ROANOKE, Va. – With summer now in full swing, kids are bound to be jumping in and out of pools, lakes and rivers which can cause a problem of its own.
Swimmer’s ear is inflammation of the outer ear canal typically caused by water getting trapped inside the ear, causing bacteria to grow.
It can be treated with an antibiotic or. if it’s not particularly painful. some cases can be treated at home.
Carilion’s Chief of Pediatrics Dr. Christopher Pierce shared these home remedies to help combat the infection.
“If your child is particularly prone to swimmer’s ear, there are over-the-counter swim drops which are essentially rubbing alcohol, isopropyl alcohol,” said Pierce. “But a couple drops of that in your child’s ear after they’ve been swimming and if there’s water, it kind of mixes with that and makes it easier to evaporate. So that is a kind of preventative measure,” he added.
Pierce also said you can also add vinegar to a rubbing alcohol mixture which will serve as an anti-bacterial to help heal swimmer’s ear at home.