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Ear - Swimmer's
HEALTH INSIGHTS

Ear - Swimmer's

By Barton D. Schmitt, M.D. 
 | 
March 22, 2017

911 warning

Ear - Swimmer's

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Does this describe your child's symptoms?

Definition

  • An infection or irritation of the skin that lines the ear canal

  • Has recently been swimming or gotten lots of water in the ear canals

Symptoms

  • Itchy and somewhat painful ear canal

  • Discomfort when the ear is moved up and down

  • The ear feels plugged or full

  • Discharge may develop as the swimmer’s ear becomes worse

Causes

  • When water repeatedly gets trapped in the ear canal, the lining becomes wet and swollen.

  • This makes it prone to a bacterial superficial infection (swimmer's ear).

  • Wax buildup also traps water behind it. Usually, this is caused by cotton swabs.

  • Ear canals were meant to be dry.

Return to School

  • Swimmer's ear is not contagious.  No need to miss any school or child care.

If not, see these topics

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When to Call Your Doctor

call now

Call Your Doctor Now (night or day) If

  • Your child looks or acts very sick

  • Severe pain

  • Redness and swelling of outer ear

  • Fever over 104° F (40° C) and not improved 2 hours after fever medicine

  • You think your child needs to be seen urgently

call within 24 hours

Call Your Doctor Within 24 Hours (between 9 am and 4 pm) If

  • You think your child needs to be seen, but not urgently

  • Constant ear pain

  • Yellow discharge from ear canal

  • Fever

  • Blocked ear canal

  • Swollen lymph node near ear

  • Cause is uncertain (no swimming)

  • Ear symptoms last over 7 days on treatment

call within 24 hours

Call Your Doctor During Weekday Office Hours If

  • You have other questions or concerns

home care

Parent Care at Home If

  • Swimmer's ear with no complications

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HOME CARE ADVICE FOR MILD SWIMMER'S EAR

  1. White Vinegar Rinses:

    • Rinse the ear canals twice a day with ½ strength white vinegar (dilute it with equal parts warm water).

    • Start by having your child lie down with the affected ear upward.

    • Fill the ear canal.

    • Wait 5 minutes, then remove the vinegar rinse by turning the head to the side and moving the ear. (Exception: ear tubes or hole in eardrum.)

    • Reason: restores the normal acid pH of the ear canal and reduces swelling.

    • Continue until the ear canal returns to normal.

  2. Pain Medicine: Give acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) or ibuprofen for pain relief.

  3. Local Heat: If pain is moderate to severe, apply a heating pad (set on low) or hot water bottle to outer ear for 20 minutes (caution: avoid burns). This will also increase drainage.

  4. Reduce Swimming Times: Try to avoid swimming until symptoms are gone. If on a swim team, it's usually OK to continue. Swimming may slow recovery, but causes no serious harm.

  5. Contagiousness: Swimmer's ear is not contagious.

  6. Expected Course: With treatment, symptoms should be improved in 3 days and resolved in 7 days.

  7. Prevention of Recurrences:

    • Try to keep the ear canals dry.

    • After showers, hair washing, and swimming, help the water run out by turning the head.

    • Avoid cotton swabs. (Reason: Packs in the earwax. The wax buildup then traps water behind it).

    • If swimmer's ear is a repeated problem, rinse the ear canals after swimming with a white vinegar-rubbing alcohol solution (equal parts of each).

  8. Call Your Doctor If:

    • Ear symptoms last over 7 days on treatment

    • Your child becomes worse

And remember, contact your doctor if your child develops any of the "Call Your Doctor" symptoms.

Updated:  

March 22, 2017