Keep Swimmer's Ear from Ruining Your Fun in the Pool

An infection of the skin in the ear canal or the outer ear is known as otitis externa, or swimmer's ear. It is unlike an infection of the inner ear, otitis media, which is generally suffered along with various cold symptoms such as congestion or a runny nose. Swimmer's ear can occur should water become trapped inside the ear canal subsequent to bathing or swimming. The water rubs against the skin, creating an opening for bacteria or fungus to pass through, leading to an infection.

You needn't worry about catching a swimmer's ear infection from someone else, as they are not contagious, but they do resemble an infection that you may see at the site of a bite or cut. There are many over-the-counter solutions available to help prevent swimmer's ear or you can mix your own solution at home by combining equal amounts of white vinegar and rubbing alcohol. Usage of the drops involves putting five to ten drops in both ears right after swimming, keeping them in the ear for several minutes and then letting them run out.

Vinegar eliminates any remaining fungus or bacteria inside the ear, and alcohol evaporates trapped water that is left. The above procedure is not meant to treat an infection, but as a preventative to keep your child from being infected. In patting dry your child's ears completely after he has water inside, by staying away from water that is too polluted to swim in, and through impeding your child from inserting things inside the ears like cotton swabs, you will assist in preventing swimmer's ear.

Swimmer's ear includes symptoms such as itching within the ear canal or the outer ear, compromised hearing, facial pain or pain near your ears, or pain resulting from pressure on the area which extends over your ear canal, or manipulation of the ear. Your child may also have swimmer's ear if the discomfort is limited to one ear.

A greenish-yellow discharge coming from the opening of the ear is another symptom that may accompany swimmer's ear. If you think you have swimmer's ear, you should call your physician, particularly if you do experience any secretion of fluid. If swimmer's ear remains untreated, it can sometimes increase in severity and attack the bone and cartilage which compose the canal of the ear. Pain can be mitigated by the use of a heating pad, a warm cloth over the ear, or acetaminophen.

There may be a need for an antibiotic-steroid drops prescription if there is inflammation and it is a serious infection. The steroids reduce the inflammation and provide itch relief while the antibiotic destroys the fungus or bacteria that have infected the ear. If your doctor discovers that the ear canal is so swollen that the drops may not even get to the infection, he may put a wick in the ear; the wick is a simply a bit of cotton or sponge that is placed in the ear to ensure the drops are able to get deep into the ear canal. The treatment generally lasts around a week, and children should be kept away from the pool or any other water exposure for the duration of this period.

You must not forget to do a follow-up with the doctor after the child's prescribed treatment period expires and to return to the doctor right away should the ear continue to drain or if the child has dizziness, fever, a stiff neck or ear pain which continues for more than forty-eight hours.

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