Swimmer's Ear - Symptoms and Causes
What Is A Swimmer's Ear?
Swimmer's ear is an infection of the middle ear. While
swimming, especially in cold water, bacteria can build up and cause
inflammation which leads to pain, hearing loss, and tinnitus (ringing in the
ears).
Symptoms of swimmer's ear include high fever, an
enlarged lymph node behind the jaw (known as tonsillar erythema), painful ear
canal swelling, tiredness or dizziness after swimming, swollen auditory canal
with dense exudate on both sides of the external auditory meatus (the hole
leading into your head) and/or discharge that smells like rotten eggs.
Swimmer's ear can also occur after scuba diving or
diving in water so cold you get a "face-bite" (that feeling when you
get too cold and your face turns numb and turns white). These symptoms can be
confused with:
What Is The Difference Between A Swimmer's Ear And Otitis Externa?
Otitis externa can be caused by bacteria that survive
swimming in the ears. It is often treated with antibiotics, but many people do
not experience any symptoms. In contrast, a swimmer's ear is caused by an
infection from swimming in warm or hot water. This condition is most commonly
caused by yeast, but may also be caused by bacteria. The infection leads to
inflammation in the ear canal.
How Do You Get A Swimmer's Ear?
Swimmer's ear is more prevalent when the water
temperature is cool or cold, but it may also occur when swimming in water that
is warm. Bacteria grow in the warm or hot environment that exists in the inner
ear canal when you are swimming.
This causes an infection that leads to inflammation,
resulting in pain and hearing loss. Common bacterial infections include
pseudomonas aeruginosa and staphylococcus aureus. Swimmer's ear can also be
caused by yeast infections (fungal).
A swimmer's ear can occur after swimming in water that
is contaminated. It can also develop after swimming in lakes and rivers,
especially if you bend your head forward and allow water to run into the ear
canal (known as "the cupped-hand technique").
This technique is often used by triathletes, marathon
swimmers, and military personnel. After swimming in open water, an infection
occurs when water is trapped behind the eardrum due to a perforated eardrum or
a large amount of wax (cerumen) blocking the eardrum.
The perforated or swollen eardrum may cause pain. When
this happens, your body reacts by sending white blood cells to fight off the
infection.
Frequently Asked Questions On Swimmer’s Ear
What Is The Treatment For A Swimmer's Ear?
If you think you have a swimmer's ear, medication is
not needed in most cases and the infection and inflammation in your ear can
resolve on their own.
You can clean your ears with a warm washcloth every
night and gently apply antibiotic ointment three to four times a day. A steroid
nasal spray (see below) may also help. If the infection does not improve or if
ear pain becomes severe, you will need to see an ENT specialist remove the wax
blocking your eardrum.
This is most likely to be done with a special tool
called an otoscope. This is the only treatment that you will need.
What Causes The Swimmer's Ear?
The exact cause of the swimmer's ear is unknown, but
warm and cold water environments and airborne bacteria seem to play a role. How
do you get a swimmer's ear?
Your ears can become infected if any type of bacteria
(such as pseudomonas aeruginosa) leaks from your nose or mouth as a result of
swimming in hot or cold water. If the bacteria make it into your ears, they can
cause inflammation, which leads to infection.
The outer ear (pinna) is covered with a coating of
waterproof wax (cerumen), which may cause an increase in infection risk,
especially if water or another irritant gets into the ear canal. Bacteria may
also get into your ears if you use warm devices like scuba tanks and heated
goggles underwater (sometimes referred to as "the face-bite").
What Are Some Other Possible Causes Of Pain In The Ear?
Infection in your ear canal is among the most common
causes of ear pain. Other causes of ear pain include:
What Is The Treatment For A Swimmer's Ear?
Swimmer's ear can be treated with antibiotics. However,
if the infection does not improve or if you have severe symptoms, you will need
to see your family physician or an ENT specialist. Before going to a
specialist, make sure you have a full discussion of all possible causes of your
symptoms.
If you think you have a swimmer's ear, contact your
family physician for further help. Ask about the risks and benefits of
antibiotics versus other treatments such as surgery. Also, ask about what is
safe during pregnancy and what might happen if you take antibiotics regularly
while pregnant.