Otitis externa is another term for swimmers ear. It is an inflammation or infection of the ear canal and the external ear. Usually, swimmers ear is a result of excess exposure to water. At the time that the ear gets drenched with water, the moisture has the ability to penetrate the layer that is normally water resistant and at that time, the skin becomes wrinkled and soft. On the surface of this water exposed skin, fungi and bacteria are able to live without really causing any harmful effects. However, in any case that there is a break in the normal barrier of the skin, the bacteria from the contaminated water or the objects that are placed inside of the ear, can easily slide right into the skin which results in swimmers ear.
Symptoms of Swimmers Ear
So, what symptoms and signs do you need to look for when there is ear pain due to having swimmers ear? Below, you will find a compilation of the wide variety of symptoms and signs that could reflect that the pain you feel in your ear is swimmers ear. When you have a painful or itchy ear, a decrease in your hearing, sensitivity to your ear moving, earwax that is white and soft, milky or yellow discharge from your ear, a sharp or sudden pain in your ear, heaviness or stuffy feeling of the ear, noise felt within the hear or your outer ear appears scaly and sore, you may have swimmers ear.
Home Remedies for Swimmers Ear
In this paragraph, you will find the most trusted home remedies for swimmers ear. One of the first swimmers ear home remedies that we are going to discuss is vinegar. If you have a mild case of swimmers ear, you can treat it by adding a couple of drops of white vinegar into both of your ears. All you have to do is add a couple of drops to one ear and let it remain in the ear canal for approximately five minutes before you turn to the other ear and do the same exact thing. Make sure that you drain the solution from the ear each time that you perform this process.
Swimmers ear remedy - If you are going to be using this home remedy, you need to complete this process two times a day for a period of three days. It has been known to be most effective against a bacterial or fungal infection because acetic acid actually inhibits the overall growth of the bacteria. Apple cider vinegar is also among the best natural remedy for swimmers ear. At the time that water clogs the ears, you need to put three to four drops of apple cider vinegar that is diluted into equal parts with alcohol or water into your ear after you are finished showering or swimming. This will help to prevent having any future infections.
Among the best swimmers ear cure, you will also find baby oil. All you have to do is take the baby oil and heat it and as time passes and it warms, you begin pouring it into your ears with an ear dropper and then you place a cotton ball in your ear so that the oil doesn’t drain. One of the weirdest swimmers ear treatment would have to be using a hairdryer to evaporate all of the water molecules from your ear. All you have to do is set the hairdryer to warm and glide it across the ear as it begins to dry your ear. The warm air coming from the hairdryer will evaporate all of the water that is trapped in your ear.
Out of all the home remedy for swimmers ear that are used, this is truly the weirdest one but it works. That is one thing that you are going to have to always remember with home remedies, even though it may sound weird, it doesn’t mean that it doesn’t work.