![]() Wang: You can usually feel it if there's some water in your ear, right? If you notice that, turn your head to the side and try to shake the water out or let it drain out. What do you suggest for people who feel like there might be moisture in their ears?ĭr. Outer ear infections are mostly caused by bacteria, but they can also be caused by fungus, such as the fungus that causes athlete's foot. But moisture can also be introduced into the ear from showering, taking a bath, rain or sweat dripping into your ear - even high humidity. It's called swimmer's ear because that is what usually causes it. Can you get an outer ear infection from sweating a lot when you work out?ĭr. There are also over-the-counter ear wax removal kits from Debrox ® that are safe to use, when used as directed. If you feel you have a buildup of ear wax, I recommend applying a tissue or soft thin cloth to your finger and wiping gently around the entrance to the ear. It's a common reason for ER visits, actually. Also, part of the swab can break off, leaving a foreign body in your ear that needs to be removed. Use of Q-Tips can cause not only outer ear infections, but also trauma of the ear canal or eardrum, which can affect hearing and cause other types of infection and ear pain. So … we should NOT insert cotton swabs into our ears to try to clean them or remove earwax, right?ĭr. This impacted wax can then trap water or moisture deep in the canal, setting you up for an infection. When you apply cotton swabs, you often wind up pushing earwax further into the ear canal. Wang: Earwax is a natural way for your body to trap and slow the growth of bacteria that may have entered your ear. How do cotton swabs cause outer ear infections?ĭr. Adults who are more predisposed to getting otitis externa include those with eczema of the ear canal and those who frequently insert cotton swabs into their ear canal. The ear canal is a warm, moist area of the body, the perfect breeding ground for bacterial or fungal growth and an easy entry point for moisture to enter. Outer ear infections are also known as swimmer's ear, because they are typically caused by the introduction of moisture from outside the body. ![]() These can strike anyone at any age, with or without a history of ear infections. Wang: An outer ear infection, or otitis externa, is the type we most frequently encounter in adults. What is the most frequent type of ear infection in adults?ĭr. Brian Wang, an ENT doctor at Houston Methodist, is here to answer all of our burning questions about the types of ear problems that most frequently occur in adults. ![]() But the good news is, for the most part, there are easy ways to fix the problem, and even easier ways to avoid the common mistakes that can land even the most responsible adults in the reclining chair of an ear, nose and throat doctor (ENT). Bad news for those of us who thought we had outgrown that phase for good. ![]() Although ear infections are more common among children, some 20% occur in adults. Been a while since you woke up with a sharp, stabbing earache? Such a distant memory you don't even know where to find a heating pad like the one your mom used to carefully apply to the side of your face?Ĭonsider yourself lucky - but not necessarily off the hook. ![]()
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