EAR, SWIMMER'S

Symptoms | When to call | Homecare Advice

Main Symptoms

Painful or itchy ear
Pain increases when ear moved up and down
Swimming recently or use Q-tips frequently

General Information

Otitis externa is an infection of the skin that lines the ear canal. It is also referred to as Swimmer's Ear.
When water repeatedly gets trapped in the ear canal, the lining becomes wet and swollen. This makes it prone to superficial infection (Swimmer's Ear). Ear canals are meant to be dry.
Wax (cerumen) is produced by the ear canal as a natural water-proofing agent. Frequent use of cotton ear swabs depletes the wax barrier and increases the likelihood of developing otitis externa. On the other hand, excessive amounts of ear wax can inhibit water drainage from the ear, leading to skin break down, which leads to development of otitis externa.

See More Appropriate Topic (instead of this one) If

EARACHE and your symptoms do not match the Main Symptoms described above

Disclaimer: This information is not intended be a substitute for professional medical advice. It is provided for educational purposes only. You assume full responsibility for how you choose to use this information.

Reviewed 8/2004

Revised 7/2002

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Earache

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