Understanding Swimmer’s Ear and How to Prevent It
Summer is the perfect time for beaches, pool parties, and lake trips, but it’s also a time to be extra cautious about swimmer's ear pain. Swimmer's ear (better known in medical communities as acute otitis externa) is a common and painful condition that can put a damper on your summer fun. This article will guide you through the importance of ear protection during the summer swim season and how to prevent and treat swimmer’s ear effectively at home.
Summer Activities That Harm Our Ears
Swimming: Swimming is always on the summer to-do list, but all the time in the water can lead to swimmer’s ear if water remains trapped in the ear canal. To prevent this, make sure to dry your ears thoroughly with a towel or eosera® EAR DRYER MD after swimming or use a hair dryer on the lowest setting to dry out the inner ear canal. For swimmer's ear prevention, you can use earplugs or a swim cap to help keep water out of the ears and protect ears when swimming all summer long!
Concerts: Summer concerts are a blast, but the loud music can damage your hearing. Wearing earplugs might seem uncool, but protecting your ears from high decibel levels is crucial to avoid long-term hearing loss.
Travel: With everyone taking advantage of summer vacation, you and your family could be experiencing airplane ear, also known as ear barotrauma, which can cause ear pain when the air pressure in your middle ear doesn't match the air pressure in the environment. This can happen when an airplane is ascending or descending, as the air pressure changes quickly and your Eustachian tube, which regulates ear pressure, may not react fast enough. The pressure difference can cause your eardrum to stretch, which can be painful. Airplane ear is usually temporary and will go away on its own but if you need temporary ear pain relief, EAR PAIN MD® ear pain relieving drops are available at stores nationwide.
Heat and Allergies: Warm weather often triggers allergies, which can lead to ear infections. Over-the-counter medication like eosera® EAR PAIN MD® can help with temporary ear pain relief, but if symptoms persist, it’s best to consult a doctor to prevent complications due to swimmer's ear.
Symptoms of Swimmer’s Ear
Itching in the ear canal
Pain that worsens when the ear is pulled
A feeling of fullness in the ear
Decreased hearing
Fever
Redness and swelling of the skin around the ear
Swimmer's Ear Treatment and Prevention
Home remedies for swimmers ear can be as easy as using equal parts warm water and diluted white vinegar to rinse out water after swimming. There are many over-the-counter ear drops to get water out of ears following swimming.
If you or your child develops swimmer’s ear, it’s important to see a doctor. They will clean the ear canal and may prescribe antibiotics to fight the infection and reduce pain. During treatment, keep your ears dry and avoid inserting objects like cotton swabs or headphones into the ears.
EAR PAIN MD® for Swimmer's Ear Pain Relief
If you are in need of quick temporary ear pain relief from swimmer’s ear, try EAR PAIN MD® for Kids. It provides fast-acting pain relief, numbing the pain in the external ear canal so your child can get back to enjoying their summer.
