Swimmer's ear, a condition familiar to many swimmers, occurs when contaminated water is trapped in the outer ear and ear canal and becomes infected. Known as otitis externa or acute external otitis, swimmer's ear may be acute or a chronic condition. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports an estimated 2.4 million health care visits a year and almost $500 million in health care costs result from swimmer's ear in the United States.
Causes
One of the causes of swimmer's ear is swimming in water polluted with bacteria, such as Pseudomonas and other germs found in pools and any water recreational site. When water stays in the ear canal for a prolonged time, the germs are in a perfect environment to grow. Other sources for water in your ear include extremely humid weather, excessive perspiration or water from showering. Your ear has a natural defense for preventing infection with the protection of earwax and the downward angle of your ear canal to keep water from collecting. Any scratch inside your ear, such as from cleaning your ear or wearing hearing aids, can leave a break in the skin and barrier inside the canal that allows bacteria to collect.
Symptoms
Symptoms of swimmer's ear are usually mild and include a slight redness inside your ear canal, itching, mild discomfort and clear, odorless drainage. As the infection progresses, the itching and pain become more intense, the redness increases, the fluid drainage becomes excessive and contains pus, hearing is decreased and you have a feeling of fullness in your ear canal. If left untreated, advanced symptoms may include the redness and swelling spreading to your outer ear, fever, severe radiating pain that involves your neck, face and the side of your head, and swollen lymph nodes.
Treatment
The initial treatment for swimmer's ear includes antibiotic ear drops. It may be necessary for your doctor to remove any wax buildup in your ear for the drops to work effectively. If the infection has spread to the middle ear or outside the ear, antibiotics to be taken by mouth may be prescribed. In addition, you may be given corticosteroids to reduce the swelling and itching that accompanies swimmer's ear. Over-the-counter pain medications are usually adequate for pain control. For chronic swimmer's ear, treatment may need to be prolonged or repeated.
Caution
Possible complications from swimmer's ear include the spread of infection into the surrounding skin, outer-ear cartilage, bones of the skull and the brain. Suggestions for prevention, as noted in MedlinePlus include: use earplugs when swimming or in excessive exposure to water; dry your ears thoroughly after any contact with water, such as bathing or showering; do not swim in polluted water; and avoid scratching your ears or putting any objects in your ears.
