Ear, Nose & Throat ENT Disorders Symptoms of Swimmer's Ear By Kristin Hayes, RN facebook twitter Kristin Hayes, RN, is a registered nurse specializing in ear, nose, and throat disorders for both adults and children. Learn about our editorial process Kristin Hayes, RN Medically reviewed by Medically reviewed by Benjamin F. Asher, MD on July 17, 2020 facebook linkedin Benjamin F. Asher, MD, is a board-certified otolaryngologist. He has a private practice in New York City where he focuses on natural and integrative healing. Learn about our Medical Review Board Benjamin F. Asher, MD Updated on August 06, 2020 Print Swimmer's ear, or otitis externa, is an infection of the outer ear that is caused by getting contaminated water in the ear. It can occur from swimming in contaminated (dirty) water but also just by getting water in your ear while bathing or showering. Swimmer's ear is more likely to occur if the water stays inside the ear for a prolonged period of time as this creates a moist environment for bacteria or fungi to grow and thrive in. Swimmer's ear is a common condition that can occur in individuals of all ages but may be more common in children and teenagers than adults. Swimmer's ear may occur more frequently in individuals with underlying conditions such as eczema or excessive ear wax. The shape of some people's ears may also make it more likely for water to become trapped in the ear. Robert Daly / Getty Images Difference Between Otitis Externa and Otitis Media You should not confuse otitis externa with otitis media. Otis media is an infection of the middle ear and otitis externa or "swimmer's ear" is an infection of the ear canal. They can both be painful and result in temporary hearing loss. In otitis externa the ear canal is often painful to the touch, that is not often the case with an infection of the middle ear. Symptoms Symptoms of swimmer's ear may include a combination of one or more of the following: itchy earsred, irritated earsdry, flaky skin around the outer earswellingear painhearing lossear drainage which may be clear, pussy, or have a foul odoroccasionally swimmer's ear can cause a ruptured eardrum If you are not sure whether your condition is a middle ear infection or swimmer's ear, there are a few key differences. Swimmer's ear is very painful to the outer ear — so if you touch the cartilage portion of the outer ear and experience pain, you may have swimmer's ear. A middle ear infection will not cause visible swelling, itchiness, or pain to the outer portion of the ear (the cartilage portion of the ear, which can be easily seen and felt), although it may cause symptoms such as pain, ear drainage or a ruptured eardrum. Risk Factors Certain risk factors make it more likely that you will develop symptoms of swimmer's ear. These include: unnecessary removal of ear wax (cerumen)putting any foreign object into the ear, even a q-tipscratching your ear (this damages the skin and makes it easier for germs to get in)swimming in contaminated water such as rivers or lakes and including commercial swimming pools and hot tubs When to See a Doctor It is important to see a doctor if you have symptoms of swimmer's ear so that you can get antibiotics, (usually given in the form of ear drops), to treat the infection. Untreated swimmer's ear may cause so much swelling that tissues may block access to the ear canal. If this happens your doctor will insert a wick into your ear which will allow antibiotic ear drops to be administered. Prevention Use these tips to prevent swimmer's ear: gently blow dry your ears on a cool setting after swimming or bathinguse a drop of olive oil or baby oil in each ear daily, as long as you have not had surgery (ventilation tubes), or might have an impaired eardrumuse earplugs while bathing or swimmingtip your head from side to side to let any extra water drain out of your ears after bathing or swimminguse a drop of alcohol and vinegar in each ear after bathing or swimming (again, only if you have not had ear surgery or might have a ruptured eardrum) Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life. Sign Up You're in! Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. What are your concerns? Other Inaccurate Hard to Understand Submit Article Sources Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy. American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery. Swimmer's ear (otitis externa). Updated August 2018. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Ear infections. Updated May 4, 2016. Schaefer P, Baugh RF. Acute otitis externa: an update. Am Fam Physician. 2012;86(11):1055–1061. Cleveland Clinic. How to keep swimmer's ear from ruining your summer. Updated July 4, 2014. University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics. Otitis externa: get rid of swimmer's ear. Updated June 2017. Additional Reading American Academy of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery. Swimmer's Ear. CDC. Swimmer's Ear. Medline Plus. Swimmer's Ear.