What is swimmers ear?

Swimming and surfing is generally a quiet sport – but it can damage your hearing. It’s the exposure to water that causes the problems.

Swimmer’s ear or Otitis Externa is an infection of the ear canal when too much moisture irritates and breaks down the skin in the canal.

Symptoms include earache, itching or redness in the canal, hearing problems and sometimes an unpleasant smelling discharge.

If you are still having difficulty after you finish the treatment your doctor has prescribed, talk about a referral to a specialist. Water can be a problem in many peoples' ears. If drying your ears after swimming does not provide enough relief, you might want to consider swim plugs. These are custom made plugs just for your ears that would keep the water out.

Many people use them and find them comfortable and effective for keeping ears dry. Ear infections (swimmers ear) will vary in severity and duration. Your doctor is the best person to assess your particular problem and the correct treatment. Most ear infections do not cause permanent damage as long as they are treated in a timely fashion.