What should you know about swimmer's ear extreme pain?

Swimmer's ear, also called otitis externa, affects the skin of the outer ear canal. Water left in the canal can soften the skin, while scratching, cotton buds, or other objects can cause small breaks that allow irritation or infection. Pain may increase when the outer ear is touched or moved, and the canal may feel blocked. Earache can also arise from middle-ear infection, trapped earwax, or nearby nose and throat problems, so the location and examination matter.

A clinician may look for redness, swelling, discharge, wax, or a blocked view of the eardrum. Severe pain does not identify one cause by itself.

Keep the ear dry and avoid swimming until the pain and any discharge have settled. Do not put cotton buds, fingers, oils, or leftover drops into the canal. A pharmacist or clinician can advise on suitable pain relief for your age and health conditions. If the canal is swollen or infected, prescribed ear drops may be used; antibiotics are not automatically needed for every earache.

Do not try ear-wax removal while the ear is very painful or draining unless a clinician recommends it. Protect the ear from shower water without pushing anything inside.

Arrange prompt medical assessment for extreme pain, marked swelling, pus or blood, new hearing change, fever, or pain that is not easing. Seek urgent help if you feel very unwell, have swelling spreading around the ear, facial weakness, severe headache, or diabetes or a weakened immune system with significant ear pain.

Ask whether the pain is in the outer canal or behind the eardrum, whether the eardrum can be seen safely, which drops are appropriate, and when you can return to swimming.