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Easy Ways to Prevent Swimmer’s Ear

Keeping water out of the ears is one way to prevent swimmer's ear. But getting it out after a swim also works well. There are ear drops that can be helpful.

In many parts of the country, Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer and swim season. Avid swimmers can’t wait to jump into the pool, lake or river. But this activity can lead to infections in the ear canal. Do you know how to prevent swimmer’s ear?

Getting Water Out to Prevent Swimmer’s Ear:

Q. My brothers and sisters and I were all on a swim team for most of our young lives. The swim coach had us get out of the pool and lie on the warm pavement with one ear to the ground. We counted to 60 (one minute) and then turned the other ear down. None of us ever had a bad ear. I did this with my kids: no swimmer’s ears.

My father-in-law, who swam every day, used an eye dropper and put a couple of drops of vodka in his ears when he climbed out of the pool. He never had a bad ear either.

A. With the start of summer, parents make it a high priority to prevent swimmer’s ear. Your approach has the advantage of being both free and easy, with no side effects.

What Is Swimmer’s Ear?

Swimmer’s ear (otitis externa) can develop if the ears do not drain, because a damp ear may allow bacteria and fungi to thrive. At some point, this creates pain that is particularly acute when you wiggle the ear. Bacteria in the water used for swimming may lead to such infections (Hlvasa et al, MMWR Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, May 18, 2018).

Ear Drops to Prevent Swimmer’s Ear:

Ear drops such as Swim-EAR containing alcohol and glycerin can prevent infection by helping to evaporate water from the ear canal. You can also make your own ear drops.

One reader reported:

“I haven’t had swimmer’s ear for some time. I do use a home formula for drops. It’s 45 percent alcohol, 45 percent vinegar, 10 percent glycerin.”

A more common formula is half alcohol and half white vinegar.

Ear Plugs May Help Prevent Swimmer’s Ear:

Some swimmers find that customized molded ear plugs can keep water out of the ears and prevent the problem.

However, a reader cautioned:

“One must be very careful in using ear plugs when swimming. Any scuba diver will tell you that compensating for pressure is a very important aspect of underwater activity. As the diver descends below the surface, the outside pressure increases, The ear has a away of allowing pressure to equalize so that the ear drum does not become stressed, but if you block the ear canal with an ear plug the plug may be forced into the canal causing pressure on the ear drum and extreme pain. The plug may be forced far enough into the ear to make it difficult to remove. The takeaway: ear plugs should be used only for surface swimming.”

Chewing Gum to Help Prevent Swimmer’s Ear:

One mother wrote us:

“Otitis Externa: When my daughter started swimming with a league 15 years ago, she developed swimmer’s ear. I looked online and found a Finnish study that recommended chewing Trident gum with xylitol in it after swimming, as that opened up the Eustachian tubes and the xylitol had some small preventative effect. She tried it and it worked for the next 4 years!

“I myself started lap and lake swimming and I always had plenty of Trident gum handy to chew immediately after getting out of the water.”

6/24/19 redirected to: https://www.peoplespharmacy.com/articles/safe-ways-of-dealing-with-swimmers-ear/

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About the Author
Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The People’s Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The People’s Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The People’s Pharmacy website. Terry taught in the Duke University School of Nursing and was an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Terry is one of the country's leading authorities on the science behind folk remedies..
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