Dr. Gabriel H. Ruffing specializes in audiology, and suggests the following three tips on how to prevent swimmer’s ear:
- Ear plugs can prevent water from entering the ear canal which is what causes Otitis Externa.
- Make sure the ear canal is free of cerumen (ear wax) to prevent water from getting lodged in the ear. Water can get behind the wax and fester.
- If water in the ear is of concern, a few drops of alcohol in the ear will remove moisture from the ear canal so long as the child’s eardrums are intact (no ear-tubes).
Remember these three tips the next time you and your kids head to the pool or beach. They may just save you and your little ones a trip to the doctor’s office.
Redding area pediatrician Lloyd Braemer offers this tip:
“In my experience earplugs are generally not that effective and tend to get lost,” says Dr. Braemer. “Purchase a plastic bottle with a squeeze nozzle on top and add a mixture of 50% white vinegar and 50% rubbing alcohol. After swimming, fill each ear canal with the mixture (they won’t hold much – about a teaspoon each), and let the mixture drain back out by tipping the head. This will dissolve the wax and dry the ear out effectively, unless there is an active ear infection. An ear infection symptom would include pain when tugging on the earlobe. If this is the case, do not put the vinegar/alcohol solution in the ear and please consult your doctor right away. Also note, this tip does not apply if you have ear-tubes.
Posted in: Health & Nutrition
Comment Policy: All viewpoints are welcome, but comments should remain relevant. Personal attacks, profanity, and aggressive behavior are not allowed. No spam, advertising, or promoting of products/services. Please, only use your real name and limit the amount of links submitted in your comment.
You Might Also Like...
Reflexology and Self-Care
It can be very relaxing to have your hands and feet pampered, no matter what your age. We don’t really think about how hard our extremities work for us every […]
Knowing Your Personality Type Can Help You Be A Better Parent
I am a true believer in finding out our personality type so that we can go through life being more self-aware and appreciate why we approach the world in the […]
Siskiyou County Schools Tackle Tobacco
“Eighty-one percent of California teenagers prefer dating non-smokers,” recites Maya, a Butteville Elementary sixth grade student who is rehearsing for one of a series of recorded tobacco awareness ads to […]
Scoliosis – Screening And Treatment Options
The words “scoliosis” and “S curve” were unknown to my family until the summer I was 12, and I fell into a pool. A trip to the pediatrician’s for a […]
Localicious: The Corn On Your Plate
Corn has been a staple grain of many cultures’ diets for centuries, with the earliest uses dating back to approximately 5000 B.C.E. Cultivated in an array of colors, yellow and […]
The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics – Empowering Consumers to Make Healthy Choices
Last March celebrity tabloids were abuzz when toddler Vivienne Jolie-Pitt was spotted wearing lipstick in public. Observers were decidedly focused on the appropriateness of the 3-year-old’s “dress up” demeanor. Noticeably […]