Swimmer’s ear is one of the most annoying occurrences in the summer. It is painful and can keep you out of the pool and even make things like work or school difficult. Although it is a type of ear infection, it differs from a “normal” infection in two ways: one, swimmer’s ear is caused by water in the ear; and two, it’s an infection of the outer ear rather than the middle ear. Learn a bit more about how this is contracted, how to treat it, and how to prevent it, and you will be better prepared to deal with the annoyance and pain of swimmer’s ear. How You Contract It Swimmer’s ear occurs when bacteria grows in the ear canal, a “tube” that leads to the eardrum. For the most part, water runs in and out of the ear canal without any problems. However, when water gets in and stays in the canal, it leads to a condition that is ripe for bacteria growth. Frequent swimming makes this easier, hence the common name of swimmer’s ear. How to Treat It If you think you have swimmer’s ear, you should visit your doctor. Depending on the severity of the case, he or she may prescribe eardrops with an antibiotic, an oral antibiotic, or both. The doctor may prescribe a long course of antibiotics. If this is the case, take the entire course. This will help prevent the bacteria from regrowing in a sensitive ear. How to Prevent It In most cases, swimmer’s ear is a fairly infrequent occurrence. Taking the time to dry your ears after leaving the water should be precaution enough. However, if you have a reoccurring problem, your doctor may suggest solutions such as using earplugs while you are in water or perhaps suggest some drops you can put in your ear after you get out of the pool that will help dry the water before it can cause further infections within the ear. Source
