Swimmers Ear
Swimmer's Ear
Not for Water-Lovers Only
If your ear aches and you pull on it, wiggle it or push on that little bump (called the tragus) in front of the ear canal and it really hurts, you don't have just any old earache. You have swimmer's ear, an inflammation of the external ear canal (known in medical circles as otitis externa).
Swimmer's ear usually occurs after water gets trapped in the ear following a swim, shower or even a shampoo. The damp, dark environment is ideal for bacterial and fungal growth.
At first your ear may feel blocked or itchy. At that point home remedies can help. Untreated, the ear canal will swell and possibly even shut. A milky or yellowish liquid may drain out, and it will hurt to touch your ear. At that point, you need medical treatment.
KEEPING EARS PROBLEM-FREE
For mild cases of swimmer's ear, women doctors offer these tried-and-true home remedies.
Whip up some eardrops. "Combine equal amounts of rubbing alcohol and white vinegar in a clean, empty eyedropper bottle," says Jennifer Derebery, M.D., assistant clinical professor of otolaryngology at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. You can find eyedropper bottles at the drugstore; just ask the pharmacist.
"If you're sure that your eardrum has never been perforated (say, from an accident or previous ear infection), apply a few drops to each ear," says Dr. Derebery. "If it's just a mild infection, you may need no
further treatment."
When To See A Doctor The following symptoms need immediate attention, says Laura Orvidas, M.D., senior associate consultant and instructor in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. * Drainage (especially a foul-smelling yellowish or milky discharge) from the ear * Hearing loss * Sudden, sharp pain in the ear
"Even in the absence of a fever, these symptoms indicate a serious infection that requires medical treatment," says Dr. Orvidas. "Your doctor will most likely prescribe an antibiotic and eardrops containing cortisone."
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This home remedy works, says Dr. Derebery, because the alcohol kills the bacteria and evaporates the water; the vinegar changes the pH of the external ear, making it less hospitable to bacteria and fungi, the "germs" that cause swimmer's ear.
To prevent future problems or if you have chronic swimmer's ear, Dr. Derebery recommends using the drops each time you swim or take a shower.
Try peroxide. Place a few drops of drugstore-variety peroxide in the ear, says Laura Orvidas, M.D., senior associate consultant and instructor in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Its antibacterial action can quell minor cases of swimmer's ear.