Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAt-Home TreatmentHomemade Ear DropsPreventionWhen to Seek Care
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
At-Home Treatment
Homemade Ear Drops
Prevention
When to Seek Care
Outer Ear Infection
Certain home remedies can offer relief for swimmer’s ear, but these remedies may not provide rapid results compared to antibiotic use.Talk to your healthcare provider about otitis externa self-care, especially if you are concerned about injury to the eardrum.
Self-care treatments include:
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a few more self-care tips to treat swimmer’s ear, even if you end up needing to take antibiotics. Try drinking lots of fluids and getting plenty of rest, and avoid using cotton swabs or other objects in the ear.
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How to Make Ear Drops
A homemade remedy for swimmer’s ear can be created using a solution comprising equal parts rubbing alcohol and vinegar.You also can use hydrogen peroxide and vinegar.
The amount of time the ear drops should stay in may vary depending on the type of ear drop. However, general guidelines include the following steps:
For individuals with recurrent infections, a couple of drops of a homemade solution can be applied to each ear on an ongoing basis.
Prescription Antibiotics for Swimmer’s EarSwimmer’s ear is most commonly treated with antibiotics, available as ear drops or pills taken orally.The antibiotic may vary depending on the specific situation and the severity of the infection. Talk with your healthcare provider about self-care and whether antibiotic treatment is needed.
Prescription Antibiotics for Swimmer’s Ear
Swimmer’s ear is most commonly treated with antibiotics, available as ear drops or pills taken orally.The antibiotic may vary depending on the specific situation and the severity of the infection. Talk with your healthcare provider about self-care and whether antibiotic treatment is needed.
Managing ongoing swimmer’s ear infections can be painful and frustrating. To safeguard your ears from further damage, consider the following steps:
For added prevention, the vinegar-alcohol mix in equal parts can help prevent bacterial growth.Your healthcare provider also may recommend ear drops containing acetic acid.
When to See a Healthcare Provider
It is essential to contact your healthcare provider if you have any of the following:
Some healthcare providers prefer a watchful waiting approach. This means they recommend waiting two to three days to give the immune system a chance to combat the infection naturally before starting you on antibiotics.
If the symptoms persist, worsen, or if there’s drainage from the ear, seek medical attention from a healthcare professional for proper evaluation and treatment.
Malignant Otitis ExternaSometimes, a swimmer’s ear infection can extend to areas around the ear, including the skull bone, leading to a condition known as malignant otitis externa. This complication is more concerning in older adults or those with diabetes or weakened immune systems. Treating malignant otitis externa involves high-dose antibiotics given intravenously to fight the severe infection.
Malignant Otitis Externa
Sometimes, a swimmer’s ear infection can extend to areas around the ear, including the skull bone, leading to a condition known as malignant otitis externa. This complication is more concerning in older adults or those with diabetes or weakened immune systems. Treating malignant otitis externa involves high-dose antibiotics given intravenously to fight the severe infection.
Summary
Self-care treatments for otitis externa include warm compresses, over-the-counter ear drops, and vinegar-hydrogen peroxide mixtures to provide relief for mild cases of swimmer’s ear. However, caution should be exercised, and it is crucial to seek medical attention if symptoms persist or worsen.
11 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Infection.Preventing swimmer’s ear.Children’s Health.How to get rid of swimmer’s ear.Nationwide Childrens Hospital.Otitis externa (swimmer’s ear).U.S. National Library of Medicine.Ear care earache drops- atropa belladonna, anemone pulsatilla, lycopodium clavatum spore, matricaria chamomilla, and sulfur liquid.Uzen, Lokman,et al.Antimicrobial activity of garlic derivatives on common causative microorganisms of the external ear canal and chronic middle ear infections.Turkish Archives of Otorhinolaryngology. 2016 Feb; 95(6). doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000002695Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Ear infection.Medline Plus.Swimmer’s ear.Medline Plus.Neomycin, polymyxin, and hydrocortisone otic.University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.Otitis externa: Get rid of swimmer’s ear.Penn Medicine.Swimmer’s Ear.Jamal A, Alsabea A, Tarakmeh M, et al.Etiology, diagnosis, complications, and management of acute otitis media in children. Cureus. 2022;14(8). doi:10.7759/cureus.28019
11 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Infection.Preventing swimmer’s ear.Children’s Health.How to get rid of swimmer’s ear.Nationwide Childrens Hospital.Otitis externa (swimmer’s ear).U.S. National Library of Medicine.Ear care earache drops- atropa belladonna, anemone pulsatilla, lycopodium clavatum spore, matricaria chamomilla, and sulfur liquid.Uzen, Lokman,et al.Antimicrobial activity of garlic derivatives on common causative microorganisms of the external ear canal and chronic middle ear infections.Turkish Archives of Otorhinolaryngology. 2016 Feb; 95(6). doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000002695Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Ear infection.Medline Plus.Swimmer’s ear.Medline Plus.Neomycin, polymyxin, and hydrocortisone otic.University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.Otitis externa: Get rid of swimmer’s ear.Penn Medicine.Swimmer’s Ear.Jamal A, Alsabea A, Tarakmeh M, et al.Etiology, diagnosis, complications, and management of acute otitis media in children. Cureus. 2022;14(8). doi:10.7759/cureus.28019
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Centers for Disease Control and Infection.Preventing swimmer’s ear.Children’s Health.How to get rid of swimmer’s ear.Nationwide Childrens Hospital.Otitis externa (swimmer’s ear).U.S. National Library of Medicine.Ear care earache drops- atropa belladonna, anemone pulsatilla, lycopodium clavatum spore, matricaria chamomilla, and sulfur liquid.Uzen, Lokman,et al.Antimicrobial activity of garlic derivatives on common causative microorganisms of the external ear canal and chronic middle ear infections.Turkish Archives of Otorhinolaryngology. 2016 Feb; 95(6). doi: 10.1097/MD.0000000000002695Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Ear infection.Medline Plus.Swimmer’s ear.Medline Plus.Neomycin, polymyxin, and hydrocortisone otic.University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.Otitis externa: Get rid of swimmer’s ear.Penn Medicine.Swimmer’s Ear.Jamal A, Alsabea A, Tarakmeh M, et al.Etiology, diagnosis, complications, and management of acute otitis media in children. Cureus. 2022;14(8). doi:10.7759/cureus.28019
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Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Ear infection.
Medline Plus.Swimmer’s ear.
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Jamal A, Alsabea A, Tarakmeh M, et al.Etiology, diagnosis, complications, and management of acute otitis media in children. Cureus. 2022;14(8). doi:10.7759/cureus.28019
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