Over-the-counter pain relievers often can manage ear pain. Once treatment starts, your child will start to feel better in a day or two. Swimmer's ear is usually cured within 7—10 days of starting treatment.
Ear infections should be treated by a doctor. If not, the ear pain will get worse and the infection may spread. At home, acetaminophen or ibuprofen may help ease pain. Follow the health care provider's instructions for using ear drops and oral antibiotics, if they are prescribed.
It's important to keep water out of your child's ear during the entire course of treatment. You can use a cotton ball covered in petroleum jelly as an earplug to protect your child's ear from water during showering or bathing. Call your doctor right away if your child has any pain in the ear with or without fever, decreased hearing in one or both ears, or abnormal discharge from the ear.
Reviewed by: Melanie L. Pitone, MD. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size. What Is Swimmer's Ear? What Causes Swimmer's Ear? How is swimmer's ear diagnosed? How is swimmer's ear treated? Treatment may include: Taking ear drops to kill bacteria antibiotic ear drops Taking ear drops to help reduce swelling corticosteroid ear drops Taking pain medicine Keeping the ear dry, as directed by your provider Your provider will give you instructions on how to use ear drops.
What are the complications of swimmer's ear? If left untreated, swimmer's ear may cause other problems such as: Hearing loss from a swollen and inflamed ear canal. Hearing usually returns to normal when the infection clears up.
Ear infections that keep coming back Bone and cartilage damage Infection spreading to nearby tissue, the skull, brain, or the nerves that start directly in the brain cranial nerves What can I do to prevent swimmer's ear? To help prevent swimmer's ear, try the following: Keep your ears as dry as possible. Use ear plugs when you are swimming or showering. To dry your ears well after swimming or showering, try these tips: Tilt your head to each side to help drain water out of your ears.
With your ear facing down, pull your earlobe in different directions. This will help drain water out. Gently dry your ears with the edge of a towel. Use a hair dryer on the lowest or coolest setting to gently dry your ears. Hold the dryer at least 12 inches from your head. Wave the dryer slowly back and forth. Don't hold it still. Your health care provider may recommend drops to help dry your ears.
Key points It is a redness or swelling inflammation , irritation, or infection of the outer ear canal. When water stays in the ear canal, germs can grow. Information about a therapy, service, product or treatment does not in any way endorse or support such therapy, service, product or treatment and is not intended to replace advice from your doctor or other registered health professional.
The information and materials contained on this website are not intended to constitute a comprehensive guide concerning all aspects of the therapy, product or treatment described on the website. All users are urged to always seek advice from a registered health care professional for diagnosis and answers to their medical questions and to ascertain whether the particular therapy, service, product or treatment described on the website is suitable in their circumstances.
The State of Victoria and the Department of Health shall not bear any liability for reliance by any user on the materials contained on this website. Skip to main content. Ear nose and throat. Home Ear nose and throat. Swimmer's ear. Actions for this page Listen Print.
Summary Read the full fact sheet. On this page. Symptoms of swimmer's ear Causes of swimmer's ear Complications of swimmer's ear Malignant otitis externa is a dangerous complication Diagnosis of swimmer's ear Treatment for swimmer's ear Prevention strategies Where to get help.
Swimmer's ear is an infection or inflammation of the canal between the eardrum and the outer ear. This condition can be triggered by exposure to water, or mechanical damage due to overzealous cleaning.
The infection can be caused by fungi or bacteria. Another name for swimmer's ear is otitis externa. The ear is made up of three different parts: Outer ear - the part you can see Middle ear - separated from the outer ear by the eardrum.
The middle ear contains tiny bones that amplify sound waves Inner ear - where sound waves are translated into electrical impulses and sent to the brain. It also houses the vestibular apparatus that controls position awareness and balance. Symptoms of swimmer's ear Some of the symptoms of swimmer's ear include: Pain The pain may be exacerbated by moving the head or pulling at the ear Itchiness Foul-smelling yellow or green pus in the ear canal Reduced hearing Noises inside the ear, such as buzzing or humming.
Causes of swimmer's ear Some of the causes and risk factors include: Water - dirty water can deliver bacteria to the ear canal. A wet ear canal is also prone to dermatitis. Tiny cracks or splits in the skin can allow bacteria to enter. Mechanical damage - attempts to clean the ears using fingernails, cotton buds or other objects may cut the delicate tissues of the ear canal and lead to infection.
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