You don’t have to be a swimmer to have swimmer’s ear, but being in warm, humid places is a common cause of this infection of the outer ear canal. That’s because too much moisture can irritate and break down the skin in the canal, allowing bacteria or fungi to penetrate the skin and multiply.However, anything that breaks the skin – a cotton-tipped swab or other foreign object, scratching the ear canal, or even harsh cleaning – can set the stage for this infection that’s also called otitis externa.

Swimmer’s ear can be very painful, especially when the ear lobe is manipulated.Other symptoms may include redness of the outer ear, itching and a feeling of fullness in the ear, and even swollen glands in the neck. A trip to the family doctor and a course of antibiotics usually clears up the infection in 7 to 10 days. The doctor may also offer suggestions about what to do to avoid swimmer’s ear in the future.

You can learn more about swimmer’s ear by visiting www.dh.org and clicking ‘Online Health Information’ at the top right of the page. Choose ‘Ear Conditions’ from the ‘Medical Conditions’ section, then click on the link to ‘Otitis Externa.’