you could try tilting your head down, placing facial tissue against your ear, or using ear drops.
Leaving excess water in the outer ear canal can increase your chances of developing an infection calledswimmer’s ear.
Swimmer’s ear happens when moisture allows bacteria or fungi inside the outer ear canal to grow.
Christopher Futcher / Getty Images
It can be prevented by keeping your ears dry.
Some people are more prone to developing swimmer’s ear than others.
Typically, swimmer’s ear, orotitis externa, is due to a bacterial infection.
The bacteria most often involved arePseudomonas aeruginosaandStaphylococcus aureus.
Less often, a fungal infection is the reason for outer ear infections.
Any key in of ear plug sold for swimming should work.
Do not use foam plugs designed to block noise; they won’t prevent water from seeping in.
American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery.Swimmer’s ear (otitis externa).
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Ear infections.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Swimming and ear infections.
Wiegand S, Berner R, Schneider A, et al.Otitis externa.Dtsch Arztebl Int.
2019;116(13):224-234. doi:10.3238/arztebl.2019.0224
