How to Get Rid of Swimmer's Ear

Mild cases of swimmer's ear may improve on their own, though proper treatment can provide prompt relief. For most people, using prescribed antibiotic ear drops resolves symptoms by killing the germs that cause the infection.

Severe problems are rare, though having a weakened immune system raises your risk of these issues. Early treatment can help avoid this.

This article describes treatment, home remedies, and other ways to ease the pain of swimmer's ear.

kids jumping into water

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What's the Fastest Way to Get Rid of Swimmer's Ear?

The fastest way to get rid of swimmer's ear is to visit your healthcare provider for a diagnosis and treatment with prescription medication. You can help prevent the condition from becoming serious if treated early, before the infection spreads.

Contact your healthcare provider as soon as possible if you have symptoms of this condition. The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery advises topical therapy—such as antibiotic ear drops—for the first-level treatment of uncomplicated swimmer's ear.

How Quickly Will Swimmer's Ear Go Away?

With proper treatment, symptoms of swimmer's ear can improve in one to three days. When the medication is used as directed, most uncomplicated cases of swimmer's ear go away completely within seven to 10 days.

At Your Provider's Office

Most uncomplicated cases of swimmer's ear can be treated on an outpatient basis at your provider's office. Your treatment will also likely involve taking medication at home and following instructions to keep your ear clean and dry until it heals.

Steps regarding what to expect at the healthcare provider's office are outlined below.

Cleaning the Ear Canal

Before treatment begins, your healthcare provider may clean the ear canal. This involves removing pus, drainage, or other debris like earwax from the ear canal so a topical treatment can reach the site of the infection. It also allows your healthcare provider to determine whether the infection is coming from or causing another problem.

The process of cleaning the ear canal, called aural toileting, can involve one of the following methods:

  • Gentle lavage (irrigation) of your ear with water, hydrogen peroxide, or a saline solution
  • Dry mopping (using cotton wool or tissue paper) to clear the ear canal
  • Suction clearance with a microscope (sucking up material blocking your ear using a small device that has a long, thin nozzle that fits in your ear)

Ear drops

Ear drops are typically prescribed for swimmer's ear. These products usually contain an antibiotic to kill the germs causing the infection. They may also contain antiseptics, steroids, or a combination of these drugs.

The following ear drops are commonly used to treat swimmer's ear:

  • Acetic acid otic (acetic acid 2.0% solution)
  • Acetasol HC (acetic acid 2.0%, hydrocortisone 1.0%)
  • Cipro HC (ciprofloxacin 0.2%, hydrocortisone 1.0%)
  • Ciprodex (ciprofloxacin 0.3%, dexamethasone 0.1%)
  • Cortisporin Otic (neomycin, polymyxin B, hydrocortisone)
  • Floxin Otic (ofloxacin 0.3%)

Other Medications for Ear Infection

Depending on factors such as your symptoms and other medical conditions, your healthcare provider may prescribe the use of one or more medications to use with or instead of antibiotic ear drops. These treatments may include the following:

Acidic Solution

Acetic acid ear drops that consist of 5% acetic acid (white vinegar) mixed with equal parts of isopropyl alcohol or water may help prevent swimmer's ear, though their effectiveness in treating an existing condition has not been formally studied.

Vinegar and alcohol may be effective in preventing swimmer's ear because the properties of vinegar restore the natural acidity of your ear canal, making your ear less vulnerable to infection, while the alcohol dries out your ear. This solution can be purchased over the counter or mixed at home yourself.

Steroids

Your healthcare provider may prescribe antibiotic ear drops that contain a steroid such as hydrocortisone or dexamethasone. These medications can help reduce symptoms of itching and inflammation that commonly occur with swimmer's ear.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics are regarded as first-level treatment for swimmer's ear because bacteria are a common cause of the infection that causes this condition

Antibiotics are usually administered topically via prescription ear drops. Administering the medication via ear drops helps limit side effects and the risk of creating antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Antibiotics taken by mouth or intravenously (IV) may be prescribed in cases where the infection resists topical therapy or spreads beyond the outer ear.

Antifungal Medication

Though not as common as bacterial infections, a fungal ear infection can sometimes cause swimmer's ear. Diagnosing a fungal infection may require a culture of your ear canal.

Antifungal medication may be administered via antifungal ear drops that contain clotrimazole. Topical therapy that includes miconazole cream or fluconazole drops can also be effective.

Over-the-Counter (OTC) Pain Relievers

Symptoms of swimmer's ear can include severe pain, especially when you touch your ear, chew, or talk. Over-the-counter pain relievers such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil (ibuprofen) may provide relief of symptoms.

Check with your healthcare provider to ensure that any medication you use does not interfere with other treatments. If administering pain medication to your child, ensure that you use the appropriate medication and dosage for their age and weight.

When Treatment Doesn't Work

Contact your healthcare provider if your symptoms don't improve within 36 to 48 hours of using a prescribed treatment. Your condition may require a different treatment to address other causes or complications of the pain in your ear canal.

What to Do at Home During Treatment

While proper treatment for swimmer's ear can work quickly, follow instructions from your healthcare provider for home remedies for an ear infection to reduce symptoms and prevent germs from spreading as you heal. Here is what you can do at home during treatment to get the best results during otitis external self-care:

  • Use painkillers if needed. OTC remedies like acetaminophen and ibuprofen can help relieve the pain that commonly occurs with swimmer's ear.
  • Place a warm compress, heating pad, or towel on your ear to relieve pain.
  • Keep your ears as dry as possible during the time you are using ear drops. Avoid showers, swimming, and other water sports until you heal.
  • Administer ear drops by lying down with the affected ear facing upward. If possible, have someone else administer the drops in your ear. Remain lying down for a few minutes before standing upright so the ear drops can have time to work.
  • Use ear drops for as long as prescribed, even if your symptoms go away. Ear drops are typically used for at least seven days.
  • Limit your use of large headphones, especially outdoors. They can cause bacterial growth in your ear canal by creating a hot, humid environment. Earbuds are less of a risk only if they are not shared.
  • Protect your ears from chemicals/cosmetics like shampoos, hairspray, hair dye, makeup, or perfume.
  • Consult with your healthcare provider if you decide to try natural remedies for swimmer's ear.

Treatments for Severe Swimmer's Ear

Swimmer's ear usually improves with proper treatment. However, the infection can become severe in older adults, people treated with chemotherapy, and those with diabetes, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or AIDS, or another condition that weakens the immune system.

Without proper care, these people have the highest risk of a rare complication of swimmer's ear called malignant otitis externa. It occurs when the infection spreads to the base of your skull, bone, and cartilage near your affected ear. (Despite its most common meaning, the term "malignant" does not mean the condition involves cancer.)

Treatment for severe swimmer's ear typically includes the following:

  • A tiny, narrow sponge, or ear wick, soaked in antibiotic ear drops to allow the medication to reach a swollen ear canal
  • High-dose oral or IV antibiotics, typically used when the infection involves areas behind the ear canal

People with chronic swimmer's ear may be prescribed long-term or repeated treatment to avoid complications.

How to Prevent Swimmer's Ear

Swimmer's ear can develop any time you have moisture in your ear. You can help prevent swimmer's ear by taking the following precautions:

  • Use earplugs or a bathing cap when swimming.
  • Use a towel to get your ears as dry as possible.
  • Encourage water to escape your ear canal by tilting your head back and forth so each ear faces down to the ground.
  • Hold a hair dryer several inches from your ear. Use the lowest setting as you aim the hair dryer toward your ear.
  • Consult with your healthcare provider about using swimmer's ear drops after swimming.
  • Do not try to remove ear wax by putting objects such as cotton-tip swabs in your ear canal.
  • Avoid excessive showers in the summer, which can increase your risk of swimmer's ear.
  • Restrict your use of pools and hot tubs to those where disinfectant and pH levels are checked at least twice daily.

When to Call a Healthcare Provider

While a mild case of swimmer's ear may resolve on its own, some people require medical treatment to relieve persistent ear pain and stop an infection. Call a healthcare provider if you have any of the following symptoms of swimmer's ear:

  • Ear pain with or without fever
  • Decreased hearing or loss of hearing in one or both ears
  • Persistent itching in your ear or ear canal
  • Any discharge from your ear, which can be thick, bloody, discolored, or foul-smelling

Contact your healthcare provider if you are not feeling better within 36 to 48 hours of starting any treatment. You may need a different approach to get rid of the problem.

Summary

Prompt treatment with antibiotic ear drops from your healthcare provider can often cure swimmer's ear. Severe problems are rare, though having a weakened immune system raises your risk of these issues. Early treatment can help avoid complications.

The prognosis is often good for most cases of swimmer's ear. Proper treatment prevents germs from spreading to other parts of your body and helps you heal within seven to 10 days.

17 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
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Anna Zernone Giorgi

By Anna Giorgi
Anna Zernone Giorgi is a writer who specializes in health and lifestyle topics. Her experience includes over 25 years of writing on health and wellness-related subjects for consumers and medical professionals, in addition to holding positions in healthcare communications.