Learn how to best protect your ears when swimming with these common questions.
Swimming is a fun activity that comes with a ton of health benefits, like improved sleep quality, toned muscles, stress reduction, and more. However, it can also put stress on your ears if you don’t take precautions.
Swimmer’s ear, temporary loss of hearing, and other ear health issues can all be a result of improper care of your ears while swimming. To make sure you can enjoy a dip without worrying about hearing damage, it’s important to take the right steps to protect ears while swimming.
Let’s answer some of the most common questions about protecting your hearing while enjoying the water!
1. Why is it important to protect your hearing while swimming?
Water can damage the delicate inner parts of the ear, leading to hearing loss, infection, and other issues. It can also push debris and bacteria deeper into the ear, potentially causing blockages or more severe infections.
2. What is swimmer’s ear?
Swimmer’s ear is an infection of the ear canal that can range from mild to severe. It is usually caused by bacteria that enter through the ear when water is trapped in the canal, although less common causes include viruses and fungal infections. Symptoms of swimmer’s ear can include pain, itching, swelling, and drainage from the ear, which can worsen if left untreated.
3. What is the best way to protect the ears while swimming?
The key is to keep your ears as dry as possible, which just means coming prepared! Wearing ear plugs, waterproof swim molds, or a swim cap/swim headband will keep water out of your ears. Taking breaks to dry out your ears can also prevent bacteria from growing. If you don’t have ear protection, try to keep your head above water as much as possible so your ears aren’t fully immersed.
4. What should I do if there’s water in my ear after swimming?
Prevention is key when it comes to swimmer’s ear. If you do get water in your ear after swimming, the most important thing to do is to dry out your ear as soon as possible. You can tilt your head to let the water drain out, use a hairdryer on the cool setting, or use a few drops of rubbing alcohol or vinegar to dry out the ear. You can also purchase over-the-counter ear drying drops at your local pharmacy to use after a swim. Frequent swimmers might want to keep ear drying drops or a specialized ear dryer on hand to use in their post-swimming routine.
5. How can I tell if I have swimmer’s ear?
If you’re experiencing pain, itching, swelling, or drainage from the ear when you’ve recently been in the water, you may have swimmer’s ear. You should contact your doctor, ENT, or audiologist to have your ears examined and get a diagnosis.
6. If I get swimmer’s ear, how can I treat it?
Your doctor will be able to recommend the best treatment for swimmer’s ear. They might clean your ear canal and take samples to determine the cause of your swimmer’s ear. Usually, they’ll prescribe ear drops with the right formula for your condition. Prescription ear drops normally contain a mix of antibiotics, steroids, and an acidic solution to stop further growth of the bacteria and eliminate any bacteria already there. It usually only takes a few applications for symptoms to subside, but follow your doctor’s recommendation for the duration of prescription use.
7. Are there any other tips for protecting my ears while swimming?
If you’re swimming in a public pool, try to avoid excess exposure to the chlorine (and bacteria) in the water by not frequently putting your head underwater. Shower quickly after swimming to try keep your ears clean and dry. Don’t use cotton swabs in your ear canal, as this can actually push bacteria and debris further into the ear. (In general, it’s a good idea to avoid putting anything in your ears — learn more ear care tips here!)
By following these tips to protect ears while swimming, you’ll be all set to safely jump right in! Make sure to review these swimming safety tips, too, to ensure you have a safe and fun experience.
