OHSU

Ear - Swimmer's

DEFINITION

  • An infection or irritation of the skin that lines the ear canal
  • Currently engaged in swimming

Symptoms

  • Itchy and somewhat painful ear canal
  • Discomfort when the ear is moved up and down
  • The ear feels plugged or full
  • Discharge may develop as the swimmer's ear becomes worse

Causes

  • When water repeatedly gets trapped in the ear canal, the lining becomes wet and swollen. This makes it prone to superficial infection (swimmer's ear). Ear canals were meant to be dry.

Return to School

  • Swimmer's ear is not contagious. No need to miss any school or daycare.

See More Appropriate Topic (instead of this one) If

WHEN TO CALL YOUR DOCTOR

Call Your Doctor Now (night or day) If

  • Your child looks or acts very sick
  • Severe pain Fever over 104° F (40° C) and not improved 2 hours after fever medicine
  • Redness and swelling of outer ear
  • You think your child needs to be seen urgently

Call Your Within 24 Hours (between 9am and 4pm) If

  • You think your child needs to be seen, but not urgently
  • Constant ear pain
  • Yellow discharge from ear canal
  • Fever
  • Blocked ear canal
  • Swollen lymph node near ear
  • Cause is uncertain (no swimming)
  • Ear symptoms last over 7 days on treatment

Call Your Doctor During Weekday Office Hours If

  • You have other questions or concerns

Patient Home Care If

  • Swimmer's ear with no complications

HOME CARE ADVICE FOR SWIMMER'S EAR

White Vinegar Rinses:

  • Rinse the ear canals twice a day with ½ strength white vinegar (dilute it with equal parts warm water).
  • Start by having your child lie down with the affected ear upward.
  • Fill the ear canal. Wait 5 minutes, then remove the vinegar rinse by turning the head to the side and moving the ear. (Exception: ear tubes or hole in eardrum.)
  • Reason: restores the normal acid pH of the ear canal and reduces swelling.
  • Continue until the ear canal returns to normal.

Pain Medicine: Give acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) or ibuprofen for pain relief.

Local Heat: If pain is moderate to severe, apply a heating pad (set on low) or hot water bottle to outer ear for 20 minutes (caution: avoid burns). This will also increase drainage.

Reduce Swimming Times: Try to avoid swimming until symptoms are gone. If on a swim team, it's usually OK to continue. Swimming may slow recovery, but causes no serious harm.

Contagiousness: Swimmer's ear is not contagious.

Expected Course: With treatment, symptoms should be improved in 3 days and resolved in 7 days.

Prevention of Recurrences:

  • Try to keep the ear canals dry.
  • After showers, hair washing, and swimming, help the water run out by turning the head.
  • Avoid cotton swabs. (Reason: Packs in the earwax. The wax buildup then traps water behind it).
  • If swimmer's ear is a repeated problem, rinse the ear canals after swimming with a white vinegar-rubbing alcohol solution (equal parts of each).

Call Your Doctor If:

  • Ear symptoms last over 7 days on treatment
  • Your child becomes worse


Disclaimer: This information is not intended be a substitute for professional medical advice. It is provided for educational purposes only. You assume full responsibility for how you choose to use this information.

 

top

 

Author and Senior Reviewer: Barton D. Schmitt, M.D.
Last Reviewed: 9/15/2011
Last Revised: 8/1/2011
Content Set: Pediatric HouseCalls Symptom Checker
Copyright 1994-2012 Barton D. Schmitt, M.D.

Get the App

Check symptoms on-the-go with the MD 4KIDS App.

Download MD 4KIDS from your Apple device or from the iTunes store.

Doernbecher Emergency Room

Expert, 24-hour emergency care in Portland – just for kids. Call 503 494-7551 for information about the Doernbecher pediatric emergency department.