Swimmer’s ear or otitis externa is an ear canal infection. It is the tubular opening responsible for carrying sounds from the outer side of body towards the eardrum. Several types of fungi or bacteria cause this condition.
This infection is common to kids who spend most of their time in water. Due to too much moisture inside the ear, the skin in their canal gets irritated and starts to break down. This allows fungi or bacteria to penetrate. It is also common during the summer season.
This doesn’t mean that having swimmer’s ear is only for swimmer or those who frequent pools and beaches. Matter of fact, anything that can result to a breaking the skin of one’s ear canal can lead to this type of infection. Other factors that can lead to this condition include eczema or dry skin, vigorous cleaning using cotton-tipped applicators, scratching of the ear canal and inserting foreign objects like paper clips or pins inside the ear. Even those who have an infection in the middle ear can contaminate the ear canal due to the hole in the eardrum where the pus can seep.
The primary symptom of swimmer’s ear is ear pain. This can be severe but it can actually get worse once the outer part of the ear is pressed or pulled on. The pain can even affect your chewing. There are also times when the ear canal will itch prior to the pain.
Once the ear canal swells, there is an uncomfortable or full feeling inside the ear. You’ll find the out ear swollen or red. Even the lymph nodes may become tender or enlarged. There is also a possibility of discharge from the ear canal – clear at first then turning cloudy, yellowish and eventually, pus-like. Although hearing will become temporarily affected once the passageway of sound gets blocked, having fever in this condition is not common. It is also not contagious.
There are many treatment options for swimmer’s ear. This actually depends on how severe the infection is and how much pain is felt, especially in children. Doctors can prescribe eardrops containing antibiotics and sometimes, steroids to reduce swelling. If there is blockage on the ear canal, an ENT specialist may insert a cotton wick with the medicine into the canal. In other cases, the doctor uses a gentle suction or cleaning method to remove debris and pus from the ear before they apply eardrops.
On severe conditions, oral antibiotics are already necessary but they will first conduct a culture test on a discharge sample from your ear. This way, they can determine which type of fungi or bacteria is causing the infection.
For parents, if your kids are experiencing pain in their ear (even if there’s no fever), there’s abnormal discharge coming from the ear or there’s decreased hearing (whether it’s only one ear or both ears already) - don’t ignore it. Call your doctor immediately. It is best to have it checked right away for proper diagnosis and treatment.
