WATER Worries
What Is Swimmer’s Ear? Swimmer’s ear is an infection
This sometimes happens when
red and swollen. Sometimes
of the ear canal. If you stick
a kid gets a cold.
kids can get an infection in
your finger in your ear,
But swimmer’s ear happens
the ear canal even if they
you’re feeling a little of the ear canal. But if you have swimmer’s ear, and you stick your finger in your ear — YOW! Let’s find out more about this painful type of ear infection, which often
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when bacteria grow in the ear canal, which is a passageway to the eardrum. In that canal, you’ll find delicate skin that’s protected by a thin coating of earwax. Most of the time,
affects swimmers.
water can run in and out of
How Does Swimmer’s Ear Happen?
a problem. For instance, you
the ear canal without causing
haven’t been swimming. A scratch or other irritation to the ear canal can also lead to swimmer’s ear.
How Do I Know if I Have Swimmer’s Ear? Swimmer’s ear may start with some itching, but try not to scratch because this can make the infection worse. Ear pain
Swimmer’s ear — also called
don’t usually get swimmer’s ear
otitis externa (say: o-TY-tus ek-
from taking baths or showers.
swimmer’s ear. Even touching
STUR-nuh) — is different from
Bacteria get a chance to grow
or bumping the outside of the
a regular ear infection. Usually,
when water stays in the ear
ear can hurt. The infection
when people say a kid has an
canal. A lot of swimming can
also could make it harder to
ear infection, they mean otitis
lead to these wet conditions
hear with the infected ear
media (say: ME-dee-uh), an
in the ear canal. Bacteria
because of the swelling that
infection of the middle ear.
grow and the ear canal gets
happens in the ear canal.
is the most common sign of
