Swimmer’s ear is an extremely common inflammatory infection of the ear canal caused by moisture or dampness within your ear. You don’t necessarily have to be a swimmer to get swimmer’s ear, you can also develop swimmer’s ear just from a routine shower. Now that summer is approaching, a lot more people will be retreating to beaches and pools to get some relief from the heat. While swimming, you should take some precautions to help prevent swimmer’s ear from happening to you.

Here are some tips on how you can prevent swimmer’s ear this summer;

• Keep your ears dry. If you go swimming, try wearing a swim cap or earplugs specifically made for swimming. If these give you discomfort or doesn’t work after you take a dip to make sure to tilt your head and try to shake out any water that has collected into your ear.
• Do not use your fingers, Q-Tips or other objects to remove water. By doing this, you are most likely pushing the water further and further into your ear, causing a better breeding ground for bacteria to grow. Your ears are very sensitive and if you are consistently putting things in your ear and scratching the surface, you will most likely cause an infection.
• Avoid dirty water. Water which has more than the normal amount of bacteria growing in it will increase your chances of getting swimmer’s ear.
• Use drops. Some over the counter ear drop such as ‘Swim Ear’ or even using rubbing alcohol, are available for you to purchase. If you have a history of swimmer’s ear or swim a lot, then using a couple of these drops after you swim will help prevent it from happening to you.

If you are experiencing any discomfort or think you may have swimmer’s ear and need immediate relief, our experienced physicians are waiting to help you. Walk-in anytime with no appointment necessary, to our urgent care location at 485 Granite Street in Braintree conveniently located off Rt. 93 at Exit 6 between the South Shore Plaza and Five Corners.