Swimmer’s ear is often associated with people who spend a lot of time in the water at the pool, but more often people get this outer ear infection, also known as otitis externa, from other kinds of exposure to moisture. No matter how you get it, it can cause itching, redness, discharge and pain when you tug on your earlobe. Here’s an overview of otitis externa to help you know when it’s time to call the doctor.
Swimmer’s ear can develop when moist conditions in your ear canal create a breeding ground for a bacterial infection (or less frequently, a fungus or virus), or it may develop from scrapes or tears of the thin lining of the ear canal.
Here are some of the common reasons people develop this outer ear infection:
Water that stays in the ear from swimming, showering or other exposure to water
Irritation of the ear canal from foreign objects, fingers, or cleaning the ear incorrectly
Infection at the base of the skull
Before you treat swimmer’s ear at home, make sure you do not have a hole in your eardrum (perforation), which increases the risk of the spread of infection.
If the itching and redness of your outer ear isn’t severe, you can make a mild acidic solution, such as half alcohol and half vinegar, and use a dropper to apply it to the affected ear. You may want to lie on your side or have someone help you to make sure it gets to the affected area. You can also try over-the-counter ear drops made specifically to treat swimmer’s ear.
You can help prevent swimmer’s ear by keeping your ear canal clean and dry. Avoid putting your finger or other objects such as cotton swabs in your ear. When you clean your ears, use a 3% hydrogen peroxide solution to remove earwax that can trap water in your ear. Fill the ear dropper about halfway and drop it from above your ear. Let it fizz, and then pull on the top of your ear, which will let it drain. Make sure you dry your ears; you can buy drying drops or use your hair dryer on a low setting, several inches from your ear.
You can also use these methods to dry your ears after showering or swimming, particularly if you have recurrent infections. If you swim often, consider wearing earplugs to keep the water out of your ears.
If your outer ear remains red and itchy for more than a week, or if you have any of the following, contact your doctor:
Persistent itching
Pain that gets worse when you tug on your outer ear
Feeling that your ear is blocked
Drainage or pus leaking from the ear
Hearing loss
Severe pain in the neck, face or side of head
Swollen lymph nodes or swelling in the neck or near the ear
If you don’t treat swimmer’s ear, the infection may become more serious and harder to treat, and you may temporarily lose some hearing. In some cases, people can be hospitalized for advanced swimmer’s ear.
Your doctor can clean your ear safely and prescribe antibiotic drops, which is the most common treatment for otitis externa. Most cases of swimmer’s ear clear up in a week to 10 days. It’s important that you go to any follow-up appointments so your doctor can monitor your infection.
Your primary care physician can clean your ear canal and prescribe antibiotic ear drops. Be sure to follow the doctor’s directions carefully when applying the drops. If you think your child may have swimmer’s ear, call the pediatrician.
For more advanced cases of swimmer’s ear, your doctor may suggest you see an ear, nose and throat specialist (ENT), who may prescribe topical antibiotics. In more severe cases, you may be prescribed oral antibiotics and pain medication. Check your insurance policy to see if you need a referral to go to a specialist.
It’s important to attend to swimmer’s ear to reduce discomfort and make sure the infection doesn’t spread, but with the appropriate treatment and a home routine to keep your ears safely clean and dry, you can minimize the itching and redness of otitis externa.
