If you’re someone who enjoys an afternoon spent by the pool, or jumping into the ocean on the weekends, it is important to be aware of the risks that water exposure to the ears can lead to. Swimmer’s ear is a common kind of ear infection that commonly occurs for individuals who spend lots of time swimming. When you dunk your head underwater, water can enter the ear canals. If the water is not fully removed, it can begin to grow bacteria inside of the ear canal, leading to an infection.
This article will review symptoms associated with swimmer’s ear and available treatment options. At AFC Urgent Care Franklin, our walk-in clinic is available 7 days a week to provide rapid care for cases of swimmer’s ear. Simply walk into the clinic, or save your spot online in advance using the button below.
Common Symptoms of Swimmer’s Ear
Swimmer’s ear is a nickname for an ear infection that results from water being stuck inside of the ear canal. Ear infections can occur due to a variety of different reasons, but in the summer, swimming and not getting water out of the ear canal is a common cause. Symptoms typically begin 1-2 days after you swim and can last well over a week without proper care.
Common symptoms of swimmer’s ear include:
- Pain inside of the ear
- Trouble hearing
- Itchiness inside or around the ear
- Fever
- Body aches
- Chills
- Discharge from the ear
Treatment for Swimmer’s Ear
Swimmer’s ear symptoms can be very painful, so it is important to seek medical care as soon as you notice symptoms appear. While some ear infections are mild enough to resolve on their own with proper at-home care, most cases of swimmer’s ear require medical treatment to fully resolve. Because swimmer’s ear is caused by bacterial growth in the ear canal, prescription antibiotics are the most effective course of treatment for cases of swimmer’s ear. These antibiotics are sometimes given in ear drop form to directly treat the affected area.
Tips for Preventing Swimmer’s Ear Infections
If you’re someone who swims often, you should consider taking precautionary measures against swimmer’s ear. This includes wearing earplugs when swimming to reduce the risk of water getting inside of the ear canal. If you’re someone who just swims casually, consider not dunking your head underwater when swimming to prevent water from entering the ear canal. Always be sure to shake out excess water from the ear if you can feel it sloshing around in your ear canal. If you have water stuck in your ear and you can get it out, lie on the affected side on a towel to see if it will come out.
Walk Into AFC Franklin for Same-Day Ear Infection Diagnosis and Treatment
If you’re experiencing symptoms of an ear infection and think you could have swimmer’s ear, it is important to seek medical care for treatment. Ear infections are caused by bacteria growing deep inside of the ear canal, and medication like antibiotics usually is necessary to treat the infection in most cases. At AFC Franklin, our walk-in clinic is equipped to provide efficient and effective treatment for ear infections.
Our walk-in clinic is open 7 days a week from 8am to 8pm. We never require patients to schedule an appointment in advance; simply walk into the clinic when it’s convenient! We work with most medical insurance plans and offer affordable rates for self-paying patients. To learn more, give our team a call at (508) 446-9400.
