Swimmer's Ear- What is it, how do you treat it?

What is swimmer's ear?

Swimmer's ear is an infection of your outer ear canal. Swimmer's ear can be caused by:

Moisture trapped in the ear canal.

An injury to the ear canal

Some people with skin conditions may get swimmer's ear more easily.

Swimmer's ear can be painful. It can happen to children or adults.

If you are having ear pain, you should see one of our doctors.

What are the signs of swimmer's ear?

Symptoms include:

• Redness and swelling of the outer ear and ear canal

• Pain when you touch your ear

• Drainage from the ear canal

• Itchiness inside the ear

• You may have some hearing loss if your ear is swollen or draining. This hearing loss usually goes away after the infection is gone.

How is swimmer's ear treated?

Swimmer's ear is usually treated with ear drops from your doctor. Your doctor may clean your ear canal or take a sample of any drainage to see which medicine will work the best. If your ear canal is very swollen, the doctor may have to leave a piece of cotton soaked in medicine in your ear to fight the infection. Your doctor may recommend a pain reliever if your ear canal hurts.

How can I avoid getting swimmer's ear?

The best way to avoid an infection is to keep your ear canal dry!

Here are some tips to keep your ears dry and healthy:

Dry your ears well with a towel after swimming or bathing.

Tilt your head to drain water from your ears.

Pull on your earlobe to straighten out your ear canal and let the water out.

If your ears still seem wet, try using a hair dryer on low and hold it several inches from your ear until your ears feel dry.

Wear earplugs if you swim a lot. Our audiologist can make molds that fit your ears.

You can also use a swim cap to keep your ears dry.

Don't put anything in your ears! Cotton swabs, fingernails, and pointed objects can scratch your ear canal. This can make it easier to get an infection.

Earwax helps protect our ears from infection. Ask your doctor how to safely remove earwax if you think you have a problem with wax buildup.

What should I do if I think I have swimmer's ear?

Swimmer's ear can be treated, so contact an ENT right away. If you still have hearing problems after treatment, we should have your hearing tested by our audiologists.

Quail Creek Ear, Nose & Throat is featured on News Channel 10 for Better Speech & Hearing Month

Our exceptional audiologists were recently featured on News Channel 10, speaking about hearing health in honor of May -"Better Speech & Hearing Month". Learn more about how we can help evaluate and improve you and your families' hearing health.

https://www.newschannel10.com/video/2019/05/10/interview-better-speech-hearing-month/?fbclid=IwAR36pzgvK-Qwuvu0dSGQRFCI3fWGGo8w3Vei8CsiFgJ_JsVSkFN3v3FZL6

Bone anchored hearing aids (BAHA)

Written by Robert Stroud, MD, Otolaryngologist

Bone anchored hearing aids (BAHA) are a good option to enhance hearing in patients with severe one-sided nerve hearing loss or patients with conductive or mixed hearing loss. There are often challenges that make a traditional hearing aid ineffective in these patients. The effectiveness of BAHA is based on the fact that the conduction of sound waves through the bone is much more efficient than the transmission of sound waves through air. A BAHA is made up of two components: a metal screw that is inserted into the bone of the skull and an external sound processor.

BAHA requires a surgical procedure where a metal screw-like post is placed into the skull behind the ear. The procedure is only about 45 minutes to an hour in length and is performed under general anesthesia in the operating room. Recovery is generally very quick with very little pain. After a healing period of approximately 2-3 months, the external sound processor can be attached and the patient can begin using the device. There are two options for attaching the processor to the post:

(1) BAHA Connect - The processor attaches directly to a post that protrudes through the skin allowing the processor to firmly snap to it. The area where the post protrudes from the skin requires some regular care and cleaning but this is minimal in most cases.

(2) BAHA Attract - The processor attaches to the post implanted into the bone using a strong magnet. Some patients choose the magnetic option where nothing protrudes through the skin.

https://www.cochlear.com/us/en/professionals/products/baha/products

The decision of which to select is made in conjunction with the surgeon and audiologist.

In patients with a severe one-sided nerve hearing loss, the BAHA processor vibrates the post and the sound waves are conducted through the skull to the opposite, normal hearing ear. A conductive or mixed loss results from a failure of sound to be properly transmitted through the ear canal, ear drum and bones of the middle ear, but the inner ear function is good. Using a BAHA, the sounds waves are transmitted directly through the bone of the skull to the normal inner ear on the same side as the implant. In either case, the user is better able to localize and perceive sound even when the source is on the side of the deaf ear.

BAHA is a relatively new technology that allows patients who previously did not achieve good results with traditional hearing aids to have better hearing and communication. Not all patients with hearing loss are candidates for BAHA. While BAHA does require a surgical procedure, this is generally very well tolerated. Unlike traditional hearing aids, many insurance companies cover BAHA making it attractive to suitable patients. If you are interested in learning more or think you may be a candidate for BAHA, I encourage you to make an appointment to see one of our audiologists at The Hearing Center at Quail Creek.