Swimmer’s ear is a common ear infection caused by water sitting in the outer ear canal growing bacteria. You can get swimmer’s ear from swimming in a pool, lake, river or other body of water where the water has bacteria and germs. With pools, swimmer’s ear can be avoided if the water is kept clean and free of contaminants.
Swimmer’s ear is not contagious, but if you think you have it, you should go to the doctor for treatment immediately. Common symptoms include:
- Itchiness in the ear
- Redness and swelling in the ear
- Pain in the ear
- Puss drainage from the ear
You can protect yourself from swimmer’s ear by swimming in clean pools and keeping your ears as dry as possible by wearing a swim cap. In addition, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend:
- Drying your ears immediately after swimming
- Don’t remove ear wax, which protects your ears from germs entering the canal
- Don’t put objects in your ear
- Asking your pool how often they check pH and sanitizer levels
If you get swimmer’s ear, your doctor will likely prescribe antibiotic ear drops.
