Pool and sea water, which is used to cool off on hot summer days, can affect ear health if necessary precautions are not taken. Keeping the ear constantly moist and not disinfecting the pool water sufficiently can lead to infection in the external auditory canal. Pointing out the importance of proper ear cleaning in preventing infections, experts recommend drying the inside of the ear only with a towel.
Üsküdar University NPISTANBUL Hospital Ear, Nose and Throat Specialist Prof. Dr. Murat Topak said that the most common diseases in terms of ear-nose-throat in summer are external ear canal diseases that usually develop as a result of exposure to pool and sea water.
Causes hearing loss
Stating that external ear canal infections are more common in summer, Specialist Prof. Dr. Murat Topak said the following:
"The decrease in the protection factors of the external auditory canal as a result of the decrease or disappearance of the cerumen layer as a result of contact with water, as well as the fact that this place is constantly moist as a result of contact with water, the pool water is not sufficiently disinfected, may cause bacteria to affect the external auditory canal and as a result, infection may develop. In the summer months, the serum accumulated as a result of swimming in the pool and sea does not cause a complaint without blocking the ear canal; however, if the external auditory canal is completely blocked when it swells when it encounters water, this can lead to hearing loss. Generally, our patients come to us after swimming in the pool or sea or taking a bath, saying 'My ear is blocked, I wonder if water has got in'. Here, this accumulated plug is already visible during the examination, and the treatment is quite easy."
Do not use ear cotton in your ear cleaning!
Stating that ear cleaning is important in protecting ear health and preventing infections, Specialist Prof. Dr. Murat Topak said, "Another factor that prepares the ground for infection is the attempt to clean the external auditory canal after swimming in the pool or sea with the idea that there is water inside. If sharp things such as ear cotton or matchsticks are used during this cleaning, if the external auditory canal, which already has a reduced amount of serum, is damaged in this way, it becomes completely open to the entry of bacteria here and infection develops."
Pain and itching are signs of infection
Stating that if the infection develops, some pain and mild itching occurs initially, Specialist Prof. Dr. Murat Topak said, "Especially pain; It occurs during jaw movements and eating. As the infection progresses, the pain becomes more severe. Here, since the external auditory canal narrows the pathway due to increased swelling due to infection, hearing loss may also occur; discharge due to infection may also occur."
Do not play with your ear to remove the water!
Prof. Dr. Murat Topak emphasized that the infected area should be cleaned frequently by themselves in the treatment and continued his words as follows: "Sometimes we do not put anything in the external auditory canal; but sometimes, if the inflammation has progressed, we can place antibiotic tampons there. After a few days of dressing, the situation regresses. What we want to emphasize here is that as a preventive measure, you should not play with the external auditory canal with any object to remove the water that has got into the external auditory canal. We only need to dry it with a dry towel after swimming in the pool or sea. Apart from that, we should not put anything inside. It may be useful to remove some moisture from the ear canal with the low speed of a hair dryer to keep it moist. Apart from that, these infections can sometimes occur due to bacterial factors."
Attention to fungal infections
Stating that fungal infections affecting the external auditory canal are also more common in summer, Prof. Dr. Murat Topak said, "Fungi usually settle here because they like humid and dark areas. This can be eliminated with preventive measures. The treatment of fungal infection is of course different from the other. First of all, it needs to be cleaned frequently and we can use effective drugs for these fungi."