Swimmer's Ear, The Vacation Infection You Probably Never Heard About

Most parents are all too familiar with middle ear infections, but vacations at the beach can reveal that kids are susceptible to outer ear infections, too. Swimmer's ear is most common in kids who swim in pools and adults who surf in the ocean.

Also known as otitis media, swimmer's ear is an infection with bacteria (Pseudomonas, staph, or strep) or, more rarely, fungi in the skin of the ear canal. Swimmer's ear can be caused by MRSA, but the good news about this possibility is that in this situation, there is an antibiotic (fluoroquinolone) that usually works.

You've probably seen your skin shrivel when you spend a lot of time in the water. Something similar can happen to swimmmers in the ear canala. Too much moisture in the ear canal, and the skin breaks down, leaving the ear canal vulnerable to infection. "Swimmer's" ear can also result from cleaning out ears with Q-tips, eczema, or inserting foreign objects.

The first sign of otitis externa is usually an itchy ear. It can also hurt to chew. There may be a clear, then pus-filled discharged, and temporary hearing loss and fever are also common. (For a medical treatment protocol and pictures of swimmer's ear, press here.)

Because swimmer's ear can spread further inside the ear, it's best to see a doctor once symptoms develop. You should call a doctor immediately if there is apin in the ear, dedreased hearing, or a bloody discharge from the ear. Swimmer's ear becomes life-threatening when it spreads to bone, which happens in about 1 in 200 cases.

The disease is typically treated with ear drops and antibiotics. If you have no access to a doctor at all, gently rinsing the ear with a solution of 1 teaspoon (up to 5 ml) of vinegar in a quart (about a liter) of water may help until you can get medical assistance. Even this very mild solution, however, may sting if the skin is broken.

Mild cases of swimmer's ear usually resolve in 7 to 10 days. It's a lot simpler, however, just to keep water out of the ear (with bathing caps or ear plugs) and avoid ever getting infected. Rinsing the ear with the vinegar solution may also prevent infection or flare-ups of earlier disease.