Can i wear ear plugs with swimmers ear?

Imagine you’re living your best life: the sun is shining, the pool is pristine, and the thought of diving in makes your heart sing. But wait a second…you have swimmer’s ear! Your head feels like it’s full of cotton balls and every splash sends waves of pain pulsing through your ear canal. Well fear not my aquatic friends because there may still be hope yet! In this article we will explore whether or not wearing ear plugs can still make a day at the beach enjoyable.

What is Swimmer’s Ear?

Before we dive deeper into answering that question let us first define what swimmer’s ear actually is for those who may be unfamiliar. Swimmer’s ear — also referred to as otitis externa — is an infection caused by bacteria growing in warm, moist environments such as swimming pools or hot tubs due to improper pH balancing . It can lead to redness, itching, inflammation, discharge, and even hearing loss if left untreated.

So Can You Actually Wear Them?

Now let us get back to business. The answer you’ve been waiting for… drumroll please… it depends on how severe your situation actually is. If you have mild symptoms such as slight itchiness or minor discomfort then wearing comfortable silicon moldable swimmers’ molds could work adequately but do note that they must fit correctly otherwise water pressure might push accumulated fluid so deep that no ‘plugging’ device will prevent true swelling from happening within ears.larger sized molds are sometimes available but generally should only be used with medically prescribed/ designed support moulding/shapes.

But hold on a minute there folks! Before you throw caution completely out the window just yet; realize that certain kinds of plugs (foam) might worsen rather than improve existing ailments since too much plugging/tight seating promotes bacterial growth and inflammation(caused by all things going on within the moist indescribable essence of our earplugs). Moreover if your symptoms such as significant pain, discharge or hearing loss are already escalated you really should consult a physician before donning any plugs at all!

The Pros & Cons

By now, it should be clear that wearing earplugs with swimmer’s ear is not always the solution to everyone’s problems. There are pros to using them as well as some cons. Let us break it down for you.

Pros:

  • Prevents water from entering into your ears.
  • Helps in reducing infections associated with swimming in warm environments,swimming pools,hottubs,lakes,rivers,springs..et al
  • Allows greater flexibility in aquatic activities without having to constantly adjust/swipe water away/push around earbuds while simultaneously trying to enjoy yourself under the glorious sun!

Cons:

  • Can Increase Feeling Of Fullness In Ears:Limits Sound Perception/Dialogue comprehension ability Underwater,Limits Interaction With Distant/Far Off Sounds&Environments.
  • Can aggravate pre-existing conditions (that have already existed prior use)
    This can lead towards rolling back efficiency of prescribed medications/alternative treatments.

An Alternatives Solution

Instead of relying solely upon ‘plugging’ one could look into over-the-counter pain relievers such as Tylenol® or hydrocortisone drops which help reduce discomfort from inflammation.Moreover they decrease chances bacterial accumulation since no tight seating object is employed within but instead liquids(easeir application too!)
If neither option apply then just put up signs like “Caution: I’m allergic! Please keep water out.” doesn’t hurt much either…hopefully someone responsible takes heed(humor intended).

Additional Tips To Prevent Swimmer’s Ear

Prevention is key when it comes to avoiding otitis externa altogether. Here are some additional tips to keep in mind that can help minimize your risk of getting swimmer’s ear:

  • Dry as early & effectively post swimming
    • If you have water lodged in ears, try tilting head sideways and pushing outward or indicate gravity movement thru lying down till it flows out naturally.
  • Use drops for easier removal of fluids
    • E.g. Swim-Ear®, Debrox®…
  • Do not apply sharp items into your ear canal such as cotton buds/smaller/untested piercing devices/etc(look like sharps taking a deep dive into the soft surface) Yes!That stuff is definitely straight from an ‘oh heck naw’ storybook!
  • Avoid underwater swimming exercise while affected by cold flus/illnesses are present.
    This only worsens already weakened conditions.

In Conclusion

So to answer the question: “Can I wear ear plugs with swimmer’s ear?” — it truly does depend on each situation and/or case-by-case basis.What may work perfectly for one person might do exactly the opposite fashion-&-create extra issues than solve them.Though certain circumstances (minor ailments, necessity) allow flexibility/sway towards choosing good plug options over other solutions…alternative behaviours should always be considered if severe annoyances persist along with symptoms experienced becoming worse. Play around ,but don’t mess around with swimmers’ molds unless you are really sure that they will serve up benefit instead of discomfort. Keep these preventive measures permanently locked away within memory because every day can play host to sudden unexpected aquatic happenings!

Random Posts