Swimmer’s ear: what is it? Prevention, diagnosis and treatment

Ady Hammock ECB Publishing, Inc.  This summer, most people will spend a portion of their days at the beach, by the lake or in the pool to cool off. Although swimming is a fun summer pastime for everyone to enjoy, there is a risk that comes with these activities called swimmer’s ear. Swimmer’s ear, also known as otitis externa, is an infection of the outer ear canal, which is the pocket that runs from the eardrum to the inside of your head. Although this condition initially may only cause some slight discomfort, if left untreated, the infection can spread deeper into the ear canal, leading to more serious damage, such as hearing loss in some cases. Swimmer’s ear is caused by m