Understanding “swimmer’s ear”
If one of your water babies is complaining of an earache and has been in and out of the pool a lot, then it could be a condition called swimmer’s ear. The infection is located in the outer ear canal (from the eardrum to the outside of the head) and is caused by water remaining in the ear, creating a moist environment perfect for breading bacterial growth.
Think it could be swimmer’s ear? Some symptoms include:
- Itching in the ear canal
- Redness inside the ear
- Slight discomfort when pulling on the lobe
- Drainage of clear, odorless fluid
- Increased pain
- Discharge of pus
- Decreased or muffled hearing
According to the Mayo Clinic, most swimmer’s ear cases can be treated with eardrops. For more information, visit www.mayoclinic.com.
