Swimmer's ear is an inflammation of the external ear canal. It is caused by moisture in the ear canal. It's often caused by moisture in the ear perhaps from frequent showers or shampooing or from swimming, particularly in polluted water. The dampness can make the skin inside the ear canal crack or flake, letting bacteria or fungi invade. Some skin problems such as dermatitis and psoriasis can also cause swimmer's ear.
Symptoms of Swimmers Ear:
- Itching or blocked feeling in the ear.
- Ear pain and tenderness that is worse when you move your head or pull on your earlobe.
- Foul smelling watery or yellow discharge from the ear.
- Patches of broken, flaky skin around the opening of the ear.
- Muffled hearing.
Prevention of Swimmers Ear:
- Use some lanolin eardrops or baby oil in your ears before you swim to protect them from the water.
- Try to keep your ears dry. Wear earplugs while swimming and pull a shower cap over your ears before showering.
- Dry the outer parts of the ear after swimming or showering and use rubbing alcohol eardrops to help evaporate.
- Use antiseptic eardrops if you get water in your ears and tend to get swimmers ear.
- Be careful when clearing earwax from your ears. Don't use anything that would scratch the ear canal.
Home remedies for Swimmers Ear:
Some of the major home remedies for swimmers Ear are:
- Keep the infected ear dry. Wear earplugs or big, loose fitting cotton balls coated with Vaseline when showering or washing your hair. Stay out of swimming pools.
- Use over the counter antiseptic eardrops. Make your own eardrops by mixing equal parts of alcohol and white vinegar. Warm the drops first. Leave them in the ear for a couple of minutes, and then tilt your head to let them drain out.
- Hold a warm compress over the ear to relieve pain. Over the counter painkillers may help.
- To prevent the problem from coming back don't let any water get into the ear canal for 3 weeks after the symptoms disappear.
- Use the warm (never hot!) setting of your hair dryer and place it about an arm's length from the ear and slowly move it back and forth. Test it on your wrist after it has been running a while before using it on the ear. The warm air will evaporate any trapped water.
If natural home remedies can't cure, call a doctor when:
- If symptoms persist after more than 4 or 5 days of self care.
- If you have any symptoms and your eardrum has been ruptured or been injured in other ways.
- If you already have another ear infection.
- If you have diabetes or a weakened immune system.
