Understanding swimmer's ear infections By Mark Roessler, D.O. You don't have to be an avid swimmer to suffer from swimmer's ear. This annoying infection can strike anyone, but people who are swimmers or have diabetes or narrow ear canals are at highest risk. Swimmer's ear is a bacterial or fungal infection of the lining of the skin of the ear canal. Some microbes that cause the infection include pseudomonas aerugnosa, staphylococcus, and other gram negative bacteria. Excessive washing of the ear can result in the removal of too much ear wax,which along with retained water in the canal, causes the pH level to change and affects the way the natural enzymes work to prevent bacterial overgrowth. Microtrauma from ear swabs, fingernails, and hair pins also allow for the bacteria to infect the canal. Excessive wax can often trap water in the canals as well. Signs and symptoms of swimmer's ear are pain with pulling of the ear, tragal (the small flap in front of the ear canal) tenderness, full feeling in the ear, swelling of the canal, itching, ear drainage and hearing loss.A visit to the doctor is necessary for a proper diagnosis, especially if the lymph glands are swollen, fever is present or if the ear is swollen shut and painful. Treatments of the infection include the cleaning of the canal, acidification of the canal with alcohol/white vinegar drops, keeping the canal dry, antibiotic drops and in some cases,placement of a wick in the ear.Acetominophen or ibuprophen can ease the pain.Occasionally oral prescription pain medication is used. To prevent swimmer's ear, keep water out of the ear canal by allowing the ear to drain after swimming, dry the ears, and avoid putting things in the ear that can cause microtrauma as above. Mark Roessler, D.O. is an ear, nose and throat specialist on staff at CentraState Medical Center.He can be reached by calling Ear, Nose & Throat of Freehold, LLC, at (732) 677-3780.