My six-year-old daughter has recently started swimming lessons in our local leisure centre which she now attends twice a week.
She has recently been complaining that her ear hurts when she goes to bed. I gave her some Calpol to soothe the pain but she is still suffering from this ear ache. It seems to occur most often after her swimming lesson and I am worried the two could be related. How do I treat it? She is meant to be back at her classes tomorrow and is really looking forward to them – should I send her in ear plugs?
Your daughter may be suffering from what’s known as ‘swimmer’s ear’ – her symptoms sound very similar to those associated with the condition.
Swimmer’s ear or otitis externa to give it its proper medical term is an infection of the ear canal – it can be painful and generally affects swimmers, hence the name.
The condition is different from a regular ear infection which usually affects the middle ear and would normally be experienced after a cold, for example. Swimmer’s ear on the other hand causes inflammation and redness in the ear canal itself – the tube between the outer ear and the eardrum.
If bacteria gets into the ear canal it can affect the delicate skin around the area.
This skin is usually protected by a layer of ear wax but if water gets into the ear there is a risk that this protective layer can be washed away leading to the bacteria settling in this area.
The condition can also be caused by a spot or pimple in the ear, a fungal infection or something that directly affects the ear canal such as an ear plug.
Swimmer’s ear usually causes itchiness but it is always best to avoid scratching the ear as this often makes the infection worse.
The most common symptom of the condition as well as pain – which can range from moderate to severe – is discharge which is either clear, white or yellow in appearance.
The ear may also appear red and in severe cases can be swollen; other less common symptoms include ringing in the ear and even vertigo or dizziness.
It sounds to me as though your daughter may indeed be suffering from swimmer’s ear, with her increased time in the pool but make an appointment with your GP who will look in her ear and determine whether an infection is present.
Once diagnosis has been made the treatment is very straightforward – a doctor will usually prescribe antibiotic ear drops that will treat the infection, and possibly another type of ear drops to reduce any swelling.
Ear drops will usually need to be administered every 3-4 hours but the infection will usually clear up with treatment within a week.
Tablets such as paracetamol and ibuprofen will help with the pain associated with the condition.
There are a number of precautions that can be taken in order to reduce the likelihood of developing swimmer’s ear in the future.
These include wearing shower caps when swimming or bathing to help keep water out of the ear canal, and ear plugs can also be worn to help reduce the risk (take care not to spread any infection if inserting something into the ear).
If your daughter does have swimmer’s ear, she will need to wait a little while until the infection has cleared up before returning to her swimming lessons.
This period will usually be around about a week but again, it is best to check with your local GP.