Ah yes, the dreaded swimmer’s ear. Even if you’ve never had it, there’s a first time for everything…
Now you may be asking yourself, what causes swimmer’s ear? The main contributing factor is contaminated water that stays inside your ear for too long leading to severe irritation.
If you want to learn how to prevent this from happening to you, keep reading!
What Is Swimmer’s Ear?
Swimmer’s ear is an infection that occurs when bacteria grows in the outer ear canal. Some of the most prominent swimmer’s ear symptoms include mild to severe:
Redness inside the ear canal
Itching within the ear canal
Discomfort in the ear and drainage of a clear fluid
Hopefully, after reading this article, you’ll never have to worry about dealing with them!
Top 5 Tips For Preventing Swimmer’s Ear
Has your ear ever been clogged up for an extended period of time? Yes, we all know the feeling!
Unfortunately, that is the perfect environment for this ear-aching bacteria to grow. Alright, enough with the heavy. Let’s explore helpful tips for preventing swimmer’s ear that will keep your ears clean and healthy after a nice swim!
Wise Swimmers Watch The Water
DO NOT swim in lakes or rivers! Okay, let’s rephrase that a bit. If you’ve planned a nice vacation to the lake, you don’t have to cancel your plans quite yet.
Take some time to complete background research about the lake you’re planning to visit. If there are any warnings regarding the overactive presence of bacteria, don’t swim in those areas. Trust your sources and play it safe!
Dryer Ears Attract Fewer Bacteria
After you take a harmless dip into the pool, make sure you complete a thorough drying process for each ear canal. This may seem redundant after a while, but just think of your ears like you think of the rest of your body!
You wouldn’t want to walk around the rest of the day soaking wet from head to toe, would you?
Intentional Protection Means Ideal Prevention
Did you know that hairspray can be quite irritating to your ears?
Whenever you’re using hairspray to style your new “do”, use small cotton balls to keep the airborne particles from sneakily finding their way into your ear canal!
Daily Ear Wax Hygiene Is A Game-Changer
This may seem like a no-brainer but focusing on daily ear care is essential.
When it comes to ear wax too much can be an irritant and too little leaves your ears unprotected. Meet somewhere in the middle!
Plug To Protect
One of the best ways to keep your ear canals squeaky clean and dry is to use earplugs.
Depending on your ear shape, this may become slightly painful after a while. If that’s that case, then you can place a stylish swimming cap on your head that will cover your ears while you enjoy the water!
Simply Being Cautious Is Key
Swimming is such an amazing activity! You don’t want swimmer’s ear to ruin your fun.
At First Stroke Mobile Swim School, our Red Cross certified instructors teach you how to become a pro in the water and find joy in every stroke. If you follow these preventative measures, swimmer’s ear will never come knocking at your door!
Contact us today to get started!