如何保护游泳者的耳朵
Pediatric Basics
Children with Swimmer's Ear (otitis externa) have inflammation in their external ear canal. It is usually caused by water irritating the skin inside the ear, which then becomes infected with a bacteria, or more rarely, a fungus.Symptoms of Swimmer's Ear
Ear pain is the most common symptom of Swimmer's Ear. Unlike the pain of a middle ear infection (otitis media), which might follow a cold, the ear pain from Swimmer's Ear is made worse by tugging on your child's outer ear. Looking inside your child's ear, your Pediatrician will likely see a red, swollen ear canal, with some discharge.Diagnosis of Swimmer's Ear
The diagnosis of Swimmer's Ear is usually made when a child has the classic symptom of outer ear pain that is made worse by tugging on the child's ear.Swimmer's Ear can be confused with a middle ear infection, especially when your Pediatrician is not able to see your child's ear drum.
Treatments for Swimmer's Ear
Once your child has Swimmer's Ear, it is not the time to put alcohol based ear drops, which are often used to prevent Swimmer's Ear. They will likely burn and make your child's ear feel even worse. Instead, Swimmer's Ear is usually treated with antibiotic ear drops, either with or without added steroids (which some experts think can reduce inflammation and make symptoms go away faster).Common otic (ear) drops that are used to treat Swimmer's Ear include:
Ciprodex* Cipro HC* Cortane-B* Cortisporin* Domeboro Otic Floxin Vosol Vosol HC* *antibiotic ear drops that include a steroid.Although expensive, Floxin, Ciprodex, and Cipro HC, are most commonly prescribed, as they have less side effects