Whether you’re doing laps, spending weekends at the lake or watching your kids shoot down the waterslide at City Park Pool, swimming is a great way to stay active and beat the heat. During all your summer fun, it’s essential to protect your ear health. Specifically, take precautions against swimmer’s ear.
What Is Swimmer’s Ear?
Swimmer’s ear is an infection of the outer ear canal that develops when moisture gets trapped inside the ear. Warm, damp conditions allow bacteria or fungi to multiply, leading to irritation and infection.
Swimming in untreated bodies of water like lakes and rivers can increase your risk of swimmer’s ear, but you can also develop it after too much time in pools.
Common signs of swimmer’s ear include:
- Ear pain
- Itching inside the ear canal
- A feeling that the ear is plugged or full
- Drainage from the ear
- Redness or swelling around the outer ear
- Muffled hearing
Swimmer’s ear won’t resolve on its own; you will need antibiotic or antifungal eardrops to clear the infection. If you notice any of the above signs, call us to schedule an appointment.
Simple Ways To Lower Your Risk of Swimmer’s Ear
Keeping your ears as dry as possible after swimming is one of the most effective ways to prevent swimmer’s ear. After your swim, gently dry the outside of your ears with a clean towel. Next, tilt your head to each side and tug on your earlobe to encourage trapped water to drain naturally.
If water still feels stuck, use a hair dryer on the lowest, coolest setting, held about a foot away, to evaporate any remaining moisture. Don’t insert cotton swabs or other objects into your ears. These can irritate the ear canal or even damage the eardrum.[1]
In addition to drying your ears, you can protect them from too much water exposure by wearing earplugs if you plan to swim laps.
Schedule Your ENT Exam
If you’ve recently been swimming and notice persistent ear pain, drainage or changes in your hearing, don’t wait for symptoms to worsen. Call Alpine Ear Nose & Throat PC to schedule an ear exam with one of our trusted specialists.
[1] Cleveland Clinic. (2025). Ruptured eardrum. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/15581-ruptured-eardrum-acutely-perforated-tympanic-membrane