Otitis externa is fairly common, especially among teenagers and young adults. Swimming in polluted water is one way to contract swimmer's ear, but it is also possible to contract swimmer's ear by swimming in a pool that is well maintained or even from water trapped in the ear canal after a shower, especially in a humid climate. Water trapped in the ear canal is not the only cause, however -- the condition can be caused by scratching the ear or an object stuck in it. Trying to clean wax from the ear canal, especially with cotton swabs or small objects, can irritate or damage the skin. It is occasionally associated with middle ear infection (otitis media) or upper respiratory infections such as colds. Middle ear infections can occur after the ear drum is perforated by a fungal growth from the outer ear. Moisture in the ear predisposes the ear to infection from fungus or water-loving bacteria such as Pseudomonas.

Symptoms

Ear pain -- may worsen when pulling the outer ear
Itching of the ear or ear canal
Drainage from the ear -- yellow, yellow-green, pus-like, or foul smelling
Decreased hearing or hearing loss

Signs and tests

When the physician looks in the ear, it appears red and swollen, including the ear canal. The ear canal may appear eczema-like, with scaly shedding of skin. Touching or moving the outer ear increases the pain. It may be difficult for the physician to see the eardrum with an otoscope. Taking some of the ear's drainage and doing a culture on it may identify bacteria or fungus.

Treatment

The goal of treatment is to cure the infection. The ear canal should be cleaned of drainage to allow topical medications to work effectively. Depending on how severe the infection is, it may be necessary for a doctor to aspirate the ear as many times as twice a week for the first two or three weeks of treatment.

Effective medications include eardrops containing antibiotics to fight infection, and corticosteroids to reduce itching and inflammation. Use of antibiotics to treat ear infections may result in treatment of the wrong cause of the infection because not all ear infections are bacterial; some are fungal, and it is possible to have both a bacterial and fungal ear infection.

Ear drops should be used abundantly (four or five drops at a time) in order to penetrate the end of the ear canal. If the ear canal is very swollen, a wick may be applied in the ear to allow the drops to travel to the end of the canal. Occasionally, pills may be used in addition to the topical medications. Analgesics may be used if pain is severe. Putting something warm against the ears may reduce pain.

Read more at Wikipedia.org

• [List your site here Free!]

Ear cleaning and infections
From Pediatrics for Parents, 1/1/04

Cleanliness is important for good health, but there are certain body areas that parents shouldn't clean. One is inside your child's ear canals.

Cleaning ear canals of wax (cerumen) increases the chances of developing otitis externa. Otitis externa, inflammation or infection of the ear canal, is commonly called swimmer's ear. That's because excessive moisture in the ear canal softens it, making the skin more vulnerable to infection.

Although cotton-tipped applicators (Q-TIps) are the most common, bobby pins, toothpicks, and many other objects are also used to remove wax. These misguided attempts at cleanliness scratch the thin lining of the ear canal, making it more vulnerable to infections and inflammation.

Children with otitis externa are twice as likely to have had a Q-Tip inserted into their ears within the preceding 10 days than their peers without otitis externa.

Other factors that increase the chances of otitis externa are swimming within the preceding 10 days or having a physician remove ear wax.

Nothing--not cotton-tipped applicators, bobby pins, etc.--should be inserted into a child's ear canal. There's no reason to remove wax from a child's ear canal unless the problem is severe, affecting the child's hearing. Then the wax should be removed by a health care professional.

Parents should remove only what they can see in the child's ear and ear canal. If a moist face cloth won't remove the offending material, then it should be left alone. Given enough time, most cerumen migrates out of the ear canal. Trying to clean it from the canal usually results in pushing the wax farther in, making removal by your child's doctor all the more difficult.

International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology, 4/04.

Return to Swimmer's ear

Home

Contact

Resources

Exchange Links

ebay