Take Steps To Prevent Swimmer's Ear Infections
An infection of the ear canal skin and of the outer ear
, Swimmer's ear is alternatively called otitis externa. While otitis media (or "inner ear infections") often include symptoms such as nasal and chest congestion, these symptoms are not present in cases of swimmer's ear.
After bathing or swimming, individuals are at risk of contracting swimmer's ear if water remains trapped inside the ear canal. When fungus or bacteria penetrate the area because of the water aggravating the skin of the ear canal, an infection may result.
Although never contagious, such an infection is much like those that happen after a bite or laceration of the skin.
Over-the-counter ear drops may be purchased to lessen the possibility of contracting swimmer's ear, or you may make the drops yourself by combining like amounts of rubbing alcohol and white vinegar.
When using ear drops for prevention, they should be placed into the ear right after swimming or bathing (allow a few minutes to pass for the best effect), and then drain with a tissue.
The alcohol portion of the treatment immediately removes moisture, and the vinegar destroys any harmful toxins. While this approach will not serve to cure swimmer's ear after the fact, it may well protect your family ahead of time.
Not allowing your child to swim in polluted water, ensuring that your child refrains from inserting objects, such as cotton swabs, in their ears, and making sure that all water is removed from your child's ears after they have been swimming or bathing, are other preventative measures that you can take to avoid trouble with swimmer's ear.
If your children are complaining of an itchy feeling near or inside the ear, hearing loss, pain around the ear canal or when you pull the ear back, or pain along the cheek area near the ear, then they probably have swimmer's ear.
Discomfort in just one ear can also indicate that you have swimmer's ear.
You might experience some yellowish-green secretion leaking from your ear. If any of these warning signs are present in a young child accompanied by a possible infection, seek medical attention.
Though rare, swimmer's ear that is left untreated may spread to the cartilage and bone of the ear canal. If you need immediate pain relief, a standard dose of acetaminophen can help, as will holding a warm towel or heating pad to the ear.
Your physician could prescribe antibiotic-steroid drops if the child's ear canal swells, or assuming the infection becomes more serious. The fungus or bacteria will be destroyed by the antibiotic, while the swollen, irritated skin will be soothed by the antibiotics.
It may be necessary for the pediatrician to insert a wick in the ear in the event that the ear canal is severely inflamed, and they want to confirm that the drops are reaching the part of the ear canal where the infection is present. You will probably have to take the drops for between 5 and 10 days, and you must not swim or otherwise introduce water into the ear during this time.
Make sure to see your physician once you've completed the treatment regimen, and be sure to contact the doctor right away if the secretion does not stop, you get a fever, you become dizzy, the discomfort in your ear does not end after 2 days, or you get a sore neck.
by: John Chambers
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