It hurts like anything! I made an appointment with my doctor already. Is it a chlorine thing?
2006-10-25 19:43:02 · 11 answers · asked by Ti 3 in Sports ➔ Swimming & Diving
Hi all, thanks for the replies so far! The advice I got has been really helpful, and the ear has got a lot better since!
2006-10-28 20:27:23 · update #1
Water is stuck in your ear canal and it is inflaming the tissue. It is called "swimmer's ear." Try putting a few drops of rubbing alcohol in and letting it sit for a while, then lay down on on the side with the sore ear, and wait for the water to run out.
Here is an article about swimmer's ear:
Swimmer's ear is an infection of the ear canal. If you stick your finger in your ear, you're feeling a little of the ear canal. But if you have swimmer's ear, and you stick your finger in your ear - YOW! Let's find out more about this painful ear infection, which very often affects swimmers.
Swimmer's ear - sometimes called otitis externa (say: o-tie-tis ek-stur-nuh) - is different from a regular ear infection. Usually, when people say a kid has an ear infection, they mean otitis media (say: me-dee-uh), an infection of the middle ear. This might happen when the kid gets a cold.
But swimmer's ear happens when bacteria grow in the ear canal, which leads to the eardrum. In that canal, you'll find delicate skin that's protected by a thin coating of earwax. Most of the time, water can run in and out of the ear canal without causing a problem. For instance, you don't usually get swimmer's ear from taking baths or showers.
Bacteria get a chance to grow when water stays in the ear canal and it washes away the protective coating of earwax. A lot of swimming can wash away that wax protection and lead to these wet conditions in the ear canal. Bacteria grow and the ear canal gets red and swollen.
How Do I Know if I Have Swimmer's Ear?
Swimmer's ear may start with some itching, but try not to scratch because this can worsen the infection. Ear pain is the most common sign of swimmer's ear. Even touching or bumping the outside of the ear can hurt. The infection also could make it harder to hear with the infected ear because of the swelling that happens in the ear canal.
If a doctor thinks you have swimmer's ear, he or she will help you get rid of the infection. To do that, the doctor will probably prescribe eardrops that contain an antibiotic to kill the bacteria. Sometimes, the doctor may use a wick. Not the wick on a candle! This kind of wick is like a little sponge the doctor puts in your ear. The medicine goes into the sponge and it keeps the medicine in contact with the ear canal that's infected.
Use the drops as long as your doctor tells you to, even if your ear starts feeling better. Stopping too soon can cause the infection to come back. If your ear hurts, the doctor may suggest that your parent give you a children's pain medication. This can help you feel better while you're waiting for the antibiotic to work.
Hope you feel better soon!
2006-10-25 19:49:39 · answer #1 · answered by MissM 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You may just have swimmer's ear, like the water never really got out of your ear. If this is the case, then tilt your head to the right (so that your right ear is pointing down), bring it up and bring your head down pretty hard to get the water out.
If it isn't just swimmer's ear, it may be water deeper into your ear that you can't normally get to. This can lead to ear infections and other painful symptoms found in connection to swimming and ear troubles.
To fix both of these problems I would suggest ear plugs. Although your hearing will be heavily reduced it should take care of any water from getting in your ear and will prevent both swimmer's ear and ear infections since they both come from water entering your ear.
2006-10-26 13:15:50 · answer #2 · answered by I want my *old* MTV 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Chlorine kills bacteria, it can't hurt your ear. What can happen is that you get water trapped in your ear which has bacteria in it from your ear, and you get swimmers ear. Sometimes if you get a cotton ball damp (not dripping) with rubbing alcohol and hold it against your ear, with your head tilted so that ear is down...the rubbing alcohol can dry the water.
Good luck! Hope you feel better.
2006-10-25 19:46:43 · answer #3 · answered by netlocmom 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Chlorine kills the bad stuff, so I highly doubt that it is any thing to do with chlorine! It could be swimmers ear.
2006-10-26 08:32:23 · answer #4 · answered by Sleepy Head! ;) 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
its called swimmers ear unless you broke an eardrum...next time you go swimming, when you get out either use a ear drop that will dry out the water or try hopping to either side to displace the water in your ear...i know it sounds funny, but when diving and you get water in youre ears 80 feet down thats a lot of pressure and you want to get it out when you get out of the water...lol..and do not and i repeat do not use ear plugs for diving, the pressure will force them in your ear canal like a bullet....youre dr will probably prescribe you an ear drop....
2006-10-26 00:53:02 · answer #5 · answered by russ_vl 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is called swimmers ear. it is an infection in the ear i think form water getiin stuck in the ear cannel or from bacteria in the water that got into your ear
2006-10-28 14:22:58 · answer #6 · answered by Tim 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
my left ear got plugged up after running the mile today. you need to drink lots of water, and keep your mind off the pain. its worked for me.
2006-10-26 16:36:52 · answer #7 · answered by Rachelnpl 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no its the pressure of the water in your ear. your ear might not have been used to that pressure and now its jsut adjusting
2006-10-26 13:54:15 · answer #8 · answered by swimgirl 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
either swimmers ear or and ear infection--get um all the time! i know, it kills!
2006-10-26 04:30:05 · answer #9 · answered by iSwim4ever 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hold ur head right down and jump only on ur right leg
2006-10-26 09:54:38 · answer #10 · answered by arash b 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋