Whether it’s in a local pool or at a beach that leads to the ocean, getting in the water holds an appeal for people of all ages that can’t quite be described. There is something invigorating and exciting about swimming and playing games in the water that kids and adults alike enjoy, not to mention it is excellent exercise. It’s not a big surprise to learn that across the United States, swimming is the fifth most popular activity. But for all its benefits to the body and mind, there are a few drawbacks to swimming often, and one of them is the increased possibility of getting swimmer’s ear after taking a dip.
What is Swimmer’s Ear?
Swimmer’s ear is an infection that develops in the outer portion of the ear. It is caused by water sitting in this part of the ear for too long, allowing germs to take hold. While it can be painful, it’s generally easy to treat and many children and adults alike get this ailment each year. Online searches related to swimmer’s ear and how to prevent it are performed every day.
Over 34% of desktop searches and 62.5% of mobile searches are what are known as zero-click searches. These queries are so popular that the information a person needs is likely to display right on the search results page, and the searcher doesn’t need to click through to the website to get the answer. Information about swimmer’s ear can be so sought after that it can rise to become a popular one-click search, especially in the summer months.
No matter how often you like to go swimming, you can reduce your chances of getting swimmer’s ear by taking a few precautionary steps. First, if you often go swimming, use earplugs to stop water from getting into the ear. If you choose not to use earplugs, make sure to dry the ear thoroughly when you get out of the pool. Begin by tilting your head to one side to allow any water in there to come out of the ear and have a towel in place to dry it.
Get any pool water out and leave the ear as dry as you can get it. If you want to be extra careful, you can use ear drops after swimming to neutralize any water in the ear. Some doctors recommend an eardrop that has vinegar or alcohol to sanitize the water and stop swimmer’s ear from developing.
If you can’t prevent swimmer’s ear, you can visit a doctor who is likely to prescribe antibiotics to care for the infection. The more often you take these pills, the less effective they will be, so it’s worth trying to prevent having to take them.
Why Try to Prevent Swimmer’s Ear?
Swimmer’s ear can hurt your ear and the side of your face, and make it harder to chew, swallow, and talk. Keeping the ears healthy is well worth the effort. As time goes on, people who once had perfect hearing can experience hearing loss in varying degrees, requiring them to use hearing aids and other tools. Loss of hearing is the 3rd most common health condition among older adults. Not only is hearing loss inconvenient to deal with, it can also be expensive to visit ear specialists and get the hearing aids you may need to restore your hearing.
With some care and preparation before you get in the water, you can stop the pain that comes from swimmer’s ear and make your time in the pool more enjoyable than ever.
Metro Detroit Mommy writer Kelsey.