When you love to swim no matter the time of the year, then the swimmer’s ear isn’t new to you. After all, as you probably already know, the germs need a moist environment to survive and this may lead to the swimmer’s ear.
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Simply put, swimmer’s ear is an outer ear infection that develops when contaminated water sits in the ear for a prolonged period of time. And while this is a very common infection, it may still be quite painful. The good news is that it can be prevented.
5 Tips to Prevent Swimmer’s Ear
#1: Keep Your Ears Clean And Dry:
Even when you like to swim and you tend to swim regularly all year round, it is still possible to prevent swimmer’s ear. All you need to do is to ensure that you thoroughly dry each ear canal after swimming as well as after bathing. The best thing to do is to always tip your head to the side until all of the water runs out of your ear and then repeat on the other side. If necessary, you can carefully use a hairdryer on the coolest setting to completely dry the ear canal.
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#2: Maintain proper And Regular Ear Wax Hygiene:
In case you don’t know, ear wax plays a very important role in preventing ear infections. The reality is that too little or too much wax can cause problems.
One of the things that you may not know is that ear wax actually repels water.
#3: Wear Earplugs For Swimming:
Yes, you read it right. While you may be wondering if earplugs may be efficient since you’ll be in the water, you’ll be glad to know that there are earplugs specially designed for swimmers. In fact, there are some earplugs that don’t only protect your hearing as they can also serve to add some music while you are swimming.
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#4: Take Good Care Of Your Skin:
In case you are wondering what taking good care of your skin has anything to do with your ears or with the swimmer’s ear, then this may surprise you.
The integrity of the skin inside the ear canal plays a big role in preventing swimmer’s ear. Cracked, dry, or otherwise impaired skin is an infection waiting to happen. Ultimately, you may be more prone to get swimmer’s ear if you have a condition such as eczema, allergies, or seborrhea. But these aren’t the only cases. The thing is that even flaky skin, dry or itchy ears may make you more prone to swimmer’s ear.
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#5: Use Ear Drops:
If you have been swimming for a while, then your doctor may have already told you about ear drops that you can use to help you prevent swimmer’s ear.
Some of the ear drops that may be recommended by your doctor may include rubbing alcohol, white vinegar, olive oil, and hydrogen peroxide.