Anyone who has gone swimming and submerged their head knows what it feels like to have water stuck in your ear. It’s not painful, it just feels like someone has muffled the sound in the affected ear. Usually, you can just tip your head to one side until your hearing goes back to normal, but sometimes a little bit of water will stay behind without you realizing it. This water can create a breeding ground for bacteria, and it’s this bacteria that causes an infection known as swimmer's ear.
If you think you or your children have swimmer’s ear, don’t panic. It’s a very common bacterial infection, especially in young kids, and it’s usually easy to treat and identify. You’ll want to talk to your doctor, to make sure you get the medicine you need, but it’s not something you will have to get tests or imaging for. Treatment is easy, too, and with the proper care, the infection will usually go away in a few days.While it’s easy to self-diagnose swimmer’s ear, you do need to be aware of any symptoms you might be feeling. Identifying these symptoms will help you determine whether you should seek medical help or stick with over-the-counter ear drops.
If you think you or your children have swimmer’s ear, don’t panic. It’s a very common bacterial infection, especially in young kids, and it’s usually easy to treat and identify. You’ll want to talk to your doctor, to make sure you get the medicine you need, but it’s not something you will have to get tests or imaging for. Treatment is easy, too, and with the proper care, the infection will usually go away in a few days.While it’s easy to self-diagnose swimmer’s ear, you do need to be aware of any symptoms you might be feeling. Identifying these symptoms will help you determine whether you should seek medical help or stick with over-the-counter ear drops.