The hot summer season is here. Most of us will look to escape the heat by diving into a pool. Whether you are out on vacation, by the lake, pool, or even enjoy swimming for exercise, there is a health concern for our ear drums. Swimmer’s Ear is a common problem among swimmers and those who may spend too much time in the water. ENT Specialists will share what swimmer’s ear is, what can cause it, and how to prevent it.
Swimmer’s ear is an inflammation caused by an infection in the outer ear canal. It is diagnosed by where in the ear canal the infection is and how severe. Swimmer’s ear is common in adults, but is mostly seen in toddlers and infants.
Swimmer’s ear is often caused by common types of bacteria and fungi. However there can also be some physical causes as well. In most cases there are common elements that can cause swimmers ear. One is that the ear canal is alkaline instead of acid. The other is that the ear canal is damp or wet too long and bacteria, fungi or other infectious organisms are present within the ear canal. For those who spend a great deal of time in the water this will cause the ear canal to remain damp or wet. Pools especially use alkaline water which is another problem for your ear canal. On top of that, even chlorinated pools still have mild forms of bacteria. For those spending time at the lake, being exposed to untreated water can hold many more types of infectious organisms.
Have you ever noticed when a professional swimmer gets out of a pool they grab a towel and begin drying their ears? One of the most effective ways in preventing swimmer’s ears is to keep your ears dry. You may even notice that swimmers will shake the head to each side a little bit. This is another trick to help remove the water from inside the ear canal. For some swimmer’s who are more susceptible to swimmer’s ear, they will also use disinfecting ear drops at times before but mostly after they get out of the water. Getting water out of the ear canal is taught to professional swimmers. However most children and even adults don’t know how to use these basic techniques or to even use them in general.
For those who may have children or they themselves may regularly get swimmer’s ear, these ear infections can become a major problem. It is important to keep your ear canal free of as much water as possible. However for those who still want to spend the summer in the water it is strongly recommended that you speak with your doctor about the reoccurring ear infections and what ear drops they recommend you use to help keep your ear free from infection. Swimmer’s ear is a very common problem, but if left alone, they can cause hearing loss, fevers, and headaches. For those who may be suffering from swimmers ear or may be experiencing some mild hearing loss after swimming, come and make an appointment with ENT Specialists today. We can help you and keep your ears health in good condition this summer season.
