Doctor's Notes on Swimmer's Ear Symptoms, Causes, Treatment, Natural Remedies, and Prevention
Swimmer's ear (also termed otitis externa) is a painful condition of the outer portion of the ear and ear canal. Common signs and symptoms are ear pain or earache usually involving only one ear. Ear pain is increased when the ear is touched or pulled on or when the patient chews food. The ear may itch, and the outer ear may be red. Severe swimmer's ear may have symptoms such as pus draining from the ear, or the ear canal may be swollen shut. In addition, the person may have trouble hearing and have ringing in the ear, dizziness, and/or vertigo. Some patients may have a feeling of fullness in the ear, or in more severe cases, pain that extends to the side of the face or neck and/or swollen lymph nodes.
The major cause of swimmer's ear is a break in the skin that lines the outer ear or ear canal that allows bacteria or fungi to invade the outer ear or the ear canal's covering. Breaks in the skin may be caused by scratching, skin conditions (for example, psoriasis), or objects inserted into the ear like swabs, earplugs, phone earbuds, and/or hearing aids, for example.
What Are the Treatments of Swimmer's Ear?
Treatment of swimmer's ear usually involves doctor-prescribed eardrops that have the following compounds, depending on the type of infection:
- Antibiotic
- Antifungal
- Steroid
- Acidic solution
If the ear canal is blocked by swelling and/or inflammation, the doctor may insert a wick to facilitate the removal of obstructive material. Occasionally, oral antimicrobials may be used. Your doctor can help you prevent swimmer's ear.
Ear Infection : Test Your Medical IQ Quiz

Ear infection or acute otitis media is an infection of the middle ear.
See AnswerMust Read Articles:
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Earache (Ear Pain)
Earache is pain in the ear. An earache can be caused by infections or fungus. There are types of ear infections to include otitis externa, otitis externa (swimmer's ear), otitis media, and myringitis. Symptoms of an earache include pain in the ear, fever, fluid seeping from the ear, and headache. Treatment of earache depends on the cause. -
Middle Ear Infection
An infection of the ear can be the ear canal (otitis externa), the eardrum, or the middle mear (otitis media). Symptoms of an ear infection include ear pain, hearing loss, ringing in the ear, nausea, vertigo, vomiting, discharge from the ear, or common cold. Treatment for an ear infection include OTC pain relievers, and at times antibiotics.
REFERENCE:
Kasper, D.L., et al., eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 19th Ed. United States: McGraw-Hill Education, 2015.