Family Medicine
Swimmer’s ear need not spoil reader’s summer Q. Every summer at least one of my children gets swimmer’s ear. This invariably comes on in the middle of the night or on a holiday, and so we end up with a long, pricey emergency room visit, where we just get ear drops that take care of things in a few days. Can you tell me more about swimmer’s ear? Is there anything I can do to prevent this?
A. As you well know, swimmer’s ear is a very common summer ailment, especially for children, but it can occur all year round – anytime your children go swimming or get water in their ears from bathing. Typically it occurs in just one ear, but it can afflict both at the same time.
Swimmer’s ear is most commonly caused by the bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which causes an infection in the external ear canal, but it also can be caused by fungi or viruses. This kind of ear canal infection is not the same as the middle ear infection that often occurs in children. The moist warm ear canal is a great place for bacteria from “dirty” water to grow. The ear canal also can become contaminated by dirty cotton swabs (not fresh out of the package), fingernails, bobby pins or any other foreign object stuck into ear canals to clear out ear wax or scratch an itch.
Usually the symptoms include severe, acute pain in the affected ear, sometimes accompanied by itching and drainage. By the time these symptoms come on, however, the infection typically has been smoldering for several days.
Generally, once the infection sets in, you will need prescription medication to make the problem go away. If it is not too late at night or a holiday, your family doctor can easily take care of this problem.
There are things you can do to prevent swimmer’s ear. Make sure your children avoid sticking objects into their ear canals, even cotton swabs. They should never scratch the insides of their ears with their fingers or any other foreign objects. If your children have chronically itchy ear canals, go to the doctor and get a diagnosis and treatment to avoid frequent ear canal scratching.
When swimming or bathing, you can use disinfected ear plugs or a bathing cap to keep water out of your children’s ears.
Make sure they get all of the water out after a swim — a feat normally achieved by simply tilting the head and hopping once or twice – but never on a wet, slippery surface! Also, after swimming or bathing, you can safely dry out your children’s ear canals with a hair dryer set on the lowest setting. Just a few seconds of the warm, dry air can significantly reduce the likelihood of getting an infection.
There are over-the-counter ear drops that can be used after swimming or bathing to help remove trapped water and prevent infections, too. These are usually vinegar- or alcohol-based drops. Although they can prevent an infection, they are not to be used to treat an existing infection.
Keep your family doctor’s number on hand, but these preventive methods may be your best bet for a more enjoyable summer.
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Family Medicine is a weekly column. To submit questions, write to Martha A. Simpson, D.O., M.B.A., Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, P.O. Box 110, Athens, Ohio 45701, or via e-mail to readerquestions@familymedicinenews.org. Medical information in this column is provided as an educational service only. It does not replace the judgment of your personal physician, who should be relied on to diagnose and recommend treatment for any medical conditions. Past columns are available online at www.familymedicinenews.org.