Columbia Swim Club

Published by The American Swimming Coaches Association

5101 NW 21 Ave., Suite 200

Fort Lauderdale FL 33309

Answered by: Robert T. Scott, M.D.

Most competitive swimmers have been bothered at one time or another by what
is known as "swimmer's ear". There seems to be many ways of curing the
tiresome disease but it often requires a swimmer to stop swimming for a week
or two. Swimmer's ear can reoccur weeks, months or years later for no
apparent reason. For some individuals, it becomes a chronic painful
inflammation of the skin inside the outer ear canal. There are multiple
symptoms of varying intensity. Itching and pain are mild to intense,
depending on the degree of inflammation and swelling of the skin. The amount
of the discharge (pus), which causes blockage of the air column leading to
the eardrum, determines the severity of the interference with hearing. A
dull fullness may exist for weeks to months with mild skin inflammation.
However, a canal with maximally thickened skin will exert pressure on bone
and cartilage, resulting in extreme pain and complete clogging of the air
passage. This leads to clogging of the air passages and will result in
temporary hearing loss and is a common sign of swimmer's ear.

To help prevent swimmer's ear, the ear canal should be kept as dry as
possible. This will help maintain the natural protective action of the
earwax. A thin mantle of wax prevents maceration (softening) of the skin
surface and its acid pH inhibits the growth of bacteria and fungus. Some
individuals have very little wax, and just the water that enters the canal
from normal bathing of showering becomes trapped and prepares the skin for
infection ensuing inflammation. A snug-fitting bathing cap will help prevent
the headaches associated with cold water swimming and will also help keep
water from washing in and out, taking ear wax with it.

Using comfortable earplugs while swimming will help keep ears dry. A good
fit will keep water from washing back and forth through the canal. The
constant traffic of water in and out of the canal will remove the protective
layer of the ear wax and the more one swims, the more wax is washed out.
After a workout most swimmers can clear moisture from their ears by tilting
the head and shaking it to the side. Warm hair dryers are also very useful
in drying the ears after a swimming session. A warm blast of air will
effectively dry out the canal in five to ten minutes and enable the ear wax
to reform and do it's protective job.

If a swimmer loses his earwax easily, then a couple of drops of acidifying
eardrops can help prevent the growth of bacteria. Eardrops can be used
without a prescription or two drops of household vinegar will also work for
most swimmers.

Each case of swimmer's ear is individual and a physician should supervise
treatment. Most swimmers will be required to stop swimming for a few weeks
but then again; it depends on the individual. If you can wear a well-fitting
earplug that will keep water out and also keep in the drainage from your
ears so that it will not infect other swimmers, then I believe it is safe to
continue your training. However, if the ear plug itself is causing an
irritation by touching irritated skin, then the ear plug is not the answer
and some time out of the water may be necessary. A sport minded doctor will
usually give you a reasonable answer.

Ben Franklin once commented, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure." For swimmers everywhere who hope to avoid swimmer's ear, his words
are quite literally sound advice.