Swimmer's Ear Home Remedy

Swimmer's ear which is medically termed as otitis externa is inflammation of the skin of the ear canal. This condition can lead to severe earache. Swimming in polluted water can be a common cause of this ear infection. Sometimes persistent exposure to water in humid or cold conditions can also cause swimmer's ear. Moist ear can be a safe haven for bacteria and fungi which causes infectionsr. Before going to swimmer's ear home remedy, let's look at some of the symptoms of this condition.

Symptoms

Knowing the following symptoms will help in effective treatment. Some may experience all or some of the following symptoms.

• Unbearable pain in ears
• Itching
• Buzzing or humming in the ear
• Scaly appearance of outer ear skin
• Yellowish discharge or appearance of white earwax
• Swelling and heaviness in the ear

As we can see, this can be quite a painful and distressing experience and as is the case with all ear problems it can hamper one's day-to-day activities considerably. Given below are some remedies which will not only help to ease the above symptoms but also help to cure it.

Possible Remedies

Alcohol and Vinegar
Along with anti bacterial and anti fungal properties of vinegar has a soothing effect which makes it an ideal remedy for pain relief and further infection. For availing the benefits of vinegar, put 2 to 3 drops of white vinegar in the ears using a dropper. Lie down for some time then use cotton swabs to clean the extra solution. Rubbing alcohol on the ear can also help to get rid of the excess water in the ear. You can do this for two to four times in day. It will not only stop further bacterial growth, but also ease the pain accompanied by the infection.

Different Oils
The following oils can be helpful for providing relief for pain and discomfort caused.

Baby Oil: Putting warm baby oil in the ears with the help of a dropper, can help reduce pain and discomfort.
Olive Oil: Another remedy is olive oil. Just put some drops of warm olive oil in the ear, it can have a healing effect.
Garlic Oil: Garlic has strong anti bacterial properties. Just put two to three drops of garlic oil. It will help to reduce the inflammation.

Hot Compresses
Hot compresses for your ear will help to drive away excess water from the ear which help to lessen pain and irritation. Keeping hot cloth or hot pad on the ear can help to reduce pain. Wrap a bottle filled with hot water in a towel or cloth and placing your ear on it will also help to lessen pain.

Hair Dryer
Hair dryer can help to evaporate the excess water accumulated in the ear. When you come back from a swim and you have moist ears, you must immediately take the help of a hair dryer because further moistness will lead to infection.

If the above home remedies don't work, you can try some over the counter medications for earache treatment. Some anti fungal ear drops available in the market can also help in earache relief. As they say precaution is better than cure, always swim in clean water and most importantly, always use ear plugs while swimming.