Swimmer's Ear Home Remedy

Swimmer's ear, which is medically termed as otitis externa, is inflammation of the skin of the ear canal. This condition can lead to severe earache. Swimming in polluted water can be a common cause of this ear infection. Sometimes persistent exposure to water in humid or cold conditions can also lead to this condition. Moist ear can be a safe haven for bacteria and fungi which causes infections.

Knowing the following symptoms will help in effective treatment. Some may experience all or some of the following symptoms:

• Unbearable pain in ears
• Itching
• Buzzing or humming in the ear
• Scaly appearance of outer ear skin
• Yellowish discharge or appearance of white earwax
• Swelling and heaviness in the ear

Since this can be quite a painful and distressing experience, it can hamper one's day-to-day activities considerably. Following are some home remedies which will not only help ease the aforementioned symptoms, but also help cure it:

Along with anti-bacterial and antifungal properties, vinegar has a soothing effect which makes it an ideal remedy for pain relief and further infection. For availing the benefits of vinegar, put 2 to 3 drops of white vinegar in the infected ear using a dropper. Lie down for some time then use cotton swabs to clean the extra solution.

Rubbing alcohol on the ear can also help get rid of the excess water in the ear. You can do this for 2 to 4 times a day. It will not only stop further bacterial growth, but also ease the pain accompanied by the infection.

The following oils can help provide relief from pain and discomfort caused:

• Baby Oil: Putting warm baby oil in the ears with the help of a dropper can help reduce pain and discomfort.
• Olive Oil: Another remedy is olive oil. Just put some drops of warm olive oil in the ear. It can have a healing effect.

Garlic Oil: Garlic has strong anti-bacterial properties. Just put 2 to 3 drops of garlic oil. It will help reduce the inflammation.

Hot compresses for your ear will help drive away excess water from the ear, which will help alleviate the pain and irritation. Keeping hot cloth or hot pad on the ear can help reduce the pain. Wrap a bottle filled with hot water in a towel or cloth and place your ear on it to help lessen the pain.

Hair dryer can help evaporate the excess water accumulated in the ear. When you come back from a swim and you have moist ears, you must immediately take the help of a hair dryer because further moistness will lead to infection.

If the aforementioned home remedies don't work, you can try some over-the-counter medications for earache treatment. Some antifungal ear drops available in the market can also help in earache relief. As precautionary measure, always swim in clean water and most importantly, always use ear plugs while swimming.

Disclaimer: This story is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for expert medical advice.