The sooner you begin treatment, the sooner your pain will subside and you can get back on the beach for some more fun in the sun.Causes of hearing loss Conductive hearing lossĬonductive hearing loss is when sound can’t pass freely from your outer ear to your inner ear.
If you or someone you love has contracted swimmer’s ear, you should see a hearing care professional as soon as possible. If a public beach has a sign warning against high bacterial counts (or otherwise indicates no swimming), stay out of the water. Check the bacterial count of the water before swimming.Avoid using cotton swabs or inserting small objects into your ears.Dry your ears thoroughly with a towel or hair dryer or use ear-water drying aid drops after swimming.When you are done swimming, tilt your head to each side to drain the excess water.Wear fitted earplugs or a swim cap when swimming, especially in untreated waters.Fortunately, the condition is fairly easy to prevent with a few simple precautions: Most people who have experienced the pain of swimmer’s ear are not keen to repeat it. What Are the Best Ways to Protect Against Swimmer’s Ear?
If treated successfully, the hearing loss suffered due to swimmer’s ear should be temporary. In order to prevent the infection from returning, many hearing care professionals recommend staying out of the water for at least two weeks, including plugging the ears with cotton or earplugs while showering. It can take up to two weeks for the infection to clear up however, the pain should start to abate in a few days after treatment. Treatment for swimmer’s ear is usually a combination of antibiotics taken by mouth or as drops into the ear.
If not treated quickly, the patient will soon experience severe pain due to pressure in the ear canal, and some patients will hear a ringing in the blocked ear (tinnitus). The ear may feel clogged as fluid builds up and the tissues swell, sounds become muffled or may even be blocked altogether. Symptoms. Hearing loss is a common side effect of swimmer’s ear.People who have very narrow ear canals or use cotton swabs in their ears are more susceptible to infection, while those who have eczema or psoriasis or routinely touch their ears are more likely to spread the bacteria. Patients. Children are most likely to develop swimmer’s ear, but they are by no means the only people at risk.If the water isn’t drained from the ears after swimming, it will begin to grow in the moist environment of the middle ear, resulting in an infection. As beachgoers cool off in the water, bacteria may travel into their ears on the waves and become trapped in the ear canal. All water contains bacteria, but contamination levels are significantly higher in untreated water sources, such as oceans, ponds, lakes, and rivers. Causes. The infection starts when bacteria enter the ear.Cases of swimmer’s ear peak in the summer months due to increased humidity and greater use of pools, rivers, and ponds.Ĭases of swimmer’s ear can vary depending on the following factors:
You do not have to be a swimmer to contract the condition, but it is common in people who spend a lot of time in water.
Otitis externa, commonly known as swimmer’s ear, is simply a skin infection inside the ear canal. But if they’re not careful, they could soon be itching for weeks afterward due to a painful condition called swimmer’s ear. Kids are itching to get that last minute dip in the lake or trip to the public pool before the school bell rings.