Symptoms
The ear feels blocked and may
itch
- the ear canal becomes
swollen, sometimes swelling shut
- the ear starts draining a
rummy milky liquid
- the ear becomes very painful
and very tender to the touch,
expecially on the cartilage in
front of the ear canal
If you experience these symptoms or
if glands in the neck become
swollen, see your doctor.
Prevention
If your ear feels moist or blocked
after swimming, hairwashing, or
showering, tilt your head sideways
with that ear up, pull the ear
upward and backward to put in
eardrops to dry out the ear. Wiggle
your ear to get the drops all the
way in the ear canal, and then turn
your head to let them drain out.
These eardrops are sold without a
prescription; check with your
pharmacist.
WARNING: If you have an ear
infection, have had a perforated or
otherwise injured eardrum, or ear
surgery, you should consult an ear,
nose, and throat specialist before
swimming or using any type of
ear drops. If you don't know if you
have ever perforated, punctured,
ruptured, or otherwise injured
eardrum, ask your doctor.
If your doctor says it is safe,
amke up your own ear drops to use
after swimming. Many doctors
recommend rubbing alcohol as part of
the mixture. As the acohold
evaporates it absorbs water, helps
dry out the ear, and may even kill
the bacteria and fungi that cause
swimmer's ear. Another effective
ingredient is borid acid powder (2
tsp/pint) or white vinegar (mixed
50/50 with alcohol). A weak acid
environment discourages the growth
of bacteria and fungi.
A dry ear is least likely to get
infected. Efforts to remove water
from your ear should be limited to
the drying effects of alcohol or, if
you have a perforated eardrum, a
hair dryer. You should not use
cotton swabs (Q-tips) because they
pack material deeper in the narrow
ear canal, and make it "weep" or
bleed.
If yours is a frequently
recurring problem, your
otolaryngologist (ENT doctor) ,ay
recommend placing oily (or lanolin)
ear drops in your ears before
swimming ro protect them from the
effects of the water.
People with itchy, flaky ears or
ears that have wax build up are very
likely to develop swimmer's ear.
They should be especially
conscientious about using alcohol
ear drops as described whenever
water gets trapped into the ears. It
may also help to have ears cleaned
out each year before the swimming
season starts.
Why Do Ears Itch?
An itchy ear is maddening. SOmetimes
it is caused by fungus, or
allergies, but more often it is a
chronic dermatitis (skin
inflammation) of the ear canal. One
type is seborrheic dermatitis,a
condition similar to dandruff; the
wax is dry, flaky, and abundant.
Patients should avoid foods tat
aggravate it, such as greasy foods,
sugars and starches, carbohydrates
anmd chocolate. Doctors often
prescribe a cortisone eardrop at
bedtime when ears itch. There is no
longterm cure, but it can be
controlled.
What About Gnats or Other Insects?
Many types of insects get into the
ears. Gnats get tangled in the wax
and can't fly out. Bigger insects
can't turn around; neither can crawl
back out. They keep on struggling
though, and their motion can be
painful and frightening.
Wash out gnats with warm water
from a rubber bulb syringe.
(Remember to dry the ear afterwards
with alcohol drops.) For a bigger
insect, the first step is to fill
the ear with mineral oil, which
plugs off the breathing pores of the
insect and kills it. It may take
5-to-10 minutes. See your doctor to
have the insect removed; don't try
to do it yourself.
What About Other Foreign Objects?
Beads, pencil lead, erasers, bits of
plastic toys and dried beans are
common objects that children put
into their ears. Removal is a
delicate task that must be
performed by a doctor. |
