With the summer upon us, we’re all heading to the pool. And you might find the information in this blog to be particularly helpful should you or your children be prone to ear infections.

A bacteria that is found in the water and even in the soil around a pool causes what is known as Swimmer’s Ears.

Our ears actually have a natural defence to this bacteria. Your ear canal is sloped slightly down from your middle ear to your outer ear which enables water to drain out. Your ears also secrete cerumen, which acts as a water repellent and is also acidic which helps to discourage bacterial growth. Children are at a greater risk of getting swimmers ears, as their ear canal is narrow and therefore the swimming pool water gets trapped there more easily.

Swimming pools that are not well maintained have elevated bacteria levels and that puts the swimmer at more of a risk of getting swimmer’s ears. It goes without saying that you can also get swimmer’s ear while swimming in a dam or in the ocean.

At any of these stages it is best to consult your doctor or pharmacist because a swimmer’s ear that is not treated correctly can lead to complications, such as:

But don’t despair after reading how painful an infection can get.
There are various ways to prevent ear infections, some of which include:

If you or your family are going on holiday and will be swimming, there are products on the market to put in your ears after swimming to help protect against getting swimmer’s ear. Before leaving, ask your pharmacist and take a preventative product with you in your first aid kit.