As a surfer over the years I have done a lot of sea swimming and have occasionally experienced water retention in my ear. This usually rights itself but sometimes it can develop into external otitis.

In this blog I will look into external otitis, what it is, how it can occur and how it can be treated.

This information was taken from the uptodate website of medical information. “UpToDate delivers evidence-based clinical decision support that is clear, actionable, and rich with real-world insights.”

External otitis is a condition that occurs when the ear canal becomes irritated. The ear canal is the part of the ear that leads from the outer ear to the ear drum. External otitis can develop as a result of an infection, allergy, or skin problem. "Swimmer's ear" is the name for external otitis that occurs in a person who swims frequently.

External otitis is different from otitis media (middle ear infections). When a person says that they have an ear infection, they usually mean that they have otitis media.

EXTERNAL OTITIS RISK FACTORS

Several factors can increase your risk of developing external otitis.

Our ear wax is there for a reason! Ear wax serves to protect the ears from water, bacteria, and injury. Excessive cleaning or scratching can injure the skin, potentially leading to infection. The old saying, "Don't put anything smaller than your elbow in your ear" to clean the ear is true. The ear is self-cleaning; fingers, towels, cotton-tipped applicators, and other devices should not be used to clean the inside of the ears.

Swimming on a regular basis removes some of the ear wax, allowing water to soften the skin. Bacteria, which normally live in the ear canal, can then enter the skin more easily. If you are worried about this then why not swim using ear plugs?

Other tips to reduce the chance of developing external otitis are as follows:

• Shake your ears dry after swimming.

• Blow dry your ears on a low setting, holding the dryer 12 inches away.

• Use ear drops after swimming to prevent ear infections; these are available at most pharmacies without a prescription.

• We need to be careful with the prevalence of inner ear head phones  as these, as well as hearing aids and ear plugs, can increase the risk of external otitis (if worn frequently) by injuring the skin.

EXTERNAL OTITIS SYMPTOMS

How do I know if I my have external otitis?

• If you have pain in the outer ear, especially when the ear is pulled or moved you have have otitis.

• Have you got itchiness in the ear?

• Is there fluid or pus leaking from the ear?

• Are you experiencing difficulty hearing clearly?

EXTERNAL OTITIS TREATMENT

If you feel that you need to clean excessive wax from your ears, talk to your doctor first. They may want to examine your ears to see if the ear wax is excessive. It is normal to have some ear wax (also called cerumen) however if you do have an excessive amount of ear wax, there are safe ways to clean your ears. Vitalis offers a comprehensive ear suctioning service in Belfast City Centre.

Microsuction is considered to be safer and more effective compared to ear syringing, as it avoids touching the sensitive skin of the ear canal and will have no contact with the eardrum. This means that the risk of infection is reduced, as is the small risk of eardrum perforation with ear syringing or ear irrigation.

Dr Siobhan Graham and Health Care Assistant Ms Tina Fagan have been trained in the Tympa microsuctioning system. The Tympa system empowers clinicians to deliver digital otoscopy and microsuction wax removal, in a single appointment. This treatment is suitable for anyone 16 years of age and over.

In some cases we may use both irrigation and suctioning depending on the nature of the ear wax. Click HERE to book your 45 minute appointment with Tina Fagan.

It is important to note that if your infection is severe or your eardrum is ruptured, you will be referred to an ear, nose, and throat specialist (an otolaryngologist) for an examination and treatment.

Ear drops are usually prescribed to reduce pain and swelling caused by external otitis. You must follow application instructions carefully that the ear drops reach the ear canal. If you have bothersome ear pain, you can take a non-prescription pain killers.