Swimmers Ear Pain

Swimmers Ear Infection

Swimmers ear is a commonly used term for pain caused by a type of ear infection. The medical name for a swimmers ear infection is otitis externa. A germ called Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is commonly found in soil and water, causes the infection. Swimmers ear pain is much the same as earache pain. A swimmers ear infection is also characterized by itchiness and inflammation that can make the ear appear red. Sometimes pus or a discharge from the ear will occur. Even touching the area can be painful. For more on swimmers ear symptoms, see below.

Anyone can get swimmers ear, but it happens far more often to children and young adults, especially those who are involved in swimming or water-related activities.

Swimmers ear, which may also be called swimming ear, usually results by contact with contaminated water, and most people associate it with swimming in dirty lakes, ponds or similar places. But you can also get it through contact with an object contaminated by Pseudomonas aeruginosa germs. In other words, you don't always get it from being in the water (although that's certainly the most common way).

Swimmer's ear symptoms Symptoms usually begin to occur within a few days. Swimmers ear symptoms often include 

• pain around the ear, face, or side of the head,
• the ear may look red or inflamed,
• reduced hearing ability; sounds may be muffled,
• drainage from the affected ear,
• fever,
• a feeling that the ear is blocked or full,
• lymph nodes may be swollen,
• the outer ear may seem larger, or may seem that it's being pushed away from the side of the head.

There's an easy way to distinguish swimmers ear pain from earaches which occur in the middle ear (known as otitis media). If you can press or wiggle the outer ear without pain or discomfort, then it's probably not swimmer's ear.

How long does swimmers ear last? Swimmers ear usually only lasts a few days.

What to do for swimmers ear As always, preventing swimmers ear is better than treating it once you already have an infection. The best way to do this is to waer swimming ear plugs anytime you go in the water.

If however, you get a swimmers ear infection, your doctor will generally recommend or prescribe medications for swimmers ear pain relief. These medications will help control pain and reduce inflammation. Thoroughly cleaning out the ear will help.

Your doctor may want to have a sample of any drainage analyzed to determine the exact nature of the infection. If there is a large amount of drainage or debris in the ear, the doctor will clean out the ear canal before medicine is applied.

See our related articles on swimmer's ear remedies and vinegar as a remedy for swimmer's ear.