How to Prevent Swimmer's Ear (Otitis Externa)

Swimmer’s ear is an often painful infection of the outer ear canal that commonly occurs after prolonged exposure to water.[1] Typically, swimmer’s ear happens as a result of getting your ears very wet and not giving them a chance to drain after swimming or other water sports. Swimmer’s ear can also be caused by putting objects like fingers and cotton swabs into your ears.[2] You can prevent swimmer's ear by keeping your ears dry and clean, but you should see a physician if you already have the infection.[3]

Method 1 - Keeping Your Ears Dry

1

→ Use earplugs when you go swimming. Before you go into the shower at your pool, put one earplug in each ear. Mould the earplugs to your ears so that they stay in while you are swimming. In between swims, you should keep your earplugs dry by keeping them in a small earplug case or in a sealed plastic bag.

→ Get pliable earplugs from your physician's office. They are better than the foam earplugs.

2

→ Dry your ears right after swimming. If you get your ears wet by swimming or taking a shower, you should dry them immediately. Tip your head to the side and shake it a little bit to make sure you get all the water out. Then, turn your head to the other side and shake the water out. If you forget this step in your locker room routine, you are leaving your outer ear canal open to bacterial infection.

→ Dry your ears after water sports such as waterskiing and water polo.

→ Use a dry towel or hair dryer to clean your ears after being in the water. After you swim, make sure to take the time to properly dry your ears. If you use a hair dryer, use the low setting.

→ Put a few drops of rubbing alcohol in your ears after swimming. Put two drops in each ear after swimming. This will help dry out the ears. It can be a useful short-term solution if you have had recurring problems with swimmer’s ear. You should not do this too often because it can cause chapping, which actually increase your chances of infection.

3

→ Avoid staying in water for extended periods of time. If you are spending the day at the beach or the public pool, remember to take a break once in awhile and dry your ears. You should avoid hanging around by the pool or beach with wet ears for extended periods. Remember, bacteria love a moist environment. If you keep your ears dry, you are less likely to get swimmer’s ear.

4

→ Keep hairspray out of the ears. Hairspray can result in a moist environment hospitable to swimmer’s ear. If you must use hairspray, you should put earplugs in prior to the application of the hairspray. Once your hair styling is complete, you can remove the earplugs.

Method 2 - Keeping Your Ears Clean

1

→ Swim in a clean pool. Ask the pool manager about the regularity and intensity of chlorine and pH testing at your local pool. Germs found in recreational swimming areas can be a cause of swimmer’s ear. Swimmer’s ear cannot be spread from one individual to another. Nonetheless, you are better off swimming in a clean pool.

→ Make sure your home pool and hot tub are clean.

→ Pay attention to posted warnings. Avoid swimming in places that have been closed because of pollution or germ outbreaks.

2

→ Get your ears cleaned by a medical professional. Clean ears do not have too much or too little wax. You may wish to have your ears cleaned by a doctor or an otolaryngologist. Go to your family physician, a walk in clinic, or a community health clinic. Tell the doctor you need to have your ears cleaned in order to prevent infection and swimmer’s ear.

→ Avoid the use of Q-tips to clean your ears. This can scratch your ear canal and increase the chances of infection.

→ Avoid excessively vigorous cleaning of the ears. This can damage the skin and make you more likely to get swimmer’s ear.

→ See an otolaryngologist to have your ears cleaned. Specialists have the right equipment to properly clean your ears.

3

→ Treat underlying skin conditions. Eczema, allergies or seborrhea can make you more likely to get swimmer's ear. See a doctor to have these conditions properly treated.

4

→ Avoid putting objects in the ear while cleaning them. Objects like your fingers or cotton swabs are possible causes of swimmer's ear because they may scratch the outer ear canal. Instead, you should use a towel to clean your ears.

→ Avoid scratching your ears in the cleaning process. This can damage the skin and make your more susceptible to swimmer’s ear.

Method 3 - Administering Ear Drops

1

→ Try using over-the-counter ear drops to prevent swimmer’s ear. You can try using common ear drops to help dry out your ears and make them less hospitable to infection. There are a variety of common ear drops that one can buy or make to help prevent swimmer's ear.

→ Over-the-counter drops include products like Swim-Ear, which do not require a prescription. If you follow the directions on the label, these ear drops are perfectly safe.

→ Use common ear drops (e.g., rubbing alcohol) in moderation and stop using them if you experience any complications like dry skin.

→ Use white vinegar drops. Mix half white vinegar with half rubbing alcohol and put a few drops inside your ear after swimming or bathing.

→ Use rubbing alcohol. Put a few drops in each ear after swimming or bathing.

→ If you have especially dry ears, try putting a drop of olive oil into your ears to help lubricate them.

2

→ Avoid hydrogen peroxide. It has been recommended for swimmer’s ear but actually has a tendency to kill the healthy tissue cells along with the germs. If you do use it, dilute it with a saline water solution 30 seconds after application.

TIPS

→ Swimmer’s ear typically appears within a few days of placing contaminated objects or getting contaminated water in the ear.

→ Swimmer’s Ear can be extremely painful, especially to small children.

→ If you can tug on your outer ear without pain or discomfort, then your ear infection is probably not Swimmer’s Ear.

→ The infection can easily be treated with antibiotic ear drops.