Tis the season to start enjoying the nice warm weather! The sun is out, the days are longer and the water is refreshing. This is the time of year that most people start to swim and enjoy the water with friends and family. This is a great leisure activity and can be fun for people of all ages but there is a problem that occurs every year to many people each year. We are talking about what is referred to as swimmers ear. Swimmers ear can be dangerous so you need to know what you are dealing with. If you are having problems with your ears; whether pain, discomfort or trouble hearing; contact ENT Specialists for expert treatment!
What is Swimmer’s Ear & What are the Symptoms: We normally call it swimmer’s ear but it is also referred to as an outer ear infection. The ear canal that is affected when this occurs goes from the eardrum out to the exterior of your ear and head. The area is infected from growth of bacteria. It can cause some pain and discomfort and needs to be treated in order to recover from it. Some of the signs that you can expect when you think you have swimmer’s ear is pain in the ear when it is tugged on or moved. You may experience itching and possible trouble with hearing. Another symptom is when you see fluid that is leaking from the ear itself. All of these can be signs that you have an outer ear infection or swimmer’s ear.
What Can You Do To Prevent Swimmer’s Ear: There is really no way of completely stopping swimmer’s ear from happening but you can lessen your chances by following a few tips. One of the most important tips is to never stick anything in your ear. The wax that is found inside the ear canal is supposed to be there to protect the ear. You don’t need to clean them out by sticking your fingers or any other object in your ear. If you are swimming a lot this season you can also try and shake your head back and forth to try and dislodge any extra water that is possibly in the ear canal. You can also use a blow dryer on a low setting to prevent it from burning and hold it about a foot away. This will help to dry out the water that is still in the ear canal after a day of swimming. Another great way to prevent water from even getting into your ears is by using earplugs that you can buy at an drug store. This will close off the canal and stop the water from getting in and staying in.
