The ear is divided into 3 separate compartments: the inner, middle, and outer ear. The inner ear contains the balance organs and the nerves vital to hearing. The middle ear contains the bones that link the eardrum to the inner ear. The eardrum separates the middle and outer ears. The outer ear is simply the earlobe and a short tube leading to the eardrum.
Infection of the inner ear is called labyrinthitis. Infection of the middle ear is called otitis media. It can cause temporary hearing loss and can progress to the inner ear if ignored. Infection of the outer ear is called otitis externa or swimmer’s ear. It’s rarely serious.
Outer ear infections can be acute (short-term) or chronic (lasting 3 or more months) and are more common in children 7 to 12 years of age. Outer ear infections also more commonly affect people in warm and humid climates, people who swim, people with certain skin disorders, and people who use devices that protect hearing.
Swimming isn’t the only way to get an outer ear infection. You can also be infected if hairspray or other liquids get into the ear canal. The bacteria (and occasionally fungi) that cause an outer ear infection don’t necessarily live in the water. Many of them are already in the ear canal or are picked up in everyday life. However, water or other foreign liquids in the ear can provide an ideal breeding ground for them.
You can also trap bacteria in the ear by using cotton ear swabs. The skin of the ear canal slowly moves outward like a conveyor belt, carrying shed fragments of skin away from the eardrum. Pushing a cotton swab into the ear goes against this process, and causes dead skin and earwax to build up. Occasionally, scratching the ear canal can also promote infection. This tends to trap moisture in the ear. Moist skin and tissue create a friendly environment for bacteria and allow them to multiply, causing infection.
People with the following conditions get outer ear infections more easily:
Depending on the severity of the outer ear infection, your doctor will prescribe an eardrop that may contain a combination of:
If needed, your doctor will first clear the debris out of the ear canal. In severe cases, if the canal is partly closed by inflammation, a wick can be inserted to draw the eardrops in. The wick expands and holds the medication close to the infected area in the ear. When using eardrops, warm them to body temperature by holding the container in your hand for a few minutes before putting the drops in.
For severe infections, antibiotics taken by mouth may be prescribed, such as cephalexin or ciprofloxacin.
To help ease the pain associated with an outer ear infection, pain relievers such as acetaminophen*, ibuprofen, or naproxen can be used. Talk to your pharmacist or doctor about which pain medication is best for you.
While you are being treated for an outer ear infection, don’t swim and keep water out of your ear.
To help prevent outer ear infections, it’s always a good idea to dry the ears thoroughly after showering or swimming. You can use a hair dryer set on the lowest setting. Never direct a shower jet directly into the ear canal. Also, don’t use cotton swabs, paperclips, fingers, or pencils to clean or dry the ear canal. To prevent outer ear infections due to swimming, wear a swimming cap or use over-the-counter ear drops with acetic acid or alcohol after swimming. Don’t try to excessively remove ear wax as it actually helps protect your ear canal from infections. If you or your child get recurrent infections, or if these preventative measures do not work, contact your doctor.
All material copyright MediResource Inc. 1996 – 2026. Terms and conditions of use. The contents herein are for informational purposes only. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Source: www.medbroadcast.com/condition/getcondition/Outer-Ear-Infection
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