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Swimmer's ear is an infection. You will have to see a doctor.

Pharmacist

The goal of taking care of swimmer's ear infection is to:

  • Clear the ear canal of accumulated debris.
  • Make the infection go away with antibiotics.
  • Reduce the inflammation
  • Take some pain relievers and
  • keep the ear canal dry.

No antibiotics or ear drops for inflammation over-the-counter

And removal of the debris is to be done by a healthcare professional.

The only thing you can do that is available over-the-counter are listed below. Use these to work out a relief for this swimmer's ear infection until you can see a doctor.

Lady holding her ear


Drying ear drops

To keep the ear canal dry.

These ear drops evaporate excess water in the ear and prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi in the ear canal. A mixture of half rubbing alcohol and half white vinegar should do the trick if you are into home remedies.

Woman using ear drops in bed

We recommend buying ear drops for swimmer's ear over-the-counter. These have other things mixed with them like boric acid.

Use ear drops only if the eardrum is not ruptured or you don't use ear tubes.

 

Pain relievers

Naproxen, ibuprofen for ear pain and inflammation.

Lady taking medicine

These are anti-inflammatory pain relievers useful for swelling or to prevent swelling in the ear canal.

 

Antihistamine

Take an antihistamine if the ear is very itchy to reduce itching in the ear canal.

Woman taking her medicine

 

Last updated by pharmacist on : 08/30/2018 at 07:39:pm

 

 

 


Which of the symptoms listed below are you experiencing right now?
Pharmacist

Lady holding her ear

Choose your symptoms from the list below and see what is recommended.

 

 

Selection require a drying or soothing ear drops
Pharmacist

 

Selection require an anti-inflammatory pain reliever.
Pharmacist

 

Selection require an antihistamine.
Pharmacist

 

Selection require a warm compress
Pharmacist

 

Selection require you to seek urgent care clinic
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require a drying or soothing ear drops and anti-inflammatory pain reliever
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require a drying or soothing ear drops and antihistamine
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require a drying or soothing ear drops and warm compress
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require a drying or soothing ear drops and seek an urgent care clinic
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require a anti-inflammatory pain reliever and antihistamine
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require a anti-inflammatory pain reliever and warm compress
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require a anti-inflammatory pain reliever and seek an urgent care clinic
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require a antihistamine and warm compress
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require an antihistamine and seek an urgent care clinic
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require a warm compress and seek an urgent care clinic
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require drying or soothing ear drops, anti-inflammatory pain reliever and a antihistamine
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require drying or soothing ear drops, anti-inflammatory pain reliever and a warm compress
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require drying or soothing ear drops, anti-inflammatory pain reliever and seek an urgent care clinic
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require drying or soothing ear drops, antihistamine and a warm compress
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require drying or soothing ear drops, antihistamine and seek an urgent care clinic
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require drying or soothing ear drops, warm compress and seek an urgent care clinic
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require anti-inflammatory pain reliever, antihistamine and a warm compress
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require anti-inflammatory pain reliever, antihistamine and seek an urgent care clinic
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require anti-inflammatory pain reliever, warm compress and seek an urgent care clinic
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require antihistamine, warm compress and seek an urgent care clinic
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require drying or soothing ear drops, anti-inflammatory pain reliever, antihistamine and a warm compress
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require drying or soothing ear drops, anti-inflammatory pain reliever, antihistamine and seek an urgent care clinic
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require drying or soothing ear drops, anti-inflammatory pain reliever, warm compress and seek an urgent care clinic
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require drying or soothing ear drops, antihistamine, warm compress and seek an urgent care clinic
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require anti-inflammatory pain reliever, antihistamine, warm compress and seek an urgent care clinic
Pharmacist

 

Symptoms require drying or soothing ear drops, anti-inflammatory pain reliever, antihistamine, warm compress and seek an urgent care clinic
Pharmacist

 

Something to prevent?

 

Preventive measures


1. Get in the habit of using a drying ear drop after swimming.

2. A blow dryer set on low is helpful to dry out water after swimming.

 

All of these?
You must have this swimear really bad.
Pharmacist

 

None of these?
We must have left something out.

Please choose what you think closely relates to what you are experiencing and see what is recommended.

Ruptured eardrum?
You should seek the nearest urgent care or go to the emergency room.
Pharmacist

 

Ear Drops

To keep the ear canal dry.

These ear drops evaporate excess water in the ear and prevent the growth of bacteria and fungi in the ear canal. A mixture of half rubbing alcohol and half white vinegar should do the trick.

Ear drops bottle

We recommend buying ear drops for swimmer's ear over-the-counter. These have other things mixed with them such as boric acid.

Be sure to do this only if the eardrum is not ruptured.

 

 

Pain Reliever

Naproxen, ibuprofen for ear pain and inflammation.

These are anti-inflammatory pain relievers that will be useful in case of any swelling or preventing swelling in the ear canal.

Lady taking medicine

 

 

Antihistamine

To reduce itching in the ear canal. Take an antihistamine if the ear is very itchy.

Woman taking her medicine

 

 

Warm Compress

A warm compress should provide temporary relief from the pain and inflammation.

 

 

Seek Urgent Care

You should go the nearest urgent care clinic for this. It is going to get worse.

 

 

Combination Products

 

 

Worth doing

1. Get in the habit of using a drying ear drop after swimming.

2. A blow dryer set on low is helpful to dry out water after swimming.

lady using blow dryer

 

 

Last updated by pharmacist on 08/31/2018

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Know this about the safe and effective use of this recommendation.
Article photo

Our disclaimer

  • Recommendation is the opinion of a registered US Pharmacist currently practicing as a community pharmacist.
  • Recommendation is not an attempt to discuss all possible self care or treatment approach to this health challenge.
  • The responsibility of the recommending pharmacist is limited to this question:
    "If a patient presents with these symptoms, what will you recommend and why?"
    It is not an attempt to publish an article on the treatment of any condition. Just what would you tell a patient who present with so and so in the usual course of your practice.
  • The pharmacist image presented in this article may or may not be the actual image of the authoring pharmacist.
    Because we insist on using articles written by currently practicing community pharmacists, these pharmacists may choose to remain anonymous especially if they are employed by an employer to avoid being pressured to recommend a particular product to drive sales.
  • Please read the policies and terms of use for self-care OTC, selfcarepharmacist.com and it's affiliates by clicking on the button below.

 

 

 

 

 

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