What is "swimmer's ear"?

What is "swimmer's ear"?

Jason Hamilton (Facial Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon) gives expert video advice on: What is an ear infection?; What ear infection symptoms do children and teens experience?; What activities should I avoid if I have an ear infection? and more...

Swimmer's ear is an outer ear infection caused by water that's been left in the ear canal for a prolonged period of time. What happens is the water desiccates the ear canal and allows bacteria to migrate into the soft tissues of the ear. Over time, this develops into an infection that becomes very painful. Swimmer's ear is very common in swimmers because they have the most water exposure to their ear canals. Some of the symptoms of swimmer's ear are itching and a burning sensation in the outer ear. There's usually pain to touch at the outer ear as well. You may experience some redness that involves the cheek area or the neck, and typically you have pain with opening and closing the jaw. The usual treatment for swimmer's ear is to see your otolaryngologist or a primary care physician who will prescribe eardrops for you.