Natural Swimmer’s Ear Remedies
It seems that every summer at least one of my kids battles swimmer’s ear.
Swimmer’s ear is an inflammation of the outer ear canal. Symptoms include itching, pain, and temporary hearing loss. Water in the ear is usually noticed after swimming. There may also be an infection in the outer ear that appears later. Grasp the outer ear and pull it forward gently. If this hurts, you more than likely have swimmer’s ear. Here are some natural remedies to try:
Isopropyl alcohol will kill bacteria and help to evaporate moisture in the ear canal.
Apple cider vinegar is a good preventative measure. If you notice that water is remaining trapped in your ears, place 3-4 drops of apple cider vinegar in your ears to guard against future infection.
Place a hair dryer set to low about an arm’s length from the ear and move it back and forth. The warm air will evaporate water in the ear.
Full strength white vinegar dropped into the ear every two hours. This will help bacterial and fungal infections.
Make a 50/50 mixture of isopropyl alcohol and distilled white vinegar. The alcohol will kill germs and evaporate water. Use several drops after swimming.
Keep ears dry while healing. Use ear plugs or Vaseline-coated cotton balls when swimming or showering.
