With summer already in effect, there are many who seek to alleviate the heat with baths in beaches and pools. That is why we have to remember the need to take special care to avoid annoying otitis, which end up affecting one in three people in Spain. In this post we explain how to prevent and also how to treat this ear infectionknown as bather’s otitis.
Yes, the name does not deceive: this otitis appears after bathing in pools or beaches. The reason is that it is an annoying infection caused by the entry of water and prolonged humidity into the external auditory canal. Therefore, there is no better antidote than prevention: drying your ears well with the tip of a towel or gauze after the dip.
The doctor Juan Royoof the community Living the SoundRemember that this type of ear infection can affect anyone: “From the youngest children to adults, we are all exposed to otitis externa or bather’s otitis, although some people are more prone than others, depending on the type of skin in the ear canal and earwax.” This type of otitis is especially painful and will require medical attention to treat.
How to avoid bather’s otitis
As we said, the main advice to avoid the appearance of this otitis is to dry your ears well after each bath. Dr. Juan Royo also insists on the need to avoid bathing in dirty water or untreated pools. When in doubt, better not to enter.
Those people who have a perforated eardrum should also avoid the bathroom: “In these cases we should not allow water to enter the ears, since a middle ear infection will occur, which may not hurt but also needs early treatment.”
Solution: Use earplugs for bathing
A great ally against bather’s otitis are custom bath plugs, which prevent water from entering the ears. This category also includes neoprene bandsideal for boys and girls, and also the ProEar diving goggles with built-in hearing protector.
