Swimmer’s Ear: A Common Summertime Complaint

DAVENPORT, IOWA - Swimming is a popular activity for escaping the heat during summer, but some swimmers may return home with a painful problem.

Swimmer’s ear is a very common infection of the outer ear and ear canal. The cause is exposure to excess moisture. This can happen through repeated swimming, bathing, swimming in polluted water, or just living in a very humid environment.

“Swimmer’s ear is a mixture of germs and fungus in the ear canal,” explains William Langley, M.D., medical director of Genesis Health Group. “The wetness in the ear gives the germs a chance to grow.”

Symptoms of swimmer’s ear are pain in the outer ear, or pain when the little “bump” in front of the ear is pushed. The ear may itch and swelling could occur around the ear or the lymph nodes in the neck. Hearing can also become decreased or muffled in the infected ear.

Dr. Langley says that swelling is the reason swimmer’s ear can become painful. “Swelling in the ear is painful because there is not a lot of room for ear tissue to expand,” he says. “Your ear canal is not a very big area, so when the tissue begins to expand it creates painful pressure in the ear.”

Swimmer’s ear is not usually an emergency situation, but Dr. Langley says if the pain lasts more than a day, you should see your doctor.

The treatment goal for swimmer’s ear is to clear up the infection. A common treatment is topical antibiotics. “Usually for swimmer’s ear, the prescription will be an eardrop of antibiotics to kill the germs, mixed with cortisone to help reduce the inflammation,” Dr. Langley says. “The infection should be gone in three to five days.”

So how can you prevent swimmer’s ear? Dry your ears after exposure to moisture from swimming or bathing. Also, do not swim in water that may be polluted. And, when swimming, use earplugs.

Another good prevention idea is to make a 50:50 mixture of white vinegar and rubbing alcohol for use after swimming or exposure to water. Apply 3-4 drops in each ear canal after swimming. This will help dry the ear canal.

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