Taking Great Care of a Common Symptom Known as Swimmers Ear

For those individuals who spend a great amount of time in the water, it is highly probable that you have either experienced swimmers ear or that you will experience it in the future. Fortunately, there are ways to diagnose and treat swimmers ear without entering a doctor’s office.

For medical purposes, the ear is divided anatomically into different sections. The first section is the outer ear. This section of the ear extends from the lobe to the actual ear drum. The second area of the ear is called the middle ear. The middle ear encompasses the area beyond the ear drum. Pinpointing exactly where the discomfort is coming from will increase the chances that you will treat the affected area.

Swimmers ear is a type of mild infection that begins in the outer ear canal. This particular type of ear infection travels from the eardrum to the outside of your head. It is most commonly started by water being left behind in the ear after swimming. This left behind water creates a moist environment inside the ear and allows for the growth of bacteria that was living in the water to begin with.

Another reason that people acquire swimmers ear is that they dig too deeply in the ear with a cotton swab. In these instances, the layer of skin lining the ear canal is compromised and bacteria can flourish at will. To avoid this situation, only use cotton swabs on the outer ear and never dig deeply into the inner ear.

In the medical field the proper term for swimmers ear is acute external otitis or otitis externa. It is treated in a variety of ways either at home or, if the pain is persistent, at the doctor’s office. Most commonly, swimmers ear is taken care of by administering the proper ear drops. Many of these ear drop solutions can be found in local grocery and drug stores.

It is highly important to take care of a swimmers ear infection as soon as possible. The sooner the infection is taken care of the fewer complications there will be and the faster you will be back on your feet again. If swimmers ear is not taken care of in a timely manner, it could lead to more serious infections and complications in the ear.

The symptoms of swimmers ear are generally mild at first but become progressively worse without treatment. In the beginning, swimmers ear will cause itching in the ear canal, redness inside the ear, overall discomfort in the ear, and some clear, odorless drainage. As the infection progresses, the itch will become more and more agitating. The other symptoms will begin to magnify themselves as well. There could be pus exuding from the ear as well as loss or impairment of hearing.

Without treating swimmers ear, there can be grave consequences. Some of the consequences of neglecting to take care of swimmers ear are a temporary loss of hearing, long term infection, bone damage, cartilage damage, and even more widespread infection.

It is important to take care of swimmers ear as early as possible. Do not hesitate to contact a doctor for professional help when dealing with swimmers ear. Also, browse through our website for more tips, tricks, and advice on all of your ears, nose and throat needs!