Let's find out more about this painful type of ear infection, which often affects swimmers. Usually, when people say a kid has an ear infection, they mean otitis media say: ME-dee-uh , an infection of the middle ear. This sometimes happens when a kid gets a cold. But swimmer's ear happens when bacteria grow in the ear canal, which is a passageway to the eardrum.
In that canal, you'll find delicate skin that's protected by a thin coating of earwax. Most of the time, water can run in and out of the ear canal without causing a problem. For instance, you don't usually get swimmer's ear from taking baths or showers. Bacteria get a chance to grow when water stays in the ear canal. This can happen when a kid swims a lot. Bacteria grow and the ear canal gets red and swollen.
Sometimes kids can get an infection in the ear canal even if they haven't been swimming. A scratch or other irritation to the ear canal can also lead to swimmer's ear. Swimmer's ear may start with some itching, but try not to scratch because this can make the infection worse. What are the complications of swimmer's ear?
If left untreated, swimmer's ear may cause other problems such as: Hearing loss from a swollen and inflamed ear canal. Hearing usually returns to normal when the infection clears up. Ear infections that keep coming back Bone and cartilage damage Infection spreading to nearby tissue, the skull, brain, or the nerves that start directly in the brain cranial nerves What can I do to prevent swimmer's ear? To help prevent swimmer's ear, try the following: Keep your ears as dry as possible.
Use ear plugs when you are swimming or showering. To dry your ears well after swimming or showering, try these tips: Tilt your head to each side to help drain water out of your ears. With your ear facing down, pull your earlobe in different directions.
This will help drain water out. Gently dry your ears with the edge of a towel. Use a hair dryer on the lowest or coolest setting to gently dry your ears. Hold the dryer at least 12 inches from your head. Wave the dryer slowly back and forth.
Don't hold it still. Your health care provider may recommend drops to help dry your ears. Key points It is a redness or swelling inflammation , irritation, or infection of the outer ear canal. When water stays in the ear canal, germs can grow. This causes an infection. It is a painful condition that often affects children, and swimmers of all ages. With proper treatment, it often clears up in 7 to 10 days.
Extra water in the ear can also remove earwax, which makes the ear the ideal host for germs and fungi. And while earwax may seem gross, a certain amount of ear wax is beneficial and actually protects you by stopping dust or other harmful objects from getting into your ear.
Since earwax plays an important role in preventing infection, leave it alone. This can then affect your hearing. Use ear plugs, a bathing cap, or wetsuit hood to keep water from getting in your ears. Try tilting your head or pulling the earlobe in different directions. They may need to remove some debris from the ear canal so that the antibiotic drops can reach the site of infection.
Take baths rather than showers and avoid swimming or playing water sports. A large cotton ball with petroleum jelly on it can be placed into the outer ear area to avoid getting water in the ear while bathing.
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