How to Prevent Swimmer's Ear

By eHow Sports & Fitness Editor

Rate: (7 Ratings)

Swimmer's ear, also known as otitis externa, is a bacterial infection most often caused by excess moisture in the ear. The best way to avoid swimmer's ear is to keep yours clean and dry.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

White Vinegar
White Vinegar
Petroleum Jelly
Shower Caps
Petroleum Jelly
Alcohol
Ear plugs
Shower caps
Cotton balls
Dropper

Step1

Keep the water out while you're showering: use earplugs or a shower cap, or dip a cotton ball in petroleum jelly and place in the entrance to the ear canal.

Step2

Protect your ear canals when swimming. Wear earplugs, and resist the urge to take a dip in any polluted waters: keep swimming pools clean, and bypass those lakes and ponds.

Step3

After your shower or swim, place a few drops of a 1:1 mixture of alcohol and white vinegar into ear canal with a dropper. Tip head to one side so the affected ear faces the ceiling, then tip the other way to let it drain out. This mixture helps prevent onset of swimmer's ear.

Step4

Take special care when cleaning ears. Wipe outer ear clean with a soft cloth wrapped around your finger, and avoid poking into the ear canal, especially with pointed objects. You don't want to disrupt the natural wax coating in your ear that protects against harmful bacteria.

Step5

Guard your ears from the chemical irritants in beauty products such as hairspray or hair dye by placing cotton in your ears.

Tips & Warnings

If symptoms persist or if you have specific medical conditions or concerns, we recommend you contact a physician. This information is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice or treatment.

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Comments

DrNancyMalik said

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on 8/3/2008 Acon 30x: Noise sensitive, external ear is hot, bright red, painful, swollen. Earache with sensation as if a drop of water were trapped inside.

Bell 30x: Tearing pain in ear, humming noises, much sensitivity to loud noises, pain causes delerium, eardrum bulges and appears bright red with congested blood vessels.

Cham 30x: Violent, stitching ear pains, pain worse from warmth, restless and fretful, ear feels stopped up and congested, swelling and heat causes considerable discomfort.

Puls 30x: Ear is hot, red and swollen. Severe darting and tearing pains, often throbbing, worse at night.
Echania tincture: Any localized, external inflammation of the external ear. Place tincture to water mixture 1:9 in ear in three to four drop doses every two to three hours. Use with other remedies.

said

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on 6/30/2006 I had swimmers ear all of the time last year. I have a pool in my backyard, so I swim every day. The bast way I have found to prevent swimmer's ear is to put alcohol in your ears and let it sit in there for 15 seconds. It is very effective.

said

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on 11/22/2005 Swimmer's ear hurts really bad. As a matter of fact, I have it right now because I didn't wear ear plugs in the pool yesterday. I don't like wearing ear plugs. The first time I tried them they fell out. There is another kind though. The other kind stay in longer and don't fall out. They come in blue or purple and they take the exact shape of your ear. If you don't see them in stores ask a doctor, and make sure you have the right size.