![]() If your child suffers from reoccurring infections, their doctor might also refer you to an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat specialist) for further examination. The insertion of an ear wick may be needed for more severe cases of otitis externa where the canal demonstrates significant swelling, to allow adequate penetration of antibiotic drops. Molstrom explains.ĭepending on what is found, the doctor may recommend a prescription for an antibiotic ear drop. “It’s easy for a GoHealth Urgent Care provider to diagnose otitis externa by taking a brief history and performing a limited physical exam that involves looking inside your child’s ear to determine if the infection is internal or external to the eardrum,” Dr. When Should We Visit Urgent Care?Ī more severe swimmer’s ear infection that doesn’t improve with at-home treatment may require a visit to the doctor. Plus, while your child might want to get right back into the water, they should avoid swimming until symptoms subside since continued swimming can slow recovery. Removing any visible discharge or debris can lead to further trauma. No matter how itchy or irritating the infection becomes, encourage your child to keep their fingers away from the ear. If these remedies don’t provide the desired relief, you can also try an over-the-counter medication such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. To avoid accidental burning, it’s best to keep the heating pad on its lowest setting and only use it in short durations. Like ear drops, a heating pad can be applied to your child’s infected ear to dry it out. Other swimmer’s ear remedies can also be used to alleviate pain. These are made with a half-and-half mixture of alcohol and vinegar and are intended to restore the normal acid balance to the ear while evaporating excess water. Non-prescription ear drops can be purchased at the drugstore, or you can create your own ear drops at home. So what helps with a swimmer’s ear? As long as your child doesn’t have a perforated eardrum or ear tube, you can use non-prescription ear drops to make them feel better. Even mild otitis externa can cause discomfort. Most of the time swimmer’s ear is not an emergency situation. What Home Remedies Provide Pain Relief from Swimmer’s Ear? Should swelling or pus block the auditory canal, your child might also temporarily lose hearing. Sometimes a cloudy, yellowish discharge can fill up the outer ear. Plus, those that suffer from skin conditions like eczema and seborrhea are at higher risk for infection.īesides an outer earache, other symptoms to be aware of with swimmer’s ear are redness and swelling of the ear canal as well as tender or enlarged lymph nodes in this area. If your child uses cotton-tip swabs, ear plugs or headphones – or accidentally scratches his or her ear – it can result in a break in the skin lining.Ĭertain hair care products and jewelry can also be irritants. But excessive water exposure can cause the skin to soften and become macerated, creating a favorable environment for the growth of bacteria or fungus.Ībrasions to the outer ear can also lead to bacterial or fungal infections. Under normal conditions, ear wax (or cerumen) provides a barrier to the ear canal’s skin lining because it seals out moisture and traps debris with its stickiness. Christian Molstrom, Regional Lead Physician at Legacy-GoHealth Urgent Care, “Anything that disrupts the ear canal’s wax-skin barrier can promote an infection.” However, it’s not the only reason for otitis externa. Moisture from a waterlogged ear can be a culprit. A high percentage of instances occur during the summer months when kids spend a lot of time in the pool – hence the name swimmer’s ear! It’s most common in children and adolescents ages 5-18. Unlike a middle ear infection, one of the key indicators of a swimmer’s ear is a pain when chewing, pulling on the earlobe, or pressing on the “tag” on the front of the ear. If your child has otitis externa, you’ll probably know pretty quickly. In fact, ear infections like swimmer’s ear are one of the main conditions we see at GoHealth Urgent Care. What might surprise you though is that, despite fewer reported cases of swimmer’s ear, it still accounts for over 2.4 million healthcare visits in the U.S. Less typical is swimmer’s ear (or otitis externa) which affects the skin lining of the outer ear canal, just outside the eardrum. This type of ear infection is caused by inflammation of the eardrum and is often associated with an upper respiratory infection. Chances are if you’re a parent you’ve experienced the common childhood middle ear infection.
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