It shouldn’t be confused with surfer’s ear.
Swimmer’s ear is a painful outer ear infection caused by water exposure. Learn about its causes, warning signs, and the best prevention tips to keep your ears healthy.
Swimmer’s Ear: Causes, Symptoms, and Prevention
Spending time in the water is refreshing and fun — but if you’ve ever experienced itching, pain, or fluid in your ear after swimming, you might have had swimmer’s ear. Also known as otitis externa, swimmer’s ear is a common infection or inflammation of the outer ear canal, often caused by water getting trapped inside the ear. It causes pain, redness and swelling of the ear canal with decreased hearing.
In this article, you’ll learn what swimmer’s ear is, what causes it, how to spot the symptoms early, and — most importantly — how to prevent it.
What Is Swimmer’s Ear?
Swimmer’s ear is an infection of the skin lining the outer ear canal — the part between your eardrum and the outside of your head. When water remains trapped in the ear, it creates a moist environment where bacteria or fungi can thrive, leading to infection.
Note: Swimmer’s ear is different from a middle ear infection (otitis media), which occurs deeper inside the ear, deep to the eardrum.
What Causes Swimmer’s Ear?
The main cause is prolonged moisture in the ear canal, often from swimming, bathing, or sweating. This breaks down the natural protective barriers and allows infection to take hold.
Swimming pools are treated with chlorinated compounds for clearing them of contamination with any pathogens, but the problem occurs when someone’s ear canal skin is allergic or is sensitive to such compounds, mostly children who has delicate skin.
Skin conditions like seborrheic dermatitis (a chronic skin disorder having flaky, scaly and greasy skin) also weakens the skin protection barrier and makes one vulnerable to infection.
Fungal ear canal infections, called as otomycosis can also occur as a moistened skin surface for prolonged period favours growth of fungal spores. It can be asymptomatic to extremely severe, where dense fungal debris, with ear fullness, pressure symptoms, pain and hard of hearing can occur.
In majority of cases bacteria like Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus are responsible for the infection of the ear canal.
Common causes and risk factors:
- Frequent swimming (especially in untreated or dirty water)
- Swimming for prolonged duration
- Trapped water in the ear after showers
- Using cotton swabs or sharp objects that damage the delicate skin of ear canal
- Allergic reactions to hair products or earplugs
- Excessive earwax removal, which removes natural protection
Symptoms of Swimmer’s Ear
Recognizing early signs of swimmer’s ear helps prevent complications. Symptoms can range from mild discomfort to severe pain.
Early Symptoms:
- Itching in the ear canal
- Mild redness over pinna and ear canal
- Clear, odorless fluid drainage
Advanced Symptoms:
- Increased ear pain, especially when touching or pulling the pinna or pressing the tragus
- Swelling and redness around the ear
- Feeling of fullness or blockage in the ear
- Pus-like discharge
- Hearing loss in the affected ear
- Fever (in rare, severe cases)
How Is Swimmer’s Ear Diagnosed?
A healthcare provider or ENT specialist can diagnose swimmer’s ear by:
- Examining the ear with an otoscope
- Checking for redness, swelling, or discharge
- Testing ear movement and tenderness
Treatment Options for Swimmer’s Ear
Most cases are treated with prescription ear drops containing:
- Antibiotics (to kill bacteria)
- Steroids (to reduce inflammation)
- Antifungal agents (if needed)
Apart from that, analgesic is prescribed to counteract pain.
Important: Do not self-treat with over-the-counter drops if you suspect an eardrum injury.
In more severe cases, the doctor may:
- Clean the ear canal
- Place a wick inside to help deliver medication
- Prescribe oral antibiotics
How to Prevent Swimmer’s Ear
Prevention is the best cure — especially if you’re a frequent swimmer, live in a humid climate, or have a history of ear infections.
8 Proven Tips to Prevent Swimmer’s Ear:
- Keep ears dry:
- Dry your ears thoroughly after swimming or showering.
- Tilt your head and tug your earlobe to help water drain out.
- Use earplugs while swimming
- Silicone or custom-fit earplugs help keep water out.
- Avoid inserting objects into ears
- No cotton swabs, hairpins, or fingers — they irritate the canal.
- Use a hair dryer on low heat
- Hold it several inches from the ear to dry excess moisture gently.
- Avoid swimming in polluted water
- Dirty or chlorinated water increases the risk of infection.
- Consider preventive ear drops
- After swimming, use a few drops of a 1:1 mixture of vinegar and rubbing alcohol (only if eardrum is intact), Doctor’s advice must be taken before such step.
- Don’t remove too much earwax
- It protects your ears from bacteria and fungi.
- Keep ears clean and dry during bathing
- Use a shower cap or towel to shield ears if prone to infections.
- Shower cap also protects the hairs and skin over scalp from infections from other sources in water.
- Use a shower cap or towel to shield ears if prone to infections.
Who Is Most at Risk?
- Children and teenagers who swim frequently
- Adults who use hearing aids or earbuds often
- People with eczema or skin allergies
- Individuals with narrow or hairy ear canals
Final Thoughts: Keep Your Ears Healthy and Infection-Free
Swimmer’s ear is highly preventable and easily treatable when caught early. Whether you’re an avid swimmer or just enjoy the occasional dip, taking steps to keep your ears dry and clean can save you a lot of discomfort.
Remember: If you experience ear pain, itching, or drainage — don’t ignore it. Seek medical help early and practice safe ear hygiene.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Can swimmer’s ear go away on its own?
Mild cases might resolve, but treatment is recommended to avoid worsening or spreading.
Q2: Is swimmer’s ear contagious?
No, it is not contagious.
Q3: Can I swim with swimmer’s ear?
No, avoid water exposure until the infection is completely healed.
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