Swimmer’s Ear infections are painful, and they can make a simple summer day at the beach or pool a painful experience.
Not only are they seen as a possible reason for not swimming, in the worst cases they can end your swimming career for good.
Swimmer’s ear can happen for many reasons: failure to wipe or dry your ears after swimming, using gum tissues, using a lot of hair gel, having small ear canals, or not using earplugs.
As a swimmer, you have to be aware that the water trapped in the ear canal can contain bacteria, which will cause a painful infection.
To prevent this, you should use earplugs to dry your ears thoroughly after swimming. But, what if your ear gets infected?
Here are some swimmer ear drops that can help you with this.
| Name | Category | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Swim-Ear Ear-Water Drying Aid | Best Overall |  |
| Auro-Dri Swimmer`s Ear Liquid 1 OZ | Budget Pick |  |
1. Swim-Ear Ear-Water Drying Aid
Pros:
- Easy to use
- Comes with a spatula for easy application
- Packaging keeps the product sterile
Some swimmers have found that your ears can have a "construction site" type of feel even after you get out of the pool, and that can be irritating. Then comes the water trapped within your ear, which can lead to itchiness and an earache. Although there's no simple cure, Swim-Ear’s ear-drying drops will make a big difference in how your ears feel.
Swim-Ear’s ear-drying drops are easy to use. Just put two drops in each ear after you’ve been swimming and rub in. Although it works better if you apply it before you get out of the pool, you can apply it immediately after swimming as well. It works by using a combination of alcohol, a drying agent, and a moisturizer, which together help to absorb water from inside your ears, and the moisturizer helps to soothe your ear canals.
2. Bionix Health at Home Afterswim Water Removal From Ears
Pros:
- Works as an Earache Remedy
- The ingredients are approved by the FDA and HCB
- Non-toxic ingredients
Cons:
- Only available in two sizes: 12mL and 20mL
- When implementing the afterswim formula, remember that it is meant to be used after you’ve completed your workout or a day in the water and then it’s recommended that you shower.
- The Bionix Health afterswim ear drop solution is meant to be used after you have completed a day of swimming or physical activity that puts you in water, such as a day at the beach or in a pool.
You want to try to avoid putting this in your ears if you have an ear infection, unless your doctor directs you otherwise. If you are trying to heal from swimmer’s ear, you want to take a few days to let the eardrum heal, and then begin researching the best way to use the Bionix ear drops.
3. Auro-Dri Swimmer`s Ear Liquid 1 OZ
Pros:
- Swimmers ear drops are more effective than many preventive solutions
- Feels better to get rid of ear infection than to try and prevent it
When you think about your options in getting rid of swimming ear, you will realize that you have two choices that you can try: prevention and treatment.
Prevention is always the best choice when it comes to swimming ear because treatment doesn’t come without some pain. A few prevention methods include: limiting the number of times you swim per week, swimming in freshwater, wearing ear plugs, using appropriate swim caps and avoiding swimming in polluted water.
If you break any of these prevention rules and find yourself suffering from swimmer’s ear, you will need treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What ear drops are good for swimmer's ear?
There are some great products on the market that can give you relief. I have used Clear Ear for years since my daughter swam competitively every day. A variety of drops are available at stores that sell swim gear, drug stores, or you can buy online.
Some drops you may want to try are Hydrogen Peroxide or Oti-Clens Ear Cleanser. Ear Wax Removal Drops, Preserin Oti Drops are also useful. You can apply these drops before swimming to help remove hair and other debris, or you can clean your ears with them following your swim.
Drying out your ears using a hair dryer is the other method that works well.
Dry any excess moisture out by gently drying your ear with a towel or using a hair dryer on a low setting. Then apply drops to help with the healing process. Although you should avoid swimming until the infection has cleared up.
How do you relieve pain from swimmer's ear?
If you experience discomfort while in the water, avoid using earplugs until you are sure the problem is due to water. Earplugs can make matters worse by contributing to the irritation and swelling of the ear canal.
If you have a dry, itchy or burning sensation in your ear canal, you may have swimmer's ear, a painful condition that can cause hearing loss if left untreated.
Swimmer's ear is actually a bacterial infection of the skin in the ear canal that occurs when bacteria in the water is trapped in the ear and migrates to the canal walls. Before the infection sets in, signs of swimmers' ear include itchiness, tingling, dull pain, popping sounds in the ear and a feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear.
How long do you keep swimmers ear drops in your ear?
Swimmer’s ear is an incredibly uncomfortable and annoying affliction. It can also affect those who like to enjoy a day at the beach, but aren’t necessarily “in the water.”
If you have ever been afflicted with swimmer’s ear, or have a family member or friend who has, then you may be wary of how to treat it. The first step to treating it is making sure it doesn’t get worse. So, the best thing to do from the start is keep something in your ear overnight while you sleep to keep swimmers ear ointment from dripping into your ear and worsening your problem.
Using a remedy or two at the time of infection can also help you to make sure your ears dry properly and to fight infection caused by bacteria.
Are ear drops good for earaches?
While some people swear by the power of a full ear of warm water, drops can flush the ear and bring fresh water to the ear to pull out the gunk that causes so many problems. That gunk typically is bacteria and fungus. You can pick up ear drops in several different types to use for swimmers ear to great effect.
As your ears dry out, you may find that once they start cracking and splitting, they start to heal to the point that you can’t get the drops to work well anymore. When this happens, you should switch to the soothing effects of warm water. That’s right, warm water. It can be used to flush out ear discomfort and even to dry out the membranes of the ear, reducing the gunk and swelling.
Conclusion
Do you swim for sport or recreation? You might be interested in knowing that ear infections are one of the most common ailments that plague swimmers. These are caused by water getting stuck in the inner ear, drying it out and killing the good bacteria that keep the ears healthy. Bacteria multiplies and a painful infection occurs.
This article will guide you on how to prevent this from happening to you. It also provides you with research about the best swimmer’s ear drops.
Our Recommendation
| Name | Category | Product |
|---|---|---|
| Swim-Ear Ear-Water Drying Aid | Best Overall | |
| Auro-Dri Swimmer`s Ear Liquid 1 OZ | Budget Pick | |