Swimmer’s ear (or otitis externa) occurs when bacteria finds its way into your ear and causes an infection. Often painful, swimmer’s ear infections are primarily caused by water getting into your ear, and creating a warm, damp environment for bacteria to thrive in.
However, despite its name, swimming is not the only way for water to enter your ear and stay there causing swimmer’s ear. Nor is water the only cause of swimmer’s ear.
Here, audiologist and keen swimmer herself, Shirin Sheikh explains other ways you can contract swimmer’s ear:
If your outer ear and/or your ear canal is swollen, infected or simply irritated, it could be a sign that you have swimmer’s ear. As well as being caused by water left in your ear after swimming (especially if you’ve been swimming in water with high bacteria levels such as rivers or lakes), there are 5 other causes of swimmer’s ear to be aware of:
1. Moisture
In addition to getting water into your ears by physically plunging your head underwater, there are other ways for moisture to find its way into your ears. If you’re exercising in the heat, or for a prolonged period of time, it’s possible to generate enough perspiration to run off your face and hair into your ears. Similarly, experiencing wet weather conditions such as walking in the rain without a waterproof hood or an umbrella can cause droplets of moisture to enter your ears.
2. Sensitive skin
People with sensitive skin or conditions such as eczema, acne or psoriasis are often more susceptible to swimmer’s ear. In these cases, it’s particularly important to test new hair products before using them liberally as sprays, gels and mousses can get into your ears and cause swimmer’s ear.
Skin that is sensitive to certain types of jewellery could result in swimmer’s ear. If you have earrings that cause blue or green discolouration around your ear piercings, be careful to ensure that your ears are cleaned and dried so that your external ear skin reaction doesn’t progress to your inner ear.
3. Broken skin
There are a number of ways to break the skin in your ear, leaving it open to bacteria forming. Overusing cotton buds or accidentally pressing too hard with one can scratch your ear. Likewise, overuse of earphones or wearing ill-fitting hearing aids can wear away your delicate inner ear skin.
4. Objects in your ear
Although a rare occurrence, when an object enters your ear, it’s not as easy to detect as you may think. For example, when people take part in a mud run, they clean the mud off of themselves by checking where it’s still visible. Your inner ear is far more difficult to check, so mud can stay undetected for days, causing bacteria to form.
5. A narrow ear canal
Your ear canal can be narrow for several reasons. Children’s ear canals are proportionately smaller and narrower than those of adults, which make them more susceptible to trapped water. For adults, one main cause of a narrow ear canal is an excessive build-up of ear wax. In some cases, ear wax can significantly block the ear canal, which can help create a perfect breeding ground for bacteria.
Advice about swimmer’s ear
If you think that you may have swimmer’s ear, it’s important to see a specialist who can help with treatment. Swimmer’s ear can be painful and can become a recurring problem if it is not treated properly.
If you would like to speak to a swimmer’s ear expert about preventative measures, we can advise you on the best types of products to use and actions that you can take to stop yourself or your children from contracting swimmer’s ear.
Alternatively, take a look at our web shop, where you will find protective products such as swimming headbands and ear plugs: https://hearingcentre.com/product-category/ear-protection/
Speak to a specialist audiologist
For more information, call our audiologists on 0116 254 3909 or contact us via email at info@hearingcentre.com
