear lobe of the child's ear and they show pain, then you know there is a good chance he or she has swimmers ear. You should begin treatment for the swimmers ear as soon as you can and if the swimmers ear does not get better in the first few days or the symptoms are severe, you should seek medical treatment from your family doctor.

Sources:

www.webmd.com

www.medicinene.com

www.wrongdiagnosis.com