An infection in the canal that connects your middle ear to your outer ear is known as swimmer’s ear, or otitis externa. A fungal or bacterial infection could be the cause of swimmer’s ear.
Because many enthusiastic swimmers experience swimmer’s ear at some point in their life, the ailment is known by that name. However, swimmer’s ear can occur in even those who don’t frequently submerge their heads in lakes, pools, or the ocean. For instance, psoriasis and other skin disorders raise your chance of developing swimmer’s ear.
If left untreated, swimmer’s ear can cause hearing loss among other problems. The majority of the time, swimmer’s ear treatment resolves any hearing problems. Ear drops are used by medical professionals to treat swimmer’s ear in order to eradicate the infection.
Will swimmer’s ear clear up on its own?
No, it won’t. An infection in your ear canal known as swimmer’s ear is incurable and requires medical attention. If left untreated, an infection in the swimmer’s ear can progress to the brain, cranial nerves, or base of the skull.
Signs and Origins
What signs and symptoms are present?
The severity of swimmer’s ear symptoms varies according on the type of infection present. Among the symptoms could be:
- Ear pain: Pulling or tugging on your ear may cause an earache or cause you to feel pain. Infections at the root of ear ache frequently worsen if left untreated. On occasion, the discomfort could radiate to the side of your face from your ear.
- An itchy feeling inside your ear.
- Drainage from your ear: This could be pus that smells awful or that is seeping out of your ear in yellow or green hues.
- Blocked auditory canal. This gives you the impression that anything or something full is within your ear.
- Swelling and redness in the outer ear.
- Reduction in hearing or transient hearing loss.
- Slight fever.
- Swollen lymph nodes in the upper neck or around your ears.
Why does one get swimmer’s ear?
Swimmer’s ear can be caused by a variety of factors, but the most frequent one is an activity that keeps water in the ear canal. Water collecting in the ear canal provides the ideal habitat for bacteria and fungi to settle in, begin growing, and ultimately cause illness. Bacteria and fungi prefer warm, damp environments.
Diagnoses and Examinations
How can medical professionals identify swimmer’s ear?
A medical professional will check your ears for swelling, redness, or other damage indicators. Your healthcare professional could remove a sample of the discharge from your ears in order to identify the source of the illness. Different treatments are needed for fungal and bacterial infections.
