Splash Smart: Preventing and Treating Swimmer’s Ear

Jul 17, 2025 / Safety & Prevention
By Morgan Leaventon, FNP-C / Summit

Summer is the perfect season for swimming—whether it’s at the lake, the pool, or even the ocean during a family getaway. Most kids can’t get enough of the water, but what happens when your child starts complaining that their ear hurts? Is it just trapped water, or could it be something more serious like an infection? Let’s talk about swimmer’s ear—what it is, how to recognize it, and most importantly, how to prevent and treat it.

What Is Swimmer’s Ear?

Swimmer’s ear (also known as otitis externa) is an infection of the outer ear canal—the area between the eardrum and the outside of the ear. It’s usually caused by water getting trapped in the ear after swimming or other water activities, creating a moist environment where bacteria can grow. Swimmer’s ear isn’t contagious, so your child can’t get it from (or pass it to) other family members or friends. However, some children may be more prone to frequent swimmer’s ear infections. In addition to swimming often, using cotton swabs and cleaning too aggressively or having eczema can increase a child’s risk of getting swimmer’s ear.

Signs and Symptoms

Mild forms of swimmer’s ear commonly cause itchiness or a plugged feeling in the ear. Keep an eye out for the following symptoms in your child, which may signal a more severe infection:

Ear pain, especially when touching or tugging the outer ear
Redness or swelling of the ear
Itchiness in the ear canal
Drainage or fluid leaking from the ear
Feeling of fullness or muffled hearing
Low grade fever

These symptoms of swimmer’s ear are caused by inflammation and swelling of the ear canal due to pus or drainage blocking the canal. In contrast, swimmer’s ear is different from a middle ear infection (or otitis media), which typically occurs during colds or sinus infections and causes deeper ear pain without outer ear tenderness.

How to Prevent Swimmer’s Ear

You typically don’t need to take steps to prevent swimmer’s ear unless your child has had it recently or gets it frequently. If so, here are a few simple tips to help your child avoid swimmer’s ear:

Limit swimming time to less than an hour
Use ear plugs while swimming
Dry ears thoroughly after swimming or bathing – have your child tilt or shake their head or use the corner of a towel to remove excess water
Avoid inserting cotton swabs or fingers into the ear canal – this can cause further skin damage and provide more places for bacteria to grow
Use a vinegar rinse after swimming – mix a 1:1 solution of equal parts white vinegar and rubbing alcohol or water and apply a few drops in each ear, then dry.

When to Call the Doctor

If your child develops worsening ear pain, ear pain that doesn’t go away, drainage from the ear, or trouble hearing, it’s time to schedule a visit with your pediatric provider. In the meantime, for pain relief, you can use over-the-counter options like ibuprofen or acetaminophen.

Swimmer’s ear is typically treated with prescription ear drops from your pediatrician and clears up quickly with proper care. Symptoms usually improve within 24 hours, but it’s important to avoid swimming until the full course of drops is finished. Taking brief showers or baths daily, or washing your child’s hair are okay – just be sure to dry the ear with the corner of a towel afterwards.

Summer should be full of splashes—not earaches!

With a little awareness and care, swimmer’s ear can be kept at bay, so your child can enjoy their summer fun without discomfort. Remember, keeping those ears dry and treating symptoms early will help keep the water-loving adventures going strong!

Our team at Wasatch Pediatrics is here to keep your child healthy, happy, and water-safe all season long. Call us if you have any concerns about ear pain after swimming.

Resources

https://www.uptodate.com/contents/acute-otitis-externa-in-children-and-adolescents